A cycling holiday in Brittany with Frank and Françoise (2nd to 11th September, 2023)

It was a year ago, in September 2022, that Frank and Françoise first mentioned that they were planning to organise a cycling trip to Brittany the following September.  In the year in-between, after an immense amount of planning and organisation by the two of them, the time had come!  There would be a group of 20 cyclists, including the organisers, of whom 6 would be travelling to France by campervan, 2 by car, and the rest by bicycle on the Brittany Ferry, departing from Portsmouth at 8.15 p.m. on Saturday, 2nd September.  At the last moment, a train strike on that day thwarted plans for those planning to travel to the Ferry Terminal by train.  However, everyone boarded the ferry.

~ Gill Finlay

Day 1 – St Malo (port) – Fréhel – Pléhérel-Plage (Camping l’Armor)

Gill writes:

Frank and Françoise were there in St Malo to meet us at the Ferry Terminal.

Panniers were loaded into their car and Frank led the cyclists out into the traffic of St Malo, keeping us safely on the right-hand side.  Françoise would be leading a convoy of Paula, Brenda, Tim and Pat in their campervans direct to the campsite, Camping l’Armor at Pléhérel-Plage.  It had been very misty on our arrival, but skies soon cleared to give a sunny day.  Once out of St Malo, there was a very steep descent to the Barrage de la Rance, followed by a correspondingly steep uphill!  We followed the coastline westwards through Dinard, St Briac-sur-Mer, and skirted two inlets, the second of which, Baie de l’Arguenon, we followed at sea level from Port à la Duc, before being hit with the nasty surprise of a VERY steep ‘killer’ hill!  But Françoise assured us later that the alternatives were much worse.  A coffee stop had been planned, but it seems many cafés don’t open on Sundays.  Instead, we had a stop in the centre of Matignon, where people were queuing for the bakery, which was open.  As we left the town centre, we were almost overrun by the crowds of people coming out of church.

Our next stop was in Fréhel at Frank and Françoise’s house, where Françoise and their good friends Roger and Jeannette Delobelle were waiting for us.  Roger and Jeannette had been helping with preparations for the delicious 4-course Welcome Lunch - Jeannette with some of the cooking.  Despite not speaking English, Roger slipped seamlessly into the role of 'Caviste' and had secured a more than adequate supply of Rosé d’Anjou, with much bonhomie.

Roger, Françoise, Frank and Jeanette

 

Let the feast begin

The afternoon disappeared!  At about 5 p.m. we were led on our bikes to the campsite.  The three campervans were already settled in a nice grassy area.  We quickly drew lots for the 2-bedroom chalets and settled in.  As it was such a lovely evening, a group walked to the nearby beach.

an evening stroll à la Plage de l'Anse du Croc

 

(31.8 miles/ 51 kms)

 

Day 2 – Cap Fréhel – Hénanbihen – Fréhel – Sables D’Or les Pins

Gill writes:

A small marquee had been set up for our use close to our chalets, furnished with two long picnic tables and a big fridge for storing food and drinks.  Each morning, we would meet here for a communal breakfast.  We set off on today’s ride (approx. 37 miles) in two groups, Frank's 'A Team' and Françoise's 'Alternative Team'.  Throughout the week, we tended to stay in these groups.

Looking towards the lighthouse on Cap Fréhel

 

Starting off on the coast, we cycled along it to the lighthouse on Cap Fréhel before turning inland to Plévenon and this time descended yesterday’s ‘killer’ hill – a much better option!  Continuing southwards, we cycled through farming country – sometimes open fields, sometimes between walls of maize.  There were some long drawn-out ascents, the last one ending at a welcome coffee stop in Hénanbihen.  It was hot work!  Iced coffees proved to be the drink of the day, with the bar owner doing an excellent job breaking up the ice in his cocktail shaker.

 

From here, it was a circular ride back towards Fréhel to a country restaurant, La Droséra, for a very good 3-course lunch, after which a few returned straight home. However, having been promised a flat ride, most of us continued in our groups to Sables d’Or les Pins for much appreciated ice-creams (the second group taking a short cut due to the heat!).  It was a very hot day!  A supermarket stop (La Coccinelle) in Fréhel, rounded off the day’s trip.  Soon we were home and heading straight into the shower – clothes and all!  That evening, we dined in the open marquee on supplies Françoise had laid in for a meal the previous evening, but which had not been required after our big lunch!

 

 

 

 (53 miles/ 85.3 kms)

 

Day 3 - Jugon les Lacs – la Fréheloise Microbrasserie

Tim writes:

Against all the odds Frank’s group of around seven riders departed the camp site at 9 am. As with many of the rides in the programme we made our way down to Fréhel, four kilometres away, stopping there on this occasion to use the cash machine by the Office de Tourisme.

Team Françoise waiting for Team Frank to depart

Though it never seemed to last quite long enough the first few kilometres on several of our days started off with riding through a still and rather atmospheric fog, sparing us the full onslaught of the solar rays for an hour or so. Today this was helped after 20 kilometres by a cooler ride through the Forêt de St Aubin which took us off our course but delivered us at over 25kms into the ride to Le Breizh Bar at Quintenic, a remote oasis in a small village but where we were welcomed with the refreshing coffee and cold drinks for which we were starting to yearn. Our first group didn’t have to wait long for Françoise to turn up with her somewhat larger peloton.

Our departure after Elevenses

Water buffalo

The ride continued via Plédéliac through undulating yet enjoyable countryside until it was time to descend to the town of Jugon-le-Lacs.

The town sits slightly lower than its lake, thanks to a small dam, so we climbed back up to ride along  the Eastern shore of the Étang de Jugon. We were able to spread out under the trees to eat the sandwiches we had made for ourselves before departure and admire the small catamarans for which there wasn’t a breath of wind.

We left our shady picnic spot and found a café among several in the centre of Jugon to prepare ourselves for the hilly ride home to which Frank had alluded earlier. In view of the heat, he had already decided to take a shorter route back, to avoid a big climb after Port à la Duc later in the day. Nonetheless the only way for the first 10 kms was up and was challenging.

We’d wondered where the other lakes were since we had only come across the one but it appears that the other one, to the North of Jugon has been created by building a dam on the Arguenon river (Barrage de la Ville Hatte) which, to the north-east of the barrage flows through Plancoët and into the sea after le Guildo.

We passed the Breizh Bar in Quintenic again but it was closed. After about 23 more hot and steamy kilometres we arrived at La Fréheloise which is a microbrasserie (brewery) on the edge of Fréhel. Several tasty beers were on offer, Blonde, Blanche (a wheat beer), IPA, and at least two others and we had a leisurely session quaffing away and celebrating Jen's birthday with a Breton Cake until it was time to head back to base-camp at Pléhérel-Plage.

Hallelujah! After struggling to park her bike Pam studies the beer menu

By some miracle there were still enough left-over left-overs from Françoise’s original food purchases for us to wine and dine communally in the marquee. A most jolly affaire.

(53 miles/ 85 kms) and just over 800m (2650 ft) of elevation gain.

 

Day 4 - Lamballe – Andel – Dahouët – Erquy

Gill writes:

This was another hot and humid day!  At breakfast-time we were told that plans had changed overnight as the restaurant in Andel which Françoise had booked for our lunch would not be able to cook lunch for us. Quelle horreur! Françoise was confrontred with the nightmarish spectre of 20 cyclists falling off their bikes with malnutrition. So it was necessary for us to provide ourselves with a sandwich lunch.  This meant starting the ride looking for a bakery which was open and able to supply both bread and fillings.  Success at last with the discovery of Origin'Bio, an organic wholefood supermarket, but the search had cut into our cycling schedule.  The plan had been to have coffee in Lamballe.  Instead, we ended up stopping earlier at a roadside café in St Aaron which was open and where the lady was only too happy to serve us.

We were lucky to come across this café in St Aaron

We now skirted Lamballe in order to arrive at the restaurant in Andel at the pre-arranged time.  The owner was no longer able to provide a meal but was happy for us to buy drinks and eat our own sandwiches.  Next to the restaurant there was a little park, an attractive stone church and another stone building being used as a library.

The afternoon’s ride led us back to the coast.  We had been forewarned of a steep descent, followed by a very steep climb, and today was the day.  The bottom of the near vertical climb saw most of us on our feet almost immediately!  Only 3 people made it to the top – John Beer and Liz, and Paula in Frank’s group!

Team Frank at our Tea stop in Dahouët

As we continued northwards, we started to get views to the sea and from now on followed the coast, coming down to sea level at Dahouët for a much appreciated drinks stop.  The inevitable climb out, then descent and steep climb at Erquy, gave us no rest on this hot day.  We bypassed most of the town of Erquy on back roads and were soon on our way home via Sables d’Or.  Tonight was Burger Night! Pre-ordered burgers of every flavour were delivered to the marquee, with Françoise’s special rice-pudding cake and custard, or ice-cream, for afters!

The rice-pudding cake baked by Françoise

(44 miles/ 70 kms)

Tim writes:

While Françoise’s group started the day by looking for a bakery Frank set out to take us for an early morning coffee in case there would be no other opportunity before lunch. But we had no luck at all and clocked up over 5 extra kilometres doing a most scenic but ultimately fruitless tour through Plurien and Sables-d’Or-les-Pins before catching up with the other group.

(48 miles/ 77 kms)

 

Day 5 – Rest day with a short ride to lunch near Erquy

Tim writes:

After four days of energetic riding we had earned our day off. The highlight of the day was a proper French lunch at the Relais-St-Aubin. While many of us chose to do very little before setting off at noon Terry and Tony cycled up to Cap Fréhel to explore the area around the lighthouse. Others visited the beach.

 

The ride to this most traditional restaurant was less than 12 kms so we were seated in the courtyard under canvas by one o’clock and our hosts Rauni et Gilbert Josset with staff were quickly in attendance and delivering our apéritifs. We had chosen our drinks and various courses from a bespoke menu well in advance so that our large group would be manageable for the hosts. So we were soon enjoying our various Fruits de Mer, fish, duckling, pork and beef dishes all cooked in the unique homemade styles of this establishment. What a feast it was, and finished off with a delicious assortment of desserts. Using locally sourced produce as much as possible the guiding principle for the hosts is “La qualité dans la simplicité”.

 

We rode back to camp slowly. Later several of us walked through the municipal campsite for a swim at our local beach. With not much of an appetite some gathered later at the bar in the Camping Municipal for a drink and a snack.

On the way back Carolyn spotted this curious statuette on top of a turret on a house near Sables d'Or.

(14 miles/ 22.7 kms)

Day 6 – Le Guildo – St Jacut-sur-Mer – Notre-Dame du Guildo – Plévenon

Gill writes:

Today was when we were joined by Gerald, a French friend from many previous trips, and Magalie, a lady cyclist heavily involved in encouraging more women to cycle.  They were with us for the weekend.  Gerald didn’t cycle but met us at all our stops. Magalie joined Frank’s A team.

Gerald and Magalie

It was another misty morning followed by another sunny day.  We set off at 9.15 a.m.  There were a couple of notable descents and climbs, followed by a long stretch on the Green Way, an old railway line, which was straight and level.  We descended to Le Guildo and stopped at the Restaurant du Vieux Chateau for our coffee.

A big climb took us up to the turn-off on to the St Jacut-de-la-Mer peninsula.  We cycled to the end, Pointe du Chevet, where we stopped to enjoy misty views out to sea, over several islands and numerous rocks visible due to it being low tide. We noted that the long distance coastal walking route GR34 runs right out to the point.

At Pointe du Chevet

From here it was back to Le Guildo via a very steep descent, and a climb up to ‘Resto le Guildony’ at Notre-Dame Le Guildo, where we had a very good 3-course lunch.  The return to camp was back to the Green Way, down to Port à la Duc and the ‘killer’ hill of the first day!  The second group stopped at Plévenon for a drink, even though it was a very short distance from here to the campsite.  Supper options, for those who felt in need, were pizzas at the Bar on the Municipal Camping Site.  There was a lovely sunset from the beach.

(34 miles)

Magalie, a sportswoman who has been riding both on and off road for over seven years, has been appointed by la Fédération Française de Cyclisme (FFC) as an Ambassadrice for the Ile de France region (one of three), a role with a mission to work with women to encourage participation in both road and mountain bike cycling by inviting them to join the activities which she organises for them. She is focussed on welcoming women at 'beginner' and 'intermediate' levels who are perhaps reticent about riding in a group or who wish to enjoy their cycling experiences with other women in a supportive and convivial atmosphere. She is a keen advocate of the health benefits of cycling and of participation in other sports. She is a member of her local club in Paris and an IT professional (in her spare time?).

 

It was wonderful that she could join us for our last two rides.

~ Tim

 

Day 7 – Bourseul - Pléven – Quintenic

Tim writes:

Our two groups set out on this last full day’s ride. As mentioned earlier, one of the pleasures of riding in the first half hour or more on several days was the cool misty haze over the landscape with the sun illuminating the atmosphere while hovering above, waiting to penetrate and disperse the fog. By mid-morning the heat was intense and we had to acclimatise to this each day.

We rode South towards Hénanbihen then further east to skirt Plancoët before reaching our Elevenses stop at the Café des Sports in Bourseul. Françoise’s group arrived there too, before we in Frank’s group had departed. But we learnt that her team had become spread out and suffered some communications difficulties due to a lack of reliable mobile phone signals. It also transpired that Sandy had punctured and John Beer had assisted with roadside repairs to get her up an running again.

 

We continued to follow the valley of l’Arguenon river until descending to cross a bridge,  the Pont de Pléven-Plorec, over Le Lac d’Arguenon  before a stiff half mile ascent to the village of Pléven. As planned, we found shade in the municipal park in Pléven to eat the picnic lunches we had prepared for ourselves earlier. The town of stone buildings had its charm as a ‘ville fleurie (2*)’, with the substantial church of St Pierre and what appeared to be a former bar still sporting a Guinness sign.

 

 

 

 
 

 

Soon after lunch we found ourselves heading through the shady forest towards Le Breizh Bar in Quintenic where we were welcomed for the second time. This time, as a bonus, there was a big bowl of chilled ripe plums on the table to complement our liquid refreshments.

We made our way back via La Bouillie and Plurien to shower and scrub up for our Farewell Dinner at the Kasino Restaurant in Sables d’Or-les-Pins. A local taxi firm shuttled us to the venue and we relaxed outside to enjoy our view of the sea with apéritifs and canapés before sitting down around the big table indoors for our sumptuous 3 course dinner.

 

 

 

Much later in the evening our taxis came to take us back to camp.

(39 miles/ 63kms)

Day 8 – Pléhérel-Plage – St Briac-sur-Mer – St Malo (Ibis Hotel)

Gill writes:

This was our last day – the return to St Malo.  Our panniers were taken by taxi to the Ibis Hotel in St Malo, where we would be spending the night.  Chalets had to be cleaned and   inspected before we could leave.  It had rained overnight.  Skies were still stormy-looking and it was very humid.  During the morning there were bursts of sunshine which made it feel even warmer.  Gerald and Magalie waved us off as we left at 10 a.m., all in one group now with Françoise leading and Frank as back-marker.

The route was along roads which were now familiar, Fréhel, Matignon, Le Guildo, Ploubalay.  We reached St Briac-sur-Mer by 12 noon.  The square was full of people at tables outside a bakery and three cafés.  One café was due to close at 1p.m. and the popular one was running low on savoury food items suitable for lunch.  Skies had clouded over by now and soon it rained quite heavily.  We waited till it had eased before setting off on the last lap through Dinard, across the Barrage, up the last steep hill and into St Malo.  We checked into the Ibis Hotel which was situated on the waterfront overlooking a vast sandy beach.  It was a glorious sunny day again and it was not long before a group of us set off to explore, walking to the Castle and through the gate into the walled Old Town.  There were throngs of people everywhere!  We eventually found a café where we had much-needed cold drinks.  Later, some of us had a very good meal at the Italian restaurant next door to the Hotel.

Meanwhile the campervan folk (Paula, Brenda, Pat and Tim) had driven up to Cap Fréhel for a walk around the lighthouse and out to the point. Then directly to the campsite at the Cité d’Aleth which is within walking distance of St Malo.

 (30.5 miles/ 49 kms)

Next morning, after an early breakfast in the Hotel, we loaded panniers on to the bikes and at 8.45 a.m. Frank and Françoise led us to the Ferry Terminal, where we said our final farewells.  It had been a wonderful holiday!  Thank you so much!

(1.5 miles/ 2kms)  

~ Gill and Tim, September 2023

 

Postscript from Frank and Françoise

A cycling tour success is not only due to its leaders but also to its participants.

Warm thanks have to be given to you, The Group, who have been perfect members, a pleasure to lead, a pleasure to have your company for a week, always punctual every day. Your smiles as you were checking-in at Saint-Malo erased the preparation hiccups and replaced those with the satisfaction we now feel having shared with you a part of the world where we spend many happy summers, albeit never in those steamy conditions! 

THANK YOU. MERCI. 

See you around!

 

P.S. Although a few ad-hoc changes were made to the planned routes on some days this is the routes book with each day's rides:

https://ridewithgps.com/collections/2116501?privacy_code=Q1mTv9GZ9J4tV5Yyc2TI6IUMUNM70HvU