Cycle Touring in France

Eight one- or two-week cycle tours selected to offer cyclists of all levels a taste of France’s diverse landscapes and superb scenery. Covering some of the most picturesque parts of Brittany, Picardy, Alsace, Auvergne/Languedoc, Provence, Dordogne/Lot, the Alps and the Pyrenees.

View Sample Route Map

Route 1 - Finistère, ‘the End of the World’: Brittany

Route summary

From	To	Km	Terrain
Morlaix	Le Folgoët/ Lesneven	54	Fairly flat; coastal, farmland
Le Folgoët/Lesneven	Argenton	58	Occasionally hilly
Argenton	Brest	58	Occasionally hilly; coastal
Brest	Le Faou	35	Fairly hilly
Le Faou	Huelgoat	42	Hilly; woods
Huelgoat	Morlaix	30	Hilly then river valley

Stage 1 Morlaix to Le Folgoët/Lesneven

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Distance: 54km/34 miles
Terrain: Fairly flat; coastal, then farmland
Climb: 200m

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How to get to Morlaix

You can now fly to Brest with Flybe from Southampton, Exeter or Birmingham in the UK, or with Air France from Paris. A bus (navette) service operates between Brest Bretagne airport and the SNCF railway station in Brest, costing about 5 euros (single) and taking 20min. You can then take the train to Morlaix or, since this is a circular tour, you may prefer to start it from Brest (see Stage 4) if you are flying there. Roscoff (north of Morlaix) can be reached by ferry from Plymouth in the UK or from Rosslare in Ireland. Again, you may prefer to start the tour from some point N of Morlaix if you are catching a ferry to Roscoff. You can reach Morlaix by train from Paris Montparnasse.

Ryanair fly to Dinard near St Malo from East Midlands (Nottingham), London Luton and London Stansted. A 20km cycle ride from Dinard airport to either Dinan (S) or Plancoët (SW) railway stations enables you to reach Morlaix by train from the E. St Malo is another ferry port which can be reached from the UK (see Getting There in the Introduction). Flybe also fly to Rennes from Southampton, then you can catch a train from Rennes railway station to Morlaix (TGV) which takes 1hr 40min.

Morlaix’s SNCF station is situated at the western end of the railway viaduct up on the hill. You can either go S down Rue Hippolyte Vigleau and Rue Gambetta to reach the Rue de Brest and go L (W) along here to reach Place des Otages below the viaduct, or via some steep steps (Venelle de la Roche) directly down to the town centre.

Morlaix is dominated by its enormous viaduct, built in 1861 for the Paris–Brest railway. The old town beneath it is interesting, its narrow streets and steep alleyways lined with half-timbered houses. The Maison de la Duchesse Anne in rue du Mur dates back to the 16th century. Open daily to the public in summer, except Sun.

The route

Starting from below the viaduct in Morlaix town centre take the D769 N past the moored sailing boats (Quai de Léon) towards St Pol-de-Léon/Roscoff, along the wooded W bank of the River Morlaix. Bear R after 3km for Kerdanet and Carantec on the D73 where the river widens and then opens out into the Rade de Morlaix. There is a good view across the bay of the quaint village of le Dourduff en Mer. Continue straight on at Kerdanet towards Carantec (still the D73) and cycle through this small resort to reach the Chaussée Submersible, a bumpy road (only viable during low tides) that connects Carantec with the Ile Callot. The Chapelle Notre Dame de Callot, situated on the highest part of the island, was erected on the site of a primitive oratory thought to have been founded in the 6th century. This ancient chapel was ruined during the Revolution and rebuilt at the beginning of the 19th century. The wonderful belfry dates from 1672.

Return to Carantec and cycle S past a supermarket on your L to the D173 and take the country road opposite to Kermen. Keep straight on at a minor crossroads and past artichoke fields on your R before cycling under the D58 to Henvic.

Henvic is a quiet little village that has a small campsite, and a very interesting belfry dating from the late 16th/early 17th century. This was famously used as a landmark for boats entering the bay far off to the north. Take the D58 down to the Pont de la Corde, and having crossed this bridge over the Penzé river turn immediately L (C25) to Kerlaudy then Plouénan on the D65 where the farmland begins to flatten out to the west. Here continue straight at the rdbt for Mespaul, past a supermarket on your R and at the rdbt on the D69 go straight on (C2) for Ste Catherine. From this village continue W to the D788 and take this L to Berven, an important stopover for pilgrims with a very interesting church dating from 1573, with a peaceful parish enclosure that has a sacred fountain on the south side. In the choir there is a beautiful 17th-century retable (decorated panels above and behind the altar) of carved wood that depicts the Trinity. The Renaissance belfry (1576) had a strong influence on Breton art. Follow the D788 W again across mostly flat farmland to Lanhouarneau, after which the road dips and climbs to Lesneven. Before reaching this town look out for signs L to Le Folgoët which has one of the finest Gothic basilica in Brittany and an interesting museum close by.

Le Folgoët literally means fou du bois in the local tongue, which translates as ‘madman of the wood’. The madman in question was the legendary Solomon, a local lad in the 14th century. After his death, legend has it that a magnificent white lily grew from the earth of his burial place. The impressive church of Notre Dame was built soon after on this very site. It has a grand façade with two towers; the north tower is 56m high, but the south tower was never finished. On the east side of the church there is a fountain whose source is supposedly under the basilica’s altar. Musée Notre Dame (open Mon–Sat, 10am–12.30pm and 2.30–6.30pm, Sun 2.30–6.30pm).