Emmanuel Berthier

Canal d'Ille et Rance aux écluses d'Hédé-Bazouges

BERTHIER Emmanuel

France Vélo Tourisme

Lamoureux Alexandre

Vue du Mont-St Michel au loin, à travers champ

CRT Bretagne - A. Lamoureux

D. Darrault - La Véloscénie

From Rennes to Mont-Saint-Michel by bike

180 km from the capital Breton to Mont-Saint-Michel

From Rennes, head for Mont-Saint-Michel for a bike weekend between land and sea. From the Breton capital, you will follow the meanders of the Canal d'Ile et Rance on a beautiful greenway built on the old canal towpath. This first part, very natural, will be punctuated by remarkable sites such as the passage of the 11 locks at Hédé or the charming medieval city of Dinan. The arrival in the privateer city of Saint-Malo will give this cycling route a more maritime feel. Your bike weekend will continue on the small hilly roads of EuroVelo 4 with the sea as a backdrop. Oyster tasting at the port of Cancale is a must before leaving for La Merveille, which is getting closer as you can see...

France Vélo Tourisme

The 11 locks at Hédé-Bazouges

Once again, man has managed to overcome geographical constraints. At Hédé-Bazouges, 11 locks follow one another over a distance of 2 km, enabling boats to negotiate a 27-metre drop in water level. This row of locks offers a beautiful view. You can stop off at the Maison du Canal, which features models and exhibitions showcasing this human and technical feat on the Ille-et-Rance Canal.

LAMOUREUX Alexandre

Dinan, the charming Breton town

Immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the Middle Ages as you wander the narrow streets of this small Breton town on the banks of the Rance. The half-timbered houses are a reminder of the wealth of this former town of weavers and tanners between the 14th and 18th centuries.

Manger des huîtres sur le port de Cancale

Enjoying oysters at the port of Cancale

Scallops, Granville whelks, lobsters from Chausey Island and oysters from the Breton port of Cancale; Cancale Bay is the place to be for seafood, fish and other shellfish. Offshore, you’ll see vast expanses of wooden posts used for mussel farming.

Prenez-vous pour un corsaire à Saint-Malo

Pierre Torset - CRT Bretagne

Step into the shoes of a privateer in Saint-Malo

Saint-Malo lies at the mouth of the Rance. This stone city by the sea, surrounded by ramparts, quickly captures the imagination. Beautiful views from the rampart walk. In early June, the town hosts the ‘Etonnants Voyageurs’ festival.

La Véloscénie - D. Darrault

A wonderful arrival at Mont-Saint-Michel by bike

The highlight of the trip, arriving at Mont-Saint-Michel by bike is a unique experience. Topped by an abbey that is a masterpiece of Gothic art, the islet faces the strongest tides in Europe.

The bay of Mont-Saint-Michel alternates between open sea and rippling sandbanks. It is possible to walk into the bay with a guide.

Tailor-made itineraries

3 Montreuil-sur-Ille / Rennes

32 km

2 h 14 min

I begin

This stage meanders along the Ille’s east bank up to St-Grégoire. The canalized river is ideal for waterways tourism, fishing and jogging. Arrival in Rennes, Brittany’s capital, is easy – the cycle track along the canal towpath takes you right into the centre to discover Rennes’s rich heritage and culture (hence its designation as a Métropole d’Art et d’Histoire). This stage is suitable for all cyclists.

2 Evran / Montreuil-sur-Ille

35 km

2 h 18 min

I begin

Leave Evran along the north bank of the Canal d’Ille et Rance. Two authentic, historic stops are Tinténiac, with its museum dedicated to old crafts and tools, and Hédé, with its remarkable 11 locks in a row. This stage is entirely along greenways, so it’s ideal for family outings.

1 St-Malo / Evran

36 km

2 h 24 min

I cycle often

From the salty corsair city of St-Malo, a sea bus takes you across to the resort of Dinard. Then a greenway leads you south past villas, on to Dinan, a mighty medieval hilltop town. Next, follow the towpath beside the Canal d’Ille-et-Rance as far as Evran, with its charming port at the junction of various waterways. This stage takes you mostly along greenways suitable for all cyclists.

14 Saint-Malo / Cancale

18 km

1 h 14 min

I cycle a lot

Leaving the corsair city of St-Malo, the Vélomaritime leads you towards a port renowned for producing high-quality oysters, Cancale. Beyond St-Malo's great beach, seek out the carved rocks of Rothéneuf, the startling sculptures here executed by an abbot turned hermit. Midway along the stage, explore the peaceful village of Saint-Coulomb and La Ville Bague, a malouinière, or typical Ancien Régime manor built for a wealthy St-Malo merchant. Your reward at the end of the day's cycling is a tasting of oysters in the very pretty port of Cancale.

15 Cancale / Le Vivier-sur-Mer

21 km

1 h 21 min

I cycle often

Welcome to a culinary stage to savour! Between Cancale and Le Vivier-sur-Mer, you ride past one of the Bay of the Mont Saint-Michel's major areas for mussel cultivation, reputed for its high-quality moules de bouchot (grown on posts and granted AOP status).

16 Le Vivier-sur-Mer / Mont-Saint-Michel

28 km

1 h 54 min

I begin

There it is, in front of you, drawing closer with each turn of the pedals – the magical Mont Saint-Michel! Heading for Normandy's medieval marvel by bike is surely the best way to approach the great abbey-topped island rising so startlingly out of the sea. A feast for the eyes, this stage also allows you to take in the charming bay-side village of Cherrueix with its windmills, St Anne's Chapel, the local marshes and polders, and the Couesnon River.