Back to Brittany!

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
bretonbikes
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Re: Back to Brittany!

Post by bretonbikes »

al_yrpal wrote:Mrs flunked out at the last minute on getting me to Plymouth so I did St Malo crossings which meant riding right across Brittany both ways to get to Crozon and back, so I dumped the tent and did Logis and small hotels. The distances were longer than I am used to at 70 mpd so I ended up getting the train from Guingamp to St Malo to finish. My highlight of the trip was a Cafe lunch at a small village called Plournerin west of Guingamp: Pottage Bonne Femme (leek Potato and carrot soup), a plate of charcuterie, Pork Fillet slices in gravy with salad accompaniment, a cheeseboard - help yourself to as much as you want from 6 different cheeses, a choice of very healthy fruit deserts and coffee with free bottled water - €12.50! Obviously, the place was absolutely packed with about 50 diners!

Decided that lone touring isnt really for me. Rode long distances on Voies Vertes which were boring. As I rode towards Sizun I kept getting passed by groups of roadies shouting 'Allez mon Vieux' etc. Found out why, they (and I) were heading for Brittany's highest point 385m.

All in all, not a good tour, lesson is dont change your plans at the last minute!

Al


That's a real shame - and I agree, the cyclepaths (as most such paths) are pretty boring compared to the very quiet, better surfaces lanes that wind from village to village.

I hope you give it another go - cantral Brittany IS special...
38 years of cycletouring, 33 years of running cycling holidays, 8 years of running a campsite for cyclists - there's a pattern here...
dodger
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Re: Back to Brittany!

Post by dodger »

I quite like touring and enjoy being alone, but it can get lonely at times. I found the best alternative is the loose arrangement of meeting up with a friend in the evenings and talking about the different routes taken to meet at the same destination. That way you sometimes ride together too, but have as much time as you want alone to follow your own pace, meditate, stop when you want. The exception is touring with one of the junior Dodgers, when it's great to enjoy their company for a time, rather than a fleeting visit.
The voies vertes and canal paths do get a bit boring by yourself, but the compensation is the lack of traffic. Frankly, after a while I long for the distraction of a hill or two and the joy of downward pedal-free travel.
bretonbikes
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Re: Back to Brittany!

Post by bretonbikes »

I'll just add that cycling on your own is a very different experience especially if you camp because people come up to talk to you, invite you for meals, apero etc and are generally much more open than if they have to approach a couple or group. It's one of the nice things about being alone. Solo hotel tours don't really work the same way...
38 years of cycletouring, 33 years of running cycling holidays, 8 years of running a campsite for cyclists - there's a pattern here...
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simonineaston
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Re: Back to Brittany!

Post by simonineaston »

I've toured in Brittany a few times on my own and enjoyed it. I think you may have chosen the least pleasant option, for accommodation, al_yrpal... My experience has been fairly positive, made the more so by staying mainly in campsites. On the few occasions I've stayed in cheap hotels, it's been quite miserable - tucked away in a lonely little room with no one to talk to. The bars in these places have nearly always been either empty or closed, or else populated with local regulars with no interest in talking to a foreign stranger. The most fun has often been when I've stayed in country chamber d'ote, and got chatting in my crappy French to the hosts. On the whole hosts have been friendly and interesting. Campsites come second - there's often someone ready for a chat - and you can always duck back into your tent if you get lumbered with a fellow camper who's too chatty!
Do give it another go - or else persuade the missus to go with you next time...
I've often got the train, to get over to another part of Brittany and on the whole found them easy to use - and absurdly empty compared with the trains I use over here - a couple of times recently I've had real trouble squeezing myself and my Brompton on to the main-line chuffer to Bristol. It's been quite unpleasant, but that's another story...
I think I've been to that same place in Plounerin you tell us about - the other year, I cycled from my friends' place, north west of Guingamp, to Roscoff one time and thoroughly enjoyed having the very straight D712 to myself, where most of the traffic is thundering along the N12 leaving the D road almost empty :-) Plounerin coincided with lunch time - the trouble with those lovely 'menu ouvrier' is they do reduce my inclination to cycle for at least a couple of hours...
Agree with you about those green lanes - they sound like a Good Idea but they're booorrring! Did a couple of days on the other-wise splendid Brest to Nantes canal few years ago and although it was lovely to look at, I was heartily sick of 'middle gear' by the time I finished!
S
(on the look out for Armageddon, on board a Brompton nano & ever-changing Moultons)
nmnm
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Re: Back to Brittany!

Post by nmnm »

That's v interesting, the sociability of camping vs hotels. Having only camped except for one or two rain-induced luxury nights, I had presumed the hotels would be more sociable, with all the hustle and bustle of meals and breakfast.
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al_yrpal
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Re: Back to Brittany!

Post by al_yrpal »

That's a correct observation about the hotels and their bars, spot on. The local boozers huddle in the corner and having no or poor English avoid conversation. My French isn't that great either. Other times I have been with someone else or a group of friends, or camping. Touring alone was a first time experiment for me. I decided it isnt really my cup of tea. Just didn't fancy camping, because it was pretty cold. There was a distinct lack of chambers d'hote along my route, I was looking hard for them. As for the Mrs, I wish! She is great company but doesn't ride a bike, her over protective father wouldn't let her have one as a kid. I have cycled the canal, that's nice for a bit, but a bit boring after a while. My main activity apart from the cycling is to sit down with my paints and do pen and wash sketches of scenic views and particularly of old streets and buildings, cafe scenes etc. Sad to say I did nothing. Got lost quite a bit and sevèral times sat navd my way back to my route using the Google sat nav on my phone which worked extremely well.
It was all pretty tame compared to what others get up to, but an adventure for me. Think my next jaunt will be the Deben valley and the painters trail which I have been wanting to do for a long time. I think I have persuaded the Mrs to come under canvas for a few days. She can head for Minesmere and other birdy locations nearby while I cycle around the host of lovely painting spots in that part of the world.
BTW Simon what's that guitar? Electric acoustic?

Al
Reuse, recycle, thus do your bit to save the planet.... Get stuff at auctions, Dump, Charity Shops, Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, Car Boots. Choose an Old House, and a Banger ..... And cycle as often as you can......
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simonineaston
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Re: Back to Brittany!

Post by simonineaston »

It's a Les Paul Junior, in fetching TV-model yellow...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gibson_Les_Paul_Junior
The one I have is the awesome Chinese-made copy, offered by Epiphone, referred to in the linked page, as a limited edition about a decade ago, all mahogany, with a set neck, just like the original! I play it like I speak French...
58 Junior TV model.jpg
S
(on the look out for Armageddon, on board a Brompton nano & ever-changing Moultons)
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al_yrpal
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Re: Back to Brittany!

Post by al_yrpal »

Simon, I couldn't recognise it. The shape I recognised but not the colour. Very nice sound from Les Pauls. I just tinkle on an old Yamaha jumbo now. But my daughter who is in a band has just been given a vèry nice French Custom 77 as a promo ... http://www.custom77.com/html/The_Roxy__ ... -1268.html . They are doing three French festivals this year including Route du Rock at St Malo so I might nip back over for that. Have a look at Joes Pedals on the web, family business.

Al
Reuse, recycle, thus do your bit to save the planet.... Get stuff at auctions, Dump, Charity Shops, Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, Car Boots. Choose an Old House, and a Banger ..... And cycle as often as you can......
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