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Saint-Brieuc to Lorient - Cycle Route 8 in Brittany

Official route
FVT
Vélo sur la voie verte le long du Blavet - Voie 8 Bretagne
S. Bourcier
Le Canal du Blavet à vélo en famille
FVT
La Chapelle Saint-Gildas de Bieuzy le long du Blavet à vélo
One way
200 km
1 week or more
I cycle often
Saint-Brieuc
Lorient
Canals & intimate rivers
Nature & small heritage

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Technical information Train et transport Route ideas A ne pas manquer Accommodation Checklist

Route 8 in Brittany, crosses Brittany north to south, starting from the Bay of Saint-Brieuc. It will, in time, go as far south as the port of Lorient. The route follows peaceful country roads and often runs beside waterways. So it joins up with the Rigole d’Hilvern Channel, with a greenway going up to the Nantes to Brest canal. From Pontivy to the bay of Lorient, Route 8 then takes the towpath of the Blavet, wandering between the wooded hills of a green valley.

Route signposting

The V408 route from Saint-Brieuc to Lorient is fully signposted in both directions, from north to south. Its regional code, V408, is shown on the signs. You may also come across signs marked V8. Between Saint-Brieuc and Yffiniac, the route shares the same path as La Vélomaritime.

Gradients and elevation

Ascents: 1180m
Descents: 1152m
Lowest point: 0m
Highest point: 259m

Road types

64km (32%) By road
136km (68%) Cycle path

Surface

123km (61%) Smooth
72km (36%) Rough
5km (3%) Unpaved

Trains et transport sur Saint-Brieuc to Lorient - Cycle Route 8 in Brittany

Apart from the start and finish points, the route is not served by trains.

Access by train:

  • To reach the start (St-Brieuc): St-Brieuc station
  • From the finish (Lorient): Hennebont and Lorient stations

Cycling route ideas on the itinerary

"Accueil Vélo" accommodation on Saint-Brieuc to Lorient - Cycle Route 8 in Brittany

20 Accueil Vélo accommodations await you on Saint-Brieuc to Lorient - Cycle Route 8 in Brittany!

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Check-list du voyageur

Pour les campeurs
Divers / à portée de guidon
Le coin des Familles
Vélo & réparation
Hygiène & Santé
Vêtements
Logistique

The 7 stages of Saint-Brieuc to Lorient - Cycle Route 8 in Brittany

St-Brieuc / Yffiniac

1 St-Brieuc / Yffiniac

9 km
33 min
I cycle often
On this, the shortest stage of the Tour de Manche, make for Le Gouët’s estuary. The route sticks to the Bay of Saint-Brieuc’s Nature Reserve. Red brick adds its tinge to the area. Take in the Brick Museum at St-Ilan, Cesson Tower and the view of the bascule bridge.
Yffiniac / Allineuc

2 Yffiniac / Allineuc

43 km
2 h 50 min
I cycle a lot
Starting at Yffiniac, at the bottom of the Bay of Saint-Brieuc, strike south into the green countryside of inland Brittany. The route, along small roads, leads to the village of Allineuc and Bosméléac Reservoir, which used to provide the water for the Rigole d’Hilvern Channel, built to supply water to the Canal de Nantes à Brest.
Allineuc / St-Caradec

3 Allineuc / St-Caradec

30 km
2 h 00 min
I begin
The Rigole d’Hilvern Channel was originally built to supply the Canal de Nantes à Brest with water. Today the path beside it has been turned into a lovely greenway. From Bosméléac Reservoir, a peaceful track lined by tall beech trees and chestnut trees meanders through the countryside, past Saint-Thélo and Le Quillio, historic villages that reflect the rich industrial past of the area, where fine linen cloth was manufactured.
Saint-Caradec / Pontivy

4 Saint-Caradec / Pontivy

46 km
3 h 12 min
I begin
At Saint-Caradec, at the crossroads of Voie 6, the green Hilvern channel imposes its curves through the Breton countryside passing through Hémonstoir and Saint-Gonnery. The forest of Branguily and the Hilvern lock will mark the end of this picturesque and winding cycle route. All that remains for you to do is let yourself be guided by the canal from Nantes to Brest, punctuated by the numerous locks that can be found as far as Pontivy.
Pontivy / St-Nicolas-des-Eaux

5 Pontivy / St-Nicolas-des-Eaux

19 km
1 h 32 min
I begin
At Pontivy, the route leaves the Canal de Nantes à Brest to run alongside the canalized Blavet. This river meanders along between steep green hills, in a delightfully peaceful atmosphere. This stage is exclusively along greenways. The way is dotted with locks and mills, notably that of Le Roch.
St-Nicolas-des-Eaux / Pont-Augan

6 St-Nicolas-des-Eaux / Pont-Augan

19 km
1 h 14 min
I begin
This stage from Saint-Nicolas-des-Eaux reveals all the authenticity of the Blavet. As you cycle along the river's meandering banks, you'll be able to appreciate the small religious and feudal heritage hidden along its banks. Every summer, during the "L'art dans les chapelles" festival, artists take over some twenty chapels.
Pont-Augan / Lorient

7 Pont-Augan / Lorient

35 km
1 h 16 min
I begin
The cycle route along the Blavet runs under a canopy of oak and chestnut trees. At Lochrist, the route passes the former forges of Hennebont, which you can discover by visiting the ecomuseum. The beautiful flower-lined lock at Polvern marks the end of the canalized Blavet and the beginning of the maritime influence with the ebb and flow of the tides.

Saint-Brieuc to Lorient - Cycle Route 8 in Brittany

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