Cheix-en-Retz on the Acheneau: Trails, History and Pilgrimage Tradition

Cheix-en-Retz presents along the Acheneau a landscape where nature observation and distinctive cultural traces lie closely side by side. The Circuit de la Pierre Tremblante runs along the marshes and banks of the Acheneau, where visitors can observe a great variety of animal species.

More local pages: Saint-Nazaire, Petit-Mars, Gétigné, Rezé, Cordemais, Soudan, La Chapelle Sur Erdre and La Chevrolière.

Nature and Trails

On the banks of the Acheneau lies the La Pierre Tremblante fishing area, which can be reached directly by vehicle. The fishing area is accessible to people with reduced mobility and also includes a night carp-fishing area. La Pierre Tremblante itself is a large gneiss slab on the banks of the Acheneau and could be a remnant of a megalith. It can be visited freely, individually or in groups.

The Balade en Toue explores the Acheneau marshes with local residents who know the area well. They explain its history, landscapes, hydrology, fauna, agriculture and fishing. Different forms of exploration are therefore available alongside one another: the circular trail, the fishing area and the accompanied trip through the marshland.

History

The Château de Bois-Corbeau is privately owned and not open to the public; however, the Circuit de la Pierre Tremblante hiking trail passes near the château. The chapel of the Château de Bois-Corbeau dates from the 12th century, is an important Romanesque building and was built by monks from Sainte-Marie-de-Pornic Abbey. The oldest part of the Château de Bois-Corbeau dates from the 14th century.

In 1838, almost 800 Roman coins were discovered at the Pont du Pilon in Cheix-en-Retz; they date approximately from 27 BC to 238 AD. The village of Le Pilon is a very old crossing point that pilgrims used on their way to Santiago de Compostela.

Church

The Église Saint-Martin has had its present form since 1856: it was rebuilt in the Neo-Romanesque style according to plans by the architect Joseph-Fleury Chenantais, replacing the medieval building that had been destroyed during the Revolution.

The granite holy-water stoup of the Église Saint-Martin dates from the 12th century and is one of the few surviving elements of the church from that period. The 1856 chancel window depicts three episodes from the life of Saint Martin: his charity, the founding of the Ligugé monastery and his episcopate in Tours.

Nature, water, history and pilgrimage tradition thus offer different thematic perspectives.

For Navig'Acheneau, the dates listed in Cheix-en-Retz are Saturday, 4 July, Wednesday, 8 July, and Saturday, 5 September.

When choosing a holiday apartment in Cheix-en-Retz, travel dates, room category and cancellation policies can be considered as separate criteria. These accommodation details stand alongside the local attractions without replacing them: those who wish to assign different importance to nature, waterscapes, historical traces or ecclesiastical art can base their own decision on these focal points. The question of whether individual visits or varied landscape impressions should take priority can likewise be separated from the accommodation details.

For the broader travel overview: Loire-Atlantique.