8 days
Duration
Easy to Moderate
Difficulty
France
Location
March-November
Availability

Cycle along the quiet coastal tracks of Brittany’s Emerald Coast with great sea views

Visit the spectacular UNESCO listed island of Mont-Saint-Michel, an ancient pilgrimage site

Enjoy fresh oysters in Cancale and relax on the beaches of Dinard and St Malo

Take a ferry to the English Channel Island of Jersey

Explore the cobbled streets of the charming medieval town of Dinan


Self-guided cycling holiday in Brittany

Cycling in Brittany is an absolute pleasure, with its scenic coastal roads, quiet canal paths and greenways. Its coastal gems are rightly famous; the stunning walled town of Saint-Malo, as well as the iconic Mont-Saint-Michel, one of France’s most recognizable and breath-taking historic sites.

Inland, the countryside is vast and sparsely populated. This means that the quiet country roads have very little traffic, making them ideal for leisurely cycling. Around Dinan the tree-lined Canal d’Ill et Rance is just made for tranquil cycling and lazy picnics.

A cycling holiday is the best way to experience the sights, sounds and smells of Brittany. Try delicious Breton crepes, seafood and cider, marvel at the contrast between the dark granite buildings and the emerald-green sea. You will also have the opportunity to sample a little bit of England, as you take a ferry to the flower island of Jersey.

8 DAYS/7 NIGHTS From €750 per person sharing*

*Discounts available for groups of 3 in a triple room. Please enquire for prices
*A high season surcharge will apply during the summer months.
*A minimum of 2 people is required to book this tour.

BIKE RENTAL If you don’t bring your own, you can rent a bicycle from us. Our touring bikes are have a minimum of 21-speed gears.  It is also possible to rent an electric bike.

You will receive your rental bike at the start of your holiday and return it before you go home. We deliver the bicycle at your first accommodation (evening of day 1 or morning of day 2) and pick it up from your last accommodation after your last cycling day. You just need to give us your body length, so that you receive the correct bike size, and we take care of everything else.

PRICES:

  • Hybrid bike: €190
  • E-bike: €290

Bicycles are equipped as follows:

• Helmet
• Padlock
• Luggage rack with at least one waterproof side bag
• Handlebar bag for your roadbook/maps
• Water bottle holder
• Repair kit
• Odometer
• GPS (on request)

ACCOMMODATION Accommodation is on a bed and breakfast basis. All accommodations are carefully selected because of their location, atmosphere and/or unique services.

In Mont-Dol, you will stay in a converted 19th century Château. In Saint-Malo and Dinan we use comfortable 3* hotels. All rooms have private en-suite bathroom.

The standard hotels of this trip are listed below. In case any are unavailable we will book a similar alternative and inform you about the change. Extra nights can be booked at any of the accommodations along the way.

AVAILABILITY You can start on any day of the week, subject to availability, between March 1st and November 5th.
INCLUDED
7 nights in selected 3* hotels & charming B&B
7 breakfasts
Luggage transport to the next hotel (1 piece per person, max. 20 kilos)
Detailed route notes and maps with tracks on
Tourist taxes
Pre-departure information pack
24/7 telephone support
NOT INCLUDED
Flights & travel insurance
Transport to first and from last accommodation
Lunches or dinners
Trains or ferries
Anything else not mentioned in the Included section
OPTIONAL EXTRAS
Bike rental
Single room supplement
1

Day 1: Arrival in Mont-Dol

Arrival in Mont-Dol, a flowery village built on a granite outcrop above the marshes which extend to the bay of Mont-Saint-Michel. You can take nice walks to the top of the Mont-Dol, from where, in clear weather, you have a wonderful view of the polders and the rolling hills of the hinterland.

Overnight: Mont-Dol

2

Day 2: Cycling roundtrip via Mont-Saint-Michel

Distance: 69 km | Ascent: 129 m | Descent: 133 m

Your first day’s cycling is a beautiful route which takes you through Brittany’s undulating countryside to the iconic coastal citadel of Mont-Saint-Michel.

You first cycle via Dol-de-Bretagne to the small town of Pontorson. A relaxing cycle path takes you from here to Le Mont-Saint-Michel; the age-old pilgrimage site with its impressive medieval abbey set on a rock protruding into the sea. The last part is by shuttle or horse tram. The ‘Mont’ is a very popular tourist attraction, but with good reason! A visit here is a ‘must’.

Getting back on your bike, you cycle via the Digue de la Duchesse Anne through a flat polder landscape to the bay near Chapelle St. Anne. Finally, the route takes you back inland to your accommodation in Mont-Dol.

Overnight: Mont-Dol

3

Day 3: Cycle from Mont-Dol to Saint-Malo

Distance: 44 km | Ascent: 149 m | Descent: 152 m

A wonderful cycling trip along the bay of Saint-Michel with beautiful sea views. You will pass the lively fishing village of Cancale, known for its oysters. The oyster banks can be visited when the tide is out, and you can feast on fresh seafood at the many local restaurants. On the other side of the peninsula, after a stiff climb, you will find a wonderful golden beach. After a refreshing dip in the sea, you continue your cycle along a quiet coastal path to the lively port of Saint-Malo.

Overnight: Saint-Malo

4

Day 4: Cycling roundtrip on Jersey Island or around Saint-Malo

Distance: 32 km

You have two choices today; you can either spend the day exploring the historic town of Saint-Malo or take a day trip by ferry to the British island of Jersey, where you can follow a looped cycle route.

The walled port town of Saint-Malo rewards exploration by foot or by bike. You can go for a bracing walk around the ramparts, explore the imposing walled fortress or take a cycling tour around the ports, cobbled streets and nearby sandy beaches.

If you prefer, you can take the early morning ferry to Jersey, the largest of the Channel Islands. The ferry takes about 1 hr 15 mins. Here, you can soak up the relaxed atmosphere and enjoy a very pleasant day of cycling on the island’s extensive network of cycle paths. In the afternoon or evening you take the return ferry to Saint-Malo.

If you can’t decide between the two options, you can always book an extra night in Saint-Malo!

Overnight: Saint-Malo

5

Day 5: Cycle from Saint-Malo to Dinan

Distance: 27 km | Ascent: 121 m | Descent: 116 m

A short ferry trip (15 mins) takes you from Saint-Malo to the chic coastal town of Dinard, just across the bay. From here you take a pleasant cycleway, which follows the path of an old railway line through villages and tranquil countryside. After this ‘Voie Verte’, more quiet cycle paths take you through the green flowering hills of the Breton inland to Taden castle. A track along the River Rance then leads you to the picturesque medieval Port of Dinan. The town has a wonderful historic centre, charming cobblestone streets and half-timbered houses.

If you prefer not to cycle today, you also have the option (in season) of taking a ferry from Dinard to Dinan. You can take your bikes with you on the boat.

Overnight: Dinan

6

Day 6: Cycling round trip via the Canal d'Ille et Rance

Distance: 49 km | Ascent: 203 m | Descent: 217 m

There is plenty to discover in the town of Dinan, with numerous galleries, shops, restaurants and terraces. The town also makes a great base for cycling, and today you will take a ride through the green Breton hills, south of Dinan. Along the way, you will sometimes imagine yourself to be in the southern English county of Cornwall. Striking are the massive, black-grey granite farmhouses, which in summer are surrounded by splendidly blue hydrangeas. For a great part of the route you follow the tranquil tow path along the Canal d’Ille and Rance, a lovely tree-lined path. Today’s route can be easily shortened, if you wish.

Overnight: Dinan

7

Day 7: Cycle from Dinan to Mont-Dol

Distance: 44 km | Ascent: 204 m | Descent: 215 m

The final stage of your cycling tour begins with a relaxed cycle along the Rance. After a while you reach a dam, from where you need to exert a little more effort to climb out of the valley. Continuing through undulating farmland, you eventually come to the once prosperous cathedral city of Dol-de-Bretagne. Here you can admire the giant standing stone Menhir du Champ-Dolent. It is also worth visiting the beautiful St. Samson Cathedral, dedicated to one of the seven Breton saints and wandering the Grand Rue des Stuarts along magnificent old houses from the 12th and 13th centuries. From here it is only a short distance to Mont-Dol where your trip ends.

Overnight: Mont-Dol

8

Day 8: Departure from Mont-Dol

Your cycling holiday in Brittany comes to an end after breakfast this morning, unless you have booked any additional services with us.


Arrival in Mont-Dol

  You can get to Rennes by the TGV (high speed train) from Paris gare Montparnasse (approx. 1h30) and take a regional train (TER) to Dol-de-Bretagne (approx. 40 min). For time tables and further information look at the website of the SNCF and TER-SNCF
If arriving by car, parking is available at the first accommodation in Mont-Dol.

Departure from Mont-Dol

  At the end of your trip you can take a train from Dol-de-Bretagne. For timetables and further information check the website of the SNCF and TER-SNCF

NOTE: If you’re travelling with your own bicycle, you can take your bike on the train for free, but reservations are necessary on certain trains (www.scnf.com).

Cycling holiday in Brittany
Mont-Dol and surrounding pastures
Mont-Dol windmill
The Breton coastline
Bicycle and beach, Brittany
Mont-Saint-Michel
Mont-Saint-Michel
Les galeries du Mont Saint Michel
Cycling the Breton coastline
Fresh oysters in Cancale
Saint-Malo
Saint-Malo Fort
Gorey Castle, Jersey
bicycle on a quiet beach in Brittany
Local ferry, Dinard
Bridge over the River Rance, Dinan
Typical cobbled street, Dinan

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