Heart Of Brittany - the route we used in 2002
Day 1
Turn left out of the campsite and towards the centre of Gouarec. At the Crossroads go straight -on signposted PLOUNEVEZ QUINTIN. After 200 m you turn left and, you’ll also see the first GR (footpath) sign with its red and white markings. Go up this road and after a couple of hundred meters you join the old railway line which is now a cyclepath. Follow this for 8 kms (you will have to cross several little roads, just follow the red and white signs/cyclepath). At the end you reach a main road where you'll see a big roundabout about 100 metres away on the left. Retrace your steps for 100m or so and turn right which is a little road under the main road (steep climb for 25 metres…) At the T-junction after 100m turn left, then at the main road turn right to take you up into the centre of town after 1 km.
As you reach the Church there is a road running to the right that is one way and 'semi-pedestrianized'. Take this and after 150 m you'll reach a busy main road where you turn left then after 100 m right signposted KERGRIST-MOELOU. Follow this for 400m and opposite the old station building you'll see the cycle-path running off to your left. Now just follow this all the way (10 kms) to Mael-Carhaix. At the end of the cyclepath turn left to take you into the centre of Mael Carhaix where there are a couple of bars, bakers and shops.
Go down to the church and in the centre take the road signposted CARHAIX on the D23. This road will take you the 10kms to CARHAIX. As you enter the town you reach a very 'flexible' junction (it seems to change by the week). Just turn right and follow signs for Centre ville and you'll find yourself going up the mainstreet. Continue all the way through the town and at the end you'll reach a roundabout where you turn left signposted for the campsite. 50m down this road you'll see your hotel 'Le Paradis' on your left.
Day 2
Turn right from the hotel entrance and then after 50m turn right again at the roundabout toward the town centre. After 50m turn right signposted for the 'Hotel de Ville'. This road bares right after 25 m to take you up to the Marie where you take the road going off directly left. There's no signposts but if it's the right road you pass a bar called 'le Traction' on your right after 25 m. This road will take you the 500m down to the main road. Here go straight across signposted for the NANTES-BREST canal which you'll reach after 2 kms. Here turn right onto the right hand bank or the canal towpath.
This will take you out of the Carhaix avoiding all the main roads.
Follow the canal for 12 kms which will take you to an end of the towpath and up onto a bridge. To your left is a bar called 'De L'Ecluse' and to your right a big road bridge. From the towpath turn right towards the road bridge and after 25 m you come to a Give-way where you turn left signposted LANDELEAU. Another 100m turn right onto the D17 again signposted LANDELEAU which you reach after 2km.
Here you'll find a baker and a lunchtime restaurant which looks disreputable enough to be really good...
Just before you get to the Restaurant fork left signposted PLONEVEZ-DU-FAOU which you reach after 9 kms. At the Stop junction go straight on past the church keeping the church on your right and then bare right to go behind the church. No signposts (you'll get used to that in this area...) so just continue past the small supermarket 'SITIS' to leave the square. After 100m turn left at the stop junction to take you past the cemetery on your right hand side to leave the village on the D48.
6kms brings you into Le CLOITRE-PLEYBEN, cycle through the village staying on the D48. After 3 kms you come to a crossroads where you'll see an old stone cross on your left, here you turn left and after 50m fork right signposted (hooray!) PLEYBEN on the V1 which you reach after 4 kms. When you come to a stop junction turn right. 100m will bring you up to the centre of the town and the massive church and Calvery. Well worth spending some time here especially as the last few kms are all flat or downhil and very easy...
At the church turn left signposted QUIMPER on the D785. 1 km brings you to a roundabout where you take the third exit signposted PONT-COBLANT. 50m brings you to another roundabout where where you take the second exit for PONT-COBLANT. There follows a very easy 3km to take you to PONT-COBLANT:-) The hotel is called the 'Poisson Blanc'.
Day 3
A day off to explore, a cycle down the canal to Chateaulin would be my pick I think.
Day 4
Turn left out of the hotel and after 200m you'll cross the bridge, turn left after 100m then after 50m right signposted GOUEZEC. This is a looonnnngggg hill... Take your time. 3kms take you into GOUEZEC. Go up into the village and turn left just before the church signposted ROCHE DU FEU. This is a first gear hill...
After 2 km you pass a carpark where you can walk up to the top of the hill. 3 kms brings you into the hamlet of TY-FLEHAN and after 200m turn right by the cross signposted EDERN which you reach after 5 kms. Go up by the church and at the Stop-junction you'll see a bar/restaurant. At the junction turn right and after 50 m turn left where there's a signpost to the chapel at ST Lannien which you'll pass after 1 km. 300m past this you'll come to Stop-junction where you turn left signposted LANGOLEN.
You'll find you go over the Pyrenees on this route:-)
You reach LANGOLEN after 6 kms. At the crossroads go straight across signposted ELLIANT (another bar/restaurant here) Keep straight on through the village and as you leave turn right signposted ELLIANT on the D150. After 3km you come to a crossroads where you cross following signs for ROSPORDEN on the D150. You reach ELLIANT after 6kms.
Great bar/restaurant here plus bakers shops etc.
Carry on through the village on the D150 following signs for ROSPORDEN which you reach after 6 kms. When you come to a roundabout take the second exit signposted CENTRE VILLE on the D150. After 500m you come to a Stop-Junction where you turn left signposted CENTRE VILLE.
The campsite is signposted from here also though it's best to continue into the town and have a look round as the campsite is also well signposted there.
After 1/2 km you turn left signposted for the 'Jet Hotel' where you will be staying for the next two nights.
The hotel is right opposite the station and you can take a train trip to Quimper if you fancy a trip:-)
Day 5
Lots of choice for your 'day off', the train, a cycle to the coast, Pont Aven?
Day 6
From the centre of town follow signs to SCAER. This will take you to the roundabout where you take the second exit signposted SCAER. 200m takes you over the railway line and then take the next right signposted Bourg de KERNEVEL which you'll reach after 3 kms. At the mini roundabout go straight across signposted BANNALEC. After 2 kms you cross the river and another 1/2 km steep climb turn sharp right signposted (hidden from you as you come to it) BANNALEC. After 4 kms you come to a give-way where you turn right, and then take the next left after 200m. 1 km brings you into BANNALEC. Ride up to the centre where there are restaurants, baker etc. Turn left at the church then right roung the back. When you reach the main road turn left. After 100 m take the next left which is signposted to ST THURIAN (again badly). 25m brings you to traffic lights where you go straight on leaving the village on the D23. 7 kms takes you to ST THURIAN. Cycle up into the centre where you come to a stop junction, where you go straight on signposted LE FAOUET on the D23.
After 4 kms you reach a T-junction where you turn left signposted LE FAOUET. Another 200m and turn right signposted LANVENEGEN on the D177 which you'll reach after 4 kms ( good restaurant here:-)...). At the T-junction turn left signposted LE FAOUET on the D177. After 3 km you turn right at the T-junction signposted LE FAOUET which you reach after another 2 kms. Follow directions to CENTRE VILLE and your hotel is in the Square and is called 'La Croix D'Or'
Day 7
Turn right from the hotel then next right signposted PRIZIAC. After 1 km go straight across signposted PRIZIAC. This road (two years ago a beautiful lane...) will bring you into PRIZIAC after 7 kms. Continue straight on through the village, past the lake. This gently rolling road will bring you to a T-junction after 5 kms.
In front of you is the "Abbey de Langonnet", which has a garden centre,and spectacular (if you come at the right time) fields of lavender).
Here turn right (if you turn immediately right again you’ll see a wonderful shrine) signposted PLOURAY on the D790, which you will reach after 6 kms. Keep straight on through the town and you will reach a cross-roads where you go straight on signposted ROSTRENEN.
At this junction there are two restaurants on your left, both of which do a really superb lunchtime menu for about 55 f.
1 km down this road you hit the main road where you turn right then after 200 m turn right signposted MELLIONNEC. This little lane will bring you to a staggered junction after 4 km where you turn left then immediately right. Another 3 kms will bring you up into MELLIONNEC where you turn left then immediately right signposted PLELAUFF. Follow this road for 8 kms keeping straight on and following signs for PLELAUFF, which will bring you back to the canal where you turn right downstream to take you the 4 kms to GOUAREC.
See Breton Bikes new venture! For those wanting a place to drive their sportscar...!