Eurovelo #1 in Brittany

[bluenotebob]

Over the last couple of weeks I’ve cycled about 100km of the central section of Eurovelo #1 in Brittany between Poulhibet (just south of Guerlédan) to le port d’Oust (south of St-Congard).

There are no major closures/diversions apart from in Malestroit where work is going on (yet again) on (and under) the main bridge. The towpath is closed which means an unpleasant and time-consuming wait to cross the main road to rejoin the towpath. The good news is that that work should finish by 10 April.

There has been a lot of élagage (branch-lopping) undertaken this spring. I wish they’d invest less money on trimming trees and spend a bit more on improving the surface of the towpath. Once again, flooding of the river Oust in January has caused the towpath to deteriorate even more.

Two notably bad sections – on the western approach to Josselin (opposite Caradec) there’s a 300m section of washed away towpath, patchily refilled with gravel – and between the écluse de Blond and the Pont-des-Deux Rivières. This is the section that was closed for months last year (with an 8km diversion) – it’s now even worse than it was last year. Speed down to less than 10kph and you’d need to be very careful on a fully-laden tourer (you’d probably be better off dismounting and pushing the bike over the worst bits).

I’ve attached a couple of photos from the section the écluse de Blond and the Pont-des-Deux Rivières – but they don’t really portray the awful state of the towpath (and I forgot to take photos of the muddy section where the towpath surface has completely disappeared).

I hope to do the section from St-Congard down to Redon before Easter … Redon was badly flooded in January so it’ll be interesting to see how the towpath survived ... and also to push west from Guerlédan towards Rostrenan. If there are any problems with either of these stages, I’ll update this thread.

It’s still a really nice ride (despite my grumbles) – I just thought that anyone planning on doing all (or part) of Eurovelo #1 this year should be aware that it’s not all easy and fast cycling.

@DCLane .. I think you may be cycling this in June (if I understood your post elsewhere correctly). I’m sure the organisers of your tour are aware of these problems and on-road diversions exist to avoid the worst of them. You provided a link in one of your posts which I read – and laughed when I read the bit about “Eurovelo-grade tarmac surfaces” …

 

[DCLane]

Thanks @bluenotebob - I should be down there at the end of June. The plan was to be on road tyres - is the route if like this that plan will need some re-thinking as the bike options I have, apart from the cyclo-cross bike, only take up to a 28mm tyre.

 

[bluenotebob]

The plan was to be on road tyres - is the route if like this that plan will need some re-thinking as the bike options I have, apart from the cyclo-cross bike, only take up to a 28mm tyre.

That’s the question .. will this be the route? There are certainly roads that avoid that particularly bad section and it may be that the tour organisers will use them.

It’s only one stage of your tour – the ride between Loudéac and Redon (stage 4?). The other stages may well be fine for a road bike and I have seen road bikes on other stretches of the canal (but not the section photographed).

FWIW ... I won’t ride on the canal towpath now on any bike with less than a 32mm tyre.

I’d ask the tour organisers for advice as to bike selection – mention that you’d heard of some very poor cycle path surfaces on the Nantes-to-Brest canal and see what they suggest …?

 

[bluenotebob]

They’ve closed Eurovelo #1 again between the écluse de Blond and le Pont-des-Deux Rivières. The lengthy and tedious 8km diversion in place last year has been reinstated.

This is the dreadful section of canal towpath that I posted about (and photographed) in March this year. The closure has only just been effected as the towpath was open as late as last Wednesday (2 April).

It’s unclear how long it’ll stay barricaded off – hopefully not too long. I was squinting into the sun so it was hard to be sure … but it did look like they’d already started work on repairing the towpath.

I find it bizarre (but also typical) that they waited until the very start of the school holidays before closing the towpath.

 

[bluenotebob]

I was down there again yesterday evening and the section of towpath between le Pont-des-Deux Rivières and the écluse de Blond has been re-opened (the day after the kids went back to school). I was on the “Princess” with 28mm tyres but thought I’d have a look at the “new” towpath anyway.

Approximately one kilometre of towpath has been gravelled and, I suspect, then compacted by a heavy roller. It’s a lot better than it was – but I still struggled as there was quite a lot of loose gravel to negotiate … I was slipping and sliding in places. However, a youngster on an MTB with chunky tyres hurtled past me so it may well be OK on 32+mm tyres.

It's possible that this is just a temporary re-opening of this section – there’s a large notice saying the work is scheduled for April and May … perhaps they’ll close it again. If they don’t do any more work then I imagine that the loose surface gravel will eventually get pushed to the sides and the centre of the towpath will become more stable.

It should be good for this summer and autumn – but the Oust will undoubtedly flood again in the winter and it’ll revert to being a bumpy, lumpy ride.

A couple of photos here from yesterday showing the new surface:

 

[joeegg]

I have been reading your posts with interest as we are intending to stay in around Josselin for a week at the start of June.
I specifically chose the area because of the Eurovelo route and that type of cycling being more suitable for my wife.Her bike is a fold up ebike but is quite a sturdy machine on broad 20"wheels with wide chunky tyres.
I am just slightly concerned that routes away from Josselin may be closed and limit her use of the bike.

 

[bluenotebob]

I have been reading your posts with interest as we are intending to stay in around Josselin for a week at the start of June.
I specifically chose the area because of the Eurovelo route and that type of cycling being more suitable for my wife.Her bike is a fold up ebike but is quite a sturdy machine on broad 20"wheels with wide chunky tyres.
I am just slightly concerned that routes away from Josselin may be closed and limit her use of the bike.

I don't think you need to be concerned.

West of Josselin you can follow EV1 for at least 50km to Pontivy (there are no problems that I'm aware of).

East of Josselin you can follow EV1 for at least 12km to the écluse de Blond. If the canal towpath here is closed again then leave the canal at l'Herbinaye, follow the road south for about 1km, take a left and head through la Ville Nayl to arrive in la Touche Carné where you can access the V3 Voie Verte .. north on the V3 for about 1km links back to the canal towpath at le Pont-des-Deux Rivières. Take a right and go to Montertelot (it's worth seeing) and as far east as you want to go - Malestroit would be a good destination. Or you can go south on the V3 and link up with the canal towpath by the Pont de Bagotais.

There's lots of flat riding in the Oust valley so your wife should be fine.

If I become aware of any more problems on EV1 between now and the end of May, I'll update this thread - so keep an eye on it.

If you have any specific queries re Josselin and the surrounding area, then PM me and I'll try to help.

 

[joeegg]

Thanks for the reply.I assume there are plenty of quiet back roads as well as the canal paths.
Not booked it yet but we are looking at staying at Camping La Vallee du Ninian at Hellean near Josselin.

 

[bluenotebob]

I assume there are plenty of quiet back roads as well as the canal paths.
Not booked it yet but we are looking at staying at Camping La Vallee du Ninian at Hellean near Josselin.

Yes - quiet roads as well as the canal towpath.

I know the campsite at Helléan - I've passed it many times on my bike. Someone who used to be on this forum (not sure if he still is) - @lane - stayed there a couple of times.

You'll have good access to both Josselin and Ploërmel from there. Getting to Josselin means going up a steep hill from Helléan - your wife will need the motor on her e-bike.

There's also a cycle path called Le P'tit Pelot (an old railway line) which runs past the entrance to the campsite. You could follow that south to Taupont for access to the Lac au Duc (north of Ploërmel) - and also to the V3 Voie Vete which connects to the EV1 at le Pont-des-Deux Rivières.

Here's a link for le P'tit Pelot : www.destination-broceliande.com/offres/le-petit-pelot-de-ploermel-a-la-trinite-porhoet-ploermel-fr-2426869/

Keep firing questions at me if you want - I'm happy to help

 

[joeegg]

Thanks for all the info.