Any Suggestions

[Jerry Atrik]

Hi Guys , just had a rush to the head . Booked a ferry from Plymouth to Roscoff arriving Saturday morning Sept 11th then returning a week later . I want to head due south as far as i can get then get a train back to Roscoff on the Saturday , my ferry leaves at 11pm . I have all the gear but no idea boom boom . Will be taking camping gear ,, will the sites still be open ? Places to visit ? Things to do ? Any suggestions greatly recieved . My sole experience has been a Devon coast to coast , so on that epic adventure not expecting to do more than 50 miles aday fully loaded ,,, wish ! Oh and not great on hills . Thankyou .

 

[rich p]

This is a pretty good site for sites!

http://www.campingfrance.com/UK/Search-for-your-campsite

Click the area, then the View Map, then each tent to find out individual info and closing times etc.

 

[jay clock]

Bikes on trains can be a liability in France as in the UK. Perhpas consider a circular tour? Brittany is quite hilly (similar to Cornwall)

Jay

 

[andym]

Bikes on regional trains in France are very straightforward. But IIRC there are one or two routes in that part of Britanny that are shown on the SNCF route map but are in fact bus routes and you can't take bikes on the buses.

But my vote would be for following the coast and then head back to Roscoff inland. There is a voie verte back to Roscoff (and indeed out of Roscoff ) which goes straight past the entry to the ferry terminal.

The local stout ('Roskoff'?) as is Kouignama ('queen amah) if you have a sweet tooth.

Campsites should be open until the end of September.

Britanny is indeed pretty hilly - at least if you go down to the little ports and back up again. Inland is less up and down.

 

[Jerry Atrik]

Thanks for the input guys . Still not none the wiser really as to what im doing but maybe go down to Morlaix then onto Carhaix Plougher , from here i can either go east on the Nantes - Brest canal heading towards Nantes or west towards Brest then do the coast back up to Roscoff . If i do the Brest route are there any ferries across to avoid the city ? And any ideas to what would be the prettier route ? Thankyou .

 

[willem]

Esterbauer, the German route guide publisher, do a guide that may suit you well as it more or less starts in Roscoff : http://www.esterbauer.com/db_rtb_detail.php?buecher_code=BRET The text is only in German I think (no problem for me), but the maps are excellent.
Willem

 

[Jerry Atrik]

Thanks Willem , you got me thinking and went on to Amazon and found the Red Dog Guide to the Nantes Brest Canal . Spiral bound and loaded with maps and information specifically for cyclists and walkers and also in English which is a bonus haha ! Thanks again .

 

[psmiffy]

Looking at the amount of time you have I personally would cycle to Morlaix train station and get a couple or a few (maybe via Rennes) trains to Nantes - should be able to take the bike easily on the local type trains - maybe take most of the day about it - camp in the Nante Municipal in the town centre - and then cycle back along the coast - Pornic - St Nazaire (if you do not mind cycling over the bridge ) or St Nazaire - Guarande - Le Roche Berard - Vannes - Auray - Port Lois (take the passenger ferry across to Lorient) Lorient - Pont Aven - Conarneua - Quimper - Crozon (Ferry from Le Fret to Breste) and if you have time and the legs the twiddly bits around the coast back to Roscoff - Otherwise train Brest to Morlaix

second week in September I would pack the Michelin camping brick as some sites will be starting to close

 

[Jerry Atrik]

Thanks for that psmiffy , that sounds alot more interesting . How many miles roughly would you think that would cover ? A rough guesstimate ?

 

[psmiffy]

Thanks for that psmiffy , that sounds alot more interesting . How many miles roughly would you think that would cover ? A rough guesstimate ?

300-350 for the basic Nante to Brest - the get out of jail clause is that there are probably local trains running along bits - at least I seem to remember seeing them - if it gets a bit wet or you get tired - or you fancy the longer version and want to pik and mix

 

[Jerry Atrik]

Thanks mate . With 7 full days at 50 miles a day i just might have a crack at this though ive never gone this far day on day but it should be fun .

 

[psmiffy]

I just found this by accident- some imformation along coast from Carnac

 

[Jerry Atrik]

Thanks again PSmiffy some usefull stuff in there .

 

[Brains]

How about heading for the Loire on the train, excellent cycling (it's flat). a lot to see (castles) and good wine, and lods of camp sites