Cycling in Brittany

[Alexios]

Ladies and Gentlemen,

After your collective help for my minor Turkish tour, for which sincere thanks, I've a few questions please. A friend and I are considering cycling in Brittany, from Roscoff to Rennes, in April. The Open Cycle Map suggests that we could follow the V7, EV1, V6 and VD6. We're thinking of doing it in three days, camping for two nights in between.

Does anyone have any experience of these routes? Are they suitable for a road bike? I've done a fair bit of internet searching and got lots of good general stuff but it would be great to hear from someone who has been along these routes before.

Thank you very much,

Andrew

 

[andym]

I don't have a map of the voies vertes to hand so I don't know exactly which ones you are referring to. The voies vertes from Roscoff going south mainly takes tarmacked country lanes - although there are a couple of pointless stoney bits which you can avoid simply by taking the next turning. i rode another voie verte (an old railway line) which had a compacted aggregate surface. I was riding a bike with 25mm tyres and had no problem with it.

In general my experience in Brittany was that so long as you kept off the main routes nationales and the D roads that were dual carriage ways (shown in red and white on the Michelin maps) then there were no real issues with traffic. The Michelin maps (or the viamichelin.com website) show scenic routes - these are definitely worth following.

Are you planning to get the train back from Rennes? Watch out because some services are TGV and may not have bike carriage facilites, while other services shown on the SNCF route map are in fact buses. Check the TER website if you need details.

 

[Alexios]

Andy M,

Thank you, thats very useful indeed. The route I'm thinking of is basically the best one from Roscoff to Rennes, so South East and then pretty much due East.

And thank you also for your advice about the trains. I had some idea about the TGV issue, but not the bus substitution. We'll check carefully.

And I'll get the michelin maps, as you suggest.

Thank you again.

Andrew

 

[andym]

I think the voie verte is worth taking at least as far as Morlaix as it gets you off the relatively busy road to/from Roscoff. it takes you through some nice villages. Roscoff is worth a look though (although you may be planning an overnight before getting the ferry back). There is a short rocky bit as you join the voie verte leaving the the ferry terminal (after the level crossing IIRC) but you can avoid it by carrying along the road and then taking the next left.

(Oh BTW now I come to think of it there were trains going to Roscoff).


After Morlaix I went back along the coast but inland is supposed to be very nice as well. (Although if you have a bit of time the Cairn de Bernanez is well worth a detour).