To the Bay of Morlaix

This is a really lovely ride through the unspoilt heartland of Brittany, immune to the vaguaries of the French tourist season and always beautiful - it also features some of the most varied and delicious restaurant choices of any or our cycle tours. Much of the route is on quiet country lanes and you get the chance to hit the coast at Morlaix and sample the finest seafood in France direct from the Bay. The distances are pretty moderate although the route has some well graded hills, but don't let that put you off as you will surely need to burn off calories...

First night (Saturday) 22 kms

And easy first ride and an evening spent at the tiny B&B 'Canal Choette' set right on the canal at Glomel - a very special place where you can sit by the picture window and look at the wildlife using the binoculars provided. This is a two-hour ride all along the flat cyclepath.

Day 1 (Sunday)to Huelgoat - 40 kms

A beautiful day combining cyclepath with quiet roads, but with a very easy last 20 kms with just enough climbing inbetween to make dinner worthwhile as you cycle into the Parc de L'Armorique where you'll stay overlooking the lake at Huelgoat (and the Hotel du Lac).

Day 2 - Huelgoat to Morlaix - 35 kms

A relatively easy ride as you track down the river to Morlaix, this can be done mostly on cyclepath if you prefer - Morlaix is a gorgeous little French port dominated by a massive viaduct - which you can (and should) walk over to look down on the town. Your hotel is the delightfull 'Hotel du Port'. A huge range of excellent restaurants and of course the seafood will be very good...

Day 3

A spare day for you to explore Morlaix off the bike, or cycle along the coast and generally get lost in the French countryside.

Day 4 Morlaix to Belle-Isle-en-Terre - 50 kms

This day takes you through several little villages (one with the best lunchtime menu we know - 5 tasty courses + wine and coffee for 12 Euro...) and all the way to to Belle-isle-en-Terre, a village set on the river and who's hotel does wonderful meals especially the 'amuse gueule' prior to the meal! The snag is that you will gain a stone this day...

Day 5 Belle-Isle to L'Etang Neuf - 32 kms

Short and a climb but very gentle and a gorgeous ride once again. The 'Auberge at L'Etang Neuf is new, but set by the lake in a lovely setting. Next door is the museum of the 'French Resistance' which is fascinating and you can walk round the lake to work some of your dinner off. You can even go fishing as there's a fishing school there!

Day 6 - 31 kms

More lovely countryside (you'll be longing to see a power station by now) and back down to the ruined Abbey at Bon Repos with the tiny hotel set right in the grounds. This is a magical spot with walks into the forest, a bar at the wier and 5000 year-old covered tombs just 20 minutes walk away at the top of the ridge overlooking the hotel.

Day 7 (Saturday) - 5kms

A quick dash down canal tow-path for about 20 minutes or so to bring you back to base.