Summer trip to Brittany area

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Spitfire

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I’m planning a trip to the Brittany area this July. While I know France quite well and ridden there many times, I’ve never been any further west than Normandy.

I will be going 2up with my partner but she is new to biking so I want to make the trip a relaxing one rather than a marathon. Some nice riding with lots of stops.

I was considering leaving the UK on a Sunday AM and going across on the shuttle. Probably head for Normandy the 1st day and then do an overnight stop.

Would love to know some must see places/roads in Brittany?

She has also requested we stop for 2-3 days somewhere with a nice beach and relax before heading back, so recommendations would be appreciated for a stopover. I have...I mean she will have her bikini packed.

Suggestions of cheapish hotels with bike parking would be also helpful!

Tres bien Merci GSers :beerjug:
 
Lots of good roads in Brittany and nicer landscape than Normandy - for sure.

South coast of Brittany in the summer - gives the feeling of being on the med shoreline.

Instead of hotels - consider a Gite in or on edge of a good town/village?
 
As above post, the coastal roads along the Brittany coast are usually quiet and very scenic, lots of unspoilt pretty beaches and villages along the way.

Why not sail overnight into St Malo and no long day in the saddle to Calais and back. St Malo is very nice, a bit touristy these days but still worth a walk around the rampards which are all still intact around the port area of town.

Then there's Dinan a lovely very old town, hire a Gite there as a base as your not too far inland and able to meander along the coast roads.
 
I can recommend Ploumanach for your 2/3 day bikini stop !!

Bit pricy but the Hotel Castelbeausite has a stunning location.

View from room

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The beach that the hotel ( just out of view to left ) overlooks

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I stopped for a few nights in 2016 at Carnac which is a pleasant town, but I was underwhelmed by their stones. Carnac has some decent beaches. I stopped in the old town centre but you would need to stay at Carnac Plage for the beach.

I took a daytrip around the coast of the Quiberon Peninsula. Some rugged beaches on the west side and nice sandy beaches on the east. Ibis Hotel would be pretty cheap.

My favourite part of Brittany was here https://goo.gl/maps/UrUdywPtP8U2 at Pointe Saint-Mathieu - very rocky coast her which I prefer plus a lighthouse which usually means some decent views. Some decent beaches not far away to the north. Hotel Vent d'Iroise was okay and the food in the bistro on the side of the Hostellre was good.

Rather than the tunnel, consider one of the longer crossings as this will save you the overnight in Normandy. St Malo itself, is worth a night or two as it is a very nice place to visit with good beaches. Can't recommend the hotel I used which was 1 step up from a doss house. Hotel Ibis is on the sea front with private parking at rear.
 
It’s 350 miles of shit roads from the Tunnel to Brittany.... take a night crossing to St Malo from Portsmouth... much nicer..
 
I spent a happy holiday (car not bike) in Audierne. Lots of good beaches close by, but it does take AGES to get there from Calais. It doesn't make sense to slog all the way to Folkestone or Dover if you can more easily get to Portsmouth or Plymouth, unless either or both have you have a real aversion to boats, or the price difference is HUGE.

A long day slogging down from calais isn't going to be a great introduction to touring for your pillion.

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Carnac is lovely.

We stayed just out of the centre last year and got totally pissed.

Plenty of places to eat and drink.

The bar owner ran us back to the hotel in his car which was really nice of him.
 
Given that one of your locations is shown as Devon, try Plymouth - Roscoff to cut out the schlep from Calais.
 
Given that one of your locations is shown as Devon, try Plymouth - Roscoff to cut out the schlep from Calais.

+1 absolutely a no brainer. Otherwise St Malo - outward O/N is great, return daytime can get tedious.

Just remember, once you get out on the country roads, everything is a tad further/takes longer than you may think it looks on the map, so save your energies for La Belle France. Personally, I wouldn't do a fixed base for this very reason - too much time gets wasted back-tracking each day.

Here are just a few ideas & areas to explore: -

The Emerald Coast - a nice little ride along the coast westbound from St.Malo, Dinard, St.Cast, Cape Frehel, to Le Val-Andre. Beautiful views, wonderful seafood/crepes/Galettes, washed down with a cidre Bouche.

Noires Mountains - Gourin, the Laz viewpoint over the Aulne valley, Carhaix-P, Toullaeron Rock, Notre-Dame Du Crann.

THe Cornouaille - O/N at Quimper, Locronan, then west to Leyde Point, Van Point, the Raz point - spectacular all the time, even more so if the tide is running. You look west to Sein Island, made famous when it's menfolk helped DeGaulle kick off his Free french Army in 1940. Then SE St-Tugen & on down to the Eckmuhl Lighthouse, before completing the anti-clockwise circle following the Odet Estuary back to Quimper.

The Arree Mountains - west of Huelgoat (Silver). Trevezel Rock, St-Michel Mountain, Pleyben, Menez Hom - it's a bit of a treck to the viewing table though. Then west to the Crozon peninsular & Penhir Point.

The Abers - O/N Brest. Then west down to Pnte de St Mathieu. Next north hugging the coast where possible to Tremazan, before going east to Le Folgoet, the SE back to Brest.

The Amorique Corniche & Bretonne Corniche - easily accomodated, just to the east of Roscoff, if you choose the Plymouth Ferry.


So much to see, if the weather is kind, but like Cornwall, it can be 4 seasons in one day & sometimes the fog can get frustrating. We also like Benodet, Concarneau & the Megaliths near Carnac on the Cote Sauvage. La Baule is said to have the best Moules, but it's just too French bucket & spade IMO. Vannes is OK & the bimble around the Golfe du Morbihan pleasant, but probably best take a boat trip here. Josselin & the castle facade overlooking the Oust river is quaint with some quiet roads around it.

That should keep you entertained for a week ........... for the several seasons even. Have a great time.
 
St Malo for ferry, also interesting. Dinard great seafood. Dinan very nice. Mont Saint Michel close by and well worth a look. Cant remember inland tbh.
Hated La Baule, and the salt marshes nearby, apart very good Bouillabaisse! Reminded me of Blackpool and always seemed to be windy.
 
News and views, OP?

Well. Thanks everyone for all the input.

The lady and I have put a plan together and sorted AirBnBs and hotels. The costs and timings mean we'll do the tunnel out and the boat on the return.

It goes something like this.

Cambridge to Folkestone
Le Shuttle to Calais
Calais to Montreuil-sur-Mer (I know a nice place for lunch here)
Then down to near Bayeux. We will stay here and the next morning visit the D Day beaches.
Then make our way to Carnac. We will stay here for 3 days. Chill out eat good food and drink wine, etc!
Head up to St Malo.
Then on the last day visit a couple of places in Normandy.
Then Cherbourg and Seacat – Portsmouth.
Might if we feel like it stay in Hampshire that night before heading home in the morning back to East Anglia.
 
Well. Thanks everyone for all the input.

The lady and I have put a plan together and sorted AirBnBs and hotels. The costs and timings mean we'll do the tunnel out and the boat on the return.

It goes something like this.

Cambridge to Folkestone
Le Shuttle to Calais
Calais to Montreuil-sur-Mer (I know a nice place for lunch here)
Then down to near Bayeux. We will stay here and the next morning visit the D Day beaches.
Then make our way to Carnac. We will stay here for 3 days. Chill out eat good food and drink wine, etc!
Head up to St Malo.
Then on the last day visit a couple of places in Normandy.
Then Cherbourg and Seacat – Portsmouth.
Might if we feel like it stay in Hampshire that night before heading home in the morning back to East Anglia.

Sounds like a great plan. Have a great trip and let us know how it goes!
 
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