"Geography
The forest mainly occupies the territory of the commune of Tronchet (242 hectares) to the west, and also extends over the neighboring communes of Tressé to the east (197 hectares), Saint-Pierre-de-Plesguen to the south ( 146 hectares), and Miniac-Morvan to the north (18 hectares).
It is distinct from the communal forest of Tronchet, which, located in the northern continuity of the national forest, extends over an area of ??approximately 100 hectares.
The forest is crossed from north to south by the departmental road 73 which connects Combourg to Saint-Malo, as well as from east to west by the departmental road 9 which joins Le Tronchet to Tressé.
Forest paths cut through the forest at several star-shaped crossroads (the Pertuis aux Chevreuils, the Jardin d'Amour). Characteristic of the 18th century, these crossroads particularly favored the movement of hunting crews.
History
The word Mesnil would come from the word house. The forest was the property of Robert Surcouf, privateer from Saint-Malo, who had bought it to hunt there and build a hunting lodge4. In 1933, the State bought the forest, which became state property and is now managed by the National Forestry Office (ONF).
Activities
The forest is exploited in silviculture with a volume of 4,000 m3 of wood felled annually.
21 km of hiking trails are marked and maintained by the Bretagne Romantique community of communes6.
The forest is bordered by the Saint-Malo golf course, Le Tronchet.
Fauna and flora
The forest is made up of three quarters of deciduous trees with a majority of gall oaks and beeches. The rest is planted with softwoods such as Scots pines or spruces.
The floristic richness is marked by the presence of lily of the valley, epipactis and buttercups. These species are included on the list of threatened plant species in the Armorican massif.
The fauna is abundant in birds (whisper warblers, European nightjars and marsh woodpeckers) and amphibians (lissotritons vulgaris and alpine newts).
Finally, the forest is home to deer, wild boar, rabbits, foxes, badgers, etc."