A taster for what Brittany has to offer for a cycling camping holiday - a week long loop from the Brittany Ferries Port at Roscoff.
What follows is a lovely ride that will take you from the Brittany Ferries port at Roscoff along the North-Brittany coast and though the unspoilt countryside of inland Brittany.
It is offered freely to all fellow cyclists in the hope that you will fall in love with Brittany as we have. I've tried to put in links that will help you contact the sites, but being small, and being Brittany sometimes details are hard to find, however it's highly unlikely that any lightweight camper will be turned away from a site in season – they always squeeze you in:-) The Google Map below is for guidance and you can follow the link below the map to see a much larger version that even allows you to look at the area via 'streetview'... Please excuse the inevitable errors, but hopefully it will guide to some special places to visit. Though the days are short to allow for lots of sightseeing, eating, drinking and just general lazyness, the ride is not flat and will help you burn off the inevitable calories you will imbibe... Have fun...
Day 1 – Roscoff to Tenerez (40 kms)
Today you'll get off the ferry a little bleary so your first day is fairly short but with lots to see as you can easily go into the centre of Morlaix to explore or catch lunch. The ride along the coast does use some fairly large roads (compared to the deserted lanes you'll find later) but the drivers will be used to cyclists on it and are generally very careful – the coast is well worth it...
From the ferry just follow the exit signs from the port to take you up to the roundabout where you turn left on the D58 (Route de Rhun) signposted for ST POL DE LEON.
After 1 km you'll reach a roundabout where you take the second exit again signosted ST POL DE LEON on the D769 and this will take you into the bustling village of ST POL DE LEON which is a great place for a coffee and a bun...
As you get near the big twin spired church (well worth a look) you fork left signposted MORLAIX. Cycle up to and past the church following signs for MORLAIX.
Continue on this road and it will take you past the second large church (this time single spired) where you turn left signposted MORLAIX on the D769.
After 300m you reach a roundabout where you turn right again following signs for MORLAIX on the D769.
After 1 km you turn left onto the C2 signposted TREGONDERN. Just keep straight on this road and after 3 kms you'll hit the main road again, here turn left and this will take you sweeping down to and over the estuary and after 1 ½ kms you'll reach a roundabout where you take the last exit signposted LOCOUENOLE on the D173 which you'll reach after 5 kms. At the roundabout don't turn up into the village, but go straight-on towards MORLAIX on the D73.
This will take you 4 kms right into the heart of MORLAIX where at the roundabout you go right round to follow the other side of the river signposted PLOUGASNOU.
By now the river will be on your left - if it's on your right you've gone wrong:-) After 300m fork left onto the D76 signposted PLOUEZOC'H which you will reach after 8kms winding along and then up the valley.
At the roundabout turn left onto the D76 signposted TERENEZ. As you come out of the village go straight on at the roundabout and stay o the D76. After 3 km you'll sweep down the hill and your campsite will be at the bottom on your right Camping Baie de Terenez
Campsite website - http://www.campingbaiedeterenez.com/
Day 2 - Camping Baie de Terenez to Locquirec. - 30 kms
From the campsite turn right and follow the D76 for 3 kms.
You reach a T-Junction in TERENEZ where you turn right signposted Le DIBEN and you'll also see a sign for your hotel (Au Temps les Voiles). The after 300m you turn left signposted for LE DIBEN. Another km and you turn left AT A ROUNDABOUT signposted for PLOUGASNOU pas le cote. Another km and you'll reach LE DIBEN and at the roundabout take the second exit signposted PLOUGASNOU. This road then drops you down to the coast and after 500m you'll see a hotel on the right overlooking the sea Great for lunch...).
Continue past the hotel and after 200m you reach the T-junction where you turn right to follow the river, then you cross the river and after 400m you join the D46 and turn right D46 signposted PLOUGASNOU. Then after 200m you take the second exit at the roundabout signposted PLOUGASNOU which you enter after 1 km and cycle up to the church. Follow the one-way system around the back of the church, and exit following the (small) sign for PLOUGASNOU - ST JEAN. After 1 km ths brings you swooping down to the beach, and at the end of the beach road you fork left following signs for GUIMAEC. After 1 km on this stunning cliff road you reach a T-junction where you turn signposted GUIMAEC and after 2 kms you'll pass the Musee de Terroir on your right.
Continue on to GUIMAEC after another 2kms and here cycle up to, and right round the church and then turn left onto the D64 signposted LOQUIREC (sign well back from the road) - which you reach after 2 kms.
Continue into LOQUIREC and just hug the coast out of the village staying on the D64 and you'll see the campsite (Camping Municipal) right on the beach on your left.
Basic contact details for the campsite
Day 3 - Locquirec to Callac – 48 kms
you fork left signposted PLESTIN-LES-GREVES. Continue to wind through the village following signs for PLESTIN-LES-GREVES and this will take you out of the village after 1 km.
After 2 kms you cross a bridge over the estuary, and then follow tight to the coast, and then climbing up onto the cliffs once again. After 2 kms you reach a busy main road where you turn left signposted ST EFFLAM, which you'll go through after 2 kms - it's a good place to stop for coffee or breakfast. Continue on the main road along the coast for another 2 kms and then turn right on the D22 signposted TREDUDER and LANVELLEC
You reach TREDUDER after 2 kms steady climb and continue through the village. After 4kms you come into LANVELLEC and at the Stop junction turn left signposted PLOUARET. Follow the road round to the right up past a bar and onto the church where you follow the road round to the right and past the church and out of the village on the D22. 500m out of the village you fork left on the D22 signposted PLOUNEVEZ-MOEDEC.
5 km brings you to the hamlet of ST CARRE.
200m on from ST CARRE you come to a junction where you turn right on the D11 signposted PLOUNEVEZ-MOEDEC.
Stay on this road for 9 kms to bring you into LOGUIVY-PLOUGRAS.
Go through the village and continue for the 18 kms to bring you into CALLAC. Cycle into town and at the Stop junction turn Right. 500m down this road you'll see the campsite signposted on your left, go down this road for 300m and your campsite is on your right.
Callac has a couple of small restaurants and bars plus a supermarket etc.
Basic contact details for the campsite
DAY 4 – Callac -> Huelgoat – 34 kms.
From the hotel entrance turn right up into the centre of CALLAC. After 800m go straight-on at the traffic-lights which will take you out of CALLAC on the D28 signposted for MORLAIX. Stay on this road for 7kms where you turn left onto the D54 signposted for CARNOET. Just keep straight on on this road (which becomes the D154 just to confuse matters) for 16 kms and you'll reach POULLAOUEN.
When you hit the main road through the village turn right onto it (the D769) following signs for HUELGOAT. This road takes you down the river valley, and then crosses the river after 4 kms. After 4 kms you turn right signposted HUELGOAT and this will take you into the town after 3kms. Keep straight on til you reach the lake then turn left and you'll the campsite by the lake after 400m.
Basic contact details for the campsite
Day 5 – Huelgoat to Plouvorn → 46 kms
Turn left out of the campsite and along by the lake. After 500 m you bear right away from the lake and after another 100m turn left into the town square signposted BERRIEN on the D14. Keep straight on through the square (lots of places for breakfast:-) and after 300m you bear left and cross the bridge by the lake and cycle up out of HUELGOAT staying on the D14.
3 kms brings you into BERRIEN – keep straight-on following signs for MORLAIX and after 200m you reach a crossroads with the main road where you go straight-on signposted (badly with a small sign) LE MENDY.
After 8 kms you reach a T-junction where you turn left signposted LE CLTRE (actually LE CLOITRE) on the D111 which you'll reach after 2 kms. Stay on the D111 in the village and then turn right signposted for the CAMPING. This is easy to miss so take care... Then after 100m turn left just before the roundabout signposted KERGOLLOT which you cycle through after 1 km and on another 500m where you reach a T-junction where you turn right signposted PLEYBER-CHRIST on the D769, then after 200m turn right signposted PLEYBER-CHRIST which you will reach after 4 kms – just keep straight-on through the village.
After 3 kms you'll reach a T-junction where you turn left signposted ST THEGONETTE on the D712 and aftre 1 km you'll reach a roundabout where you go straight-on signposted ST THEGONETTE which you'll enter almost immediately. Cycle though the village staying on the D172 then after 1 km turn left signposted PENZE on the D131.
Careful as this bit is tricky as there are no signposts... After 1 km you'll pass a stone cross on your right – immediately afterwards fork left (there's a white house just past the turning).
Then after 500m you reach a crossroads where you go straight-on signposted PLOUVERN.
Another 6 kms and you reach a crossroads where you give-way and turn left signposted (not from the direction you are coming from) PLOUVERN on the D19 which you will reach after 1 km. At the roundabout go straight-on then after another 100m turn left signposted for the 'PLAN D'EAU' where you'll find your campsite - Camping Municipal Lanorgant
Basic contact details for the campsite
Day – 6* - Plouvorn to Camping de Kerurus – 32 kms
*If you are short of time it's easy to cut down to Roscoff and lose a day at this point.
A shorter day to give all afternoon on the beach:-)
From the campsite cycle back to the mainstreet (D19) and then turn left to take you into the centre of the village – just keep straight on and out of the village.
After 5 kms you'll reach a T-junction where you turn right signposted PLOUZEVEDE. After 200m you pass the small ST LAURENT sign (over a '70' limit sign) then ignor the next left, but rather enter the hamlet and after 200m take the following left (don't get it wrong...). No signpost but it's just opposite the bins...
Follow this twisting little lane for 2 kms and you'll reach the main road where you turn left then after 100m right signposted ST DERRIEN on the D229. After 5 kms you reach a T-junction where you turn left and into the village of LANHOUARNEAU. Cycle into the centre then turn right signposted PLOUNEVEZ then after 200m fork left signposted TREFLEZ in the D129 which you will reach after 5 kms. You reach a sort of stepped crossroads where you go straight-on signposted GOULVEN on the D129. After 3 km you reach the main road where you turn right signposted GOULVEN on the D125. Then after 500m take the second exit on the roundabout signposted KERLOUAN on the D10.
After 500m turn right at the roundabout signposted PLOUNEOUR-TREZ which you reach after 2 kms. At the T-junction turn right (there's a small sign for the campsite there) – Cycle up to the church and here turn left, then right round the back of the church then straight on following the old sign to 'Plages de KERURUS' then after 50m fork right signposted for the campsite 'Camping de Kerurus' which you reach after 1 km.
Day 7 – Kerurus → Roscoff – 48 kms
The first part of this is simply to retrace your steps to the roundabout at GOULVEN, then after we take you a fairly direct route on a fairly large D10 (for Brittany:-) road. At all times the sea is on your left so you really can't get lost and so feel free to dive down to the coast at various places, but unfortunately you will probably be best returning to the D10 as many of these roads are dead ends.
OK – from the campsite cycle back into PLOUNEOUR-TREZ and cycle past the church then bear immediately left past the Office-de-Tourisme, then immediately right. Follow this out of the village for 75m then turn left signposted LESNEVEN on the D125.
Follow this for 2 kms and at the roundabout go straight-on signposted GOULVEN on the D10. After another KM take the last exit at the roundabout signposted PLOUESCAT on the D10.
After 6 kms on this road you reach another roundabout where you take the 2nd Exit signposted to CENTRE-VILLE. Then after 150m take the next left, there are a load of blue signposts here. After 200m you meet a larger road where you turn right, this time the Blue sign is for the Office de Tourism again:-) After 500m you reach a small roundabout where you take the second exit signposted CENTRE-VILLE. This takes you into the centre of PLOUESCAT with it's historic covered marketplace. Cycle between this and the Church then turn immediately left after the marketplace then after 50m bear right past the 'Credit Mutuel' bank. Leave the village staying on the D330.
This is a gorgeous ride along the coast and after 8kms you'll reach a funny little roundabout where you take the second exit (left) signposted (badly) for KERAVAL. After one km you reach a T-Junction by the bar 'Ty Jean Bart' where you turn right, then at the roundabout immediately afterwards you take the second exit signposted PORT QUAI SUD. After 1 km you fork left signposted ST JAQUES (badly).
After 1 km you come back to the main road – back onto the D10. Then after 100m you reach a set of traffic-lights where you turn left signposted for SANTEC. After 500m you fork right signposted SANTEC.
After 1 ½ kms you reach a T-junction where you turn left and then after 200m you reach a roundabout where you turn right signposted SANTEC on the D75. Then after 1 km you reach another roundabout where you take the third exit signposted ROSCOFF!
After 2 km you reach a crossroads where you go straight-on signposted ROSCOFF which you will reach after 1 km.
Now time to explore Roscoff, and I'm not going to give directions to the ferryport because you'll see lots of signposts for it:-)
Hope you have a wonderful ride.