To the Beach at Beau Rivage
– 25 kms, mostly flattish cyclepathThe Lac de Guerledan is the biggest lake in Brittany. It's artifical and was formed by damming the canal below Mur de Bretagne to flood the valley for a hydro-electric scheme.
This was all done 50 or so years ago and so the lake has a mature feel to it. In one long day you can ride all the way around it and a fascinating ride it is too.
The first part of the ride is simple – you just cycle to Bon Repos and then from the canal towpath cycle just 500m to join the old narrow gauge railway cyclepath (now running East). This takes you all the way (15 kms) to Mur de Bretagne and gives some lovely views of the lake to your right. Half way you pass the village of Caurel where you'll find a couple of small restaurants.
At this point you simply cut down to the lake at Beau Rivage. Here you'll find a beach, restaurants, creperies, chip vans, canoe hire, boat trips etc in fact all the fun of the seaside but without the waves and so less worrying for parents with children with a death wish. For the keen there is even water skiing...