The best road cycling routes around Dingé

At the beginning of the 16th century, Bazouges-la-Pérouse had over 5,000 inhabitants, focused on agriculture and trade. The town retains many traces of this past prosperity along its alleyways and its characterful buildings.

Notre-Dame Church in Saint-Melaine

The Roman road from Avranches (Alauna) to Rennes (Condate), probably the origin of the name of the commune, crossed Vieux-Viel from north to south. The existence of the parish of Vieux-Viel is certified in the 12th century, but writings suggest an establishment from the 11th century. Its patron saint was then Saint Martin, Bishop of Tours. According to tradition, from the origin of the parish, the church of Vieux-Viel belonged to the monks of the abbey of Rillé (Fougères), who owned a fief in Vieux-Viel in 1541. Remains of construction near the presbytery in a field called the "Clos au moine" would attest to their presence. Vieux-Viel, which has always belonged to the diocese of Rennes, was then part of the archdeaconry of Rennes and the deanery of Fougères. Before 1789 Vieux-Viel, divided into a number of fiefs, was under the jurisdiction of eight seigneurial jurisdictions, four of which operated in the locality: that of Chatelier, Tréhet, la Motte and Launay-Pinier. Vieux-Viel became a commune in 1789. The 1790 census recorded 768 inhabitants. During the Revolution, the commune belonged to the district of Dol-de-Bretagne and the canton of Trans, whose administrators wanted to abolish the parish by attaching it to Sougéal, but this project did not come to fruition.

Very beautiful portal in Art Deco style

Nice spot to take a break

The church was built in 1845, to the plans of the architect Léonce Couëtoux.

Always a good spot for a walk on the Rance!

Beautiful view of the canal. There is a path along it, but it might not be suitable for a road bike with thin tires. Great place for a picnic. A little history : Construction of the Ille-et-Rance canal began in 1804, under Napoleon I, and ended in 1832. The bulk of the work focused on the 11 Hédé-Bazouges locks which connect the two rivers. A real aquatic ladder, they allow you to overcome a 27 m difference in height. Until the beginning of the 20th century, the canal's vocation was essentially commercial between Rennes and Saint-Malo, but little by little the railways and then the road took over, announcing the decline of this economic vocation. Today, the transport of goods has given way to river tourism.