Arzal / Pénestin
La Littorale cycle route leads you gently down to the Barrage d’Arzal; crossing the Vilaine River via this dam is one of the most memorable highlights on this stage. Along the next stretch, you’ll have to adjust your gears frequently to tackle the slopes along the Vilaine Valley, but with fine glimpses to be had of the river as you negotiate a mix of minor roads and more rough-surfaced tracks. The little port of Trehiguier offers an uplifting place to pause, contemplating the Vilaine’s estuary, but looking from its south side to the north side that you departed from in the morning. In fine weather, the Pénestin Headland offers a splendid, dreamy end to your cycling trip, with views out to sea of the little islands of Houat and Hoëdic, and maybe even Belle-Île-en-Mer…
The cycle route
The road over the Barrage d’Arzal is very popular with cars, so make sure you stick to the right as you ride across the dam. After that, it’s a mix of quiet roads and more basic tracks for the rest of this stage, but there is very little motorized traffic along these stretches. There are some slopes to tackle, however.
Don't miss
- Arzal: Europe’s longest estuary dam, measuring 500m across, separating the Vilaine River from the Atlantic, but with a movable lock bridge enabling boats to pass from estuary to open sea. It’s certainly impressive to cycle across!
- Pénestin: the Plage de la Mine d'Or, an extraordinary beach backed by orange-coloured cliffs.
