It all started in Josselin, a small medieval city in the heart of Brittany. That’s where we met Barbara, our tour guide for the next few days.
Starting our trip on the 14th of July we had hoped to see the national day celebration in one of the most beautiful villages of France: Rochefort-en-Terre.
The village was indeed very nice, but sadly there was no sign of any celebration whatsoever. And we thought the French were a proud people….but maybe Brittany is just a bit « à part ».
We would have loved to spend more time walking and exploring the small streets of France’s favourite village of 2016, but our iron horses are awaiting...
We let the backcountry roads set the pace, as we cross forests and agricultural expanses, while our compass is pointing towards the rocky peaks where land and sea meet violently.
While getting closer to the coast we can see the famous Mont St-Michel (which is actually in Normandy but we couldn't miss to include it in our Moto Tour Brittany) emerge at the horizon, growing bigger as we approach. The road bound for the place is a true marvel, so we enjoy the curves and the scenery leading towards this unique site.
We decide to stop for a quick touristic snapshot, but we don’t feel like facing the millions of tourists in the area to get closer to the tiny village.
Back on our bikes we take the scenic coastal road towards St-Malo where we enjoy a tasty waffle on the dyke, before entering the ramparts to see the town from the inside.
It looks like a big open air shopping mall...just shops and tourists everywhere. Urgh. Not really what we enjoy.
Behind our handlebars, enjoying small curvy roads in the backcountry - that’s where we feel comfortable. The sun is already setting by the time we reach Cap Fréhel.
A perfect timing to enjoy the road winding along the coast, to reach the lighthouse where the views over the bay are astonishing.
After that, it’s time to see what’s on the west coast, so we cut across more fields and forests on our way to Pointe Saint-Mathieu. Along the way we spot some farmers, who seem to be working non-stop to make sure the locals get to serve their world famous pancakes.
Once again, at the foot of the Saint-Mathieu lighthouse and its surrounding abbey ruins, we’re stunned by the ocean views.
So close yet so different, the Natural Parc of Armorique seduces us from the moment we hit the first bends. Savoring the winding roads, we glide past hills and wild landscapes, we circumvent the Mount Arrées before reaching the St-Michel chapel.
Perched on top of an arid hill, it dominates the whole natural parc and offers a dazzling panoramic view overlooking its fantastic landscapes. Lucky for us, the French government seems to have renovated the tarmac just before the recent passage of the Tour de France. Thank you, Tour de France !
We can’t believe our tour of Brittany is already coming to an end as we reach Quiberon Island.
We enjoy every curve of the fantastic D186, while the road is being dominated by the cliffs and its natural relief.
Eventually, it’s time to say thank you to Barbara for showing us her home region, and to try to remember how many pancakes we had since our first day here…
Enjoy our Moto Tour Brittany! See the trip in details and download the GPX files.
Check out our Moto Tour Brittany movie:
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