La Gacilly is a "small city of character" with flowered streets and animated by the artists and craftsmen who hold stalls there. From the miniature harbor, you can see the river which looks like a brook to sink under the canopy of trees. Narrow, it winds under the canopy before getting lost in the marsh of Mortier de Glénac. In slow motion to better enjoy and not to disturb nature, we take a lot of pleasure in it, until we come to moor at the pontoon of Glénac.
At the confluence
The most beautiful river sites are almost always at the conjunction of several waterways and this one is no exception. From Redon, in Ille-et-Vilaine, the Canal de Nantes à Brest continues westward. It follows the course of the Oust river which gets lost for a while in a vast marsh area, the Mortier de Glénac. This superb body of water classified Natura 2000 is formed by the confluence of the Aff and the Oust.
A channel full of birds
Rock climbing, tree climbing, kayaking or mountain biking... the site of Ile-aux Pies lends itself to all kinds of sports. It is just upstream from its cliffs that the Oust changes its face. On the right bank, the Maclais lock marks the continuation of the Nantes-Brest Canal, while the river widens towards the opposite bank. A series of beacons indicates a channel that one follows all the more willingly as it is strewn with water birds.
A stopover not to be missed
At the very end of this stretch of water, the port of Glénac is home to a Nicols rental base and a pontoon suitable for a stopover. It is in the evening that this place takes all its magic. The sunsets are superb and the inhabitants of the water, feathered or furry, have a great time, without worrying in the least about your presence.
A gap of greenery
As soon as it branches off, the Aff takes a gap in the marsh, which it skirts for a while before reaching the tree canopy that tightly encloses it. It is sometimes difficult to pass another boat, which is fortunately rare. There is so much to see and to marvel at that the journey is done in slow motion. A pleasure all the more intense as we had the privilege to have an electric motor for this course which brings a real plus in this kind of environment.
A striking contrast
The small port of La Gacilly is peaceful, especially in comparison with the tourist animation that reigns in the cobbled and flowered streets of the city, sown with the magnificent pictures of the Photo Festival. The stalls of the craftsmen offer a lively and warm environment.
On the way back to the port, one can fully appreciate the privilege of the river boater who can choose to follow the waterways at a distance from any tourist agitation.
