France

Oyster extravaganza and medieval splendours in Brittany

Posted on April 19, 2020 by carolinehelbig
Dinan, Brittany

On our cycling journey along the North Brittany coast we don’t detour too far off the V4 cycling route. We make exceptions for the towns of Dinan and Cancale. Dinan is one of the best preserved medieval period towns in Brittany, and Cancale is the oyster capital of the region. For those with a car and limited time, both towns can be easily visited as day trips from Saint-Malo. Even on a bike, this is doable, but spending a night in each of romantic Dinan and delicious Cancale is a real treat.

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Categories: Biking, France | Tags: , , , , , | 45 Comments

Wanderings along Brittany’s north coast

Posted on April 7, 2020 by carolinehelbig
Ploumanac’h lighthouse: Pink Granite Coast, Brittany

Although our journey along Brittany’s north coast was cycling focused, I’m glad we took time to explore some of the area’s great coastal walks. They serve up a dramatic display of rugged cliffs, pink rock, white sand beaches, heather-covered moorland, and a castle straight out of a story book. Wandering the well-maintained trails at Côte de Granit Rose, Cap d’Erquy and Cap Fréhel is a joy. These places are not far from each other, but they have distinctly different charms.

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Categories: France, Hiking | Tags: , , , , | 42 Comments

Saint-Malo: My most anticipated stop in Brittany

Posted on March 12, 2020 by carolinehelbig
Saint-Malo in Brittany, France

I became obsessed with visiting Saint-Malo, a seaside city in northern France, after reading Anthony Doerr’s novel All the Light We Cannot See. It tells the story of a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in Saint-Malo during WWII. The story is riveting, but it’s the author’s description of the ancient walled city, perched on a rocky promontory overlooking the English Channel (la Manche) that totally captivated me. Saint-Malo was my most anticipated stop on our cycling trip in northern Brittany and it did not disappoint.

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Categories: Biking, France | Tags: , , , | 28 Comments

Cycling in Brittany: The V4 from Morlaix to Mont-Saint-Michel

Posted on March 3, 2020 by carolinehelbig
Cycling Brittany’s north coast

In a recent post, I wrote about the highlights of our 3.5 week independent cycling trip along France’s North Brittany and Normandy coasts. This post features an overview of the Brittany portion of our trip—from Morlaix to Mont-Saint-Michel—focussing on logistics: our route, itinerary, accommodations, and helpful resources. If you’re thinking about an independent cycling trip, hopefully this will give you a few pointers. If not, enjoy the photos. Brittany makes a great travel destination whatever your mode of transportation.

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Categories: Biking, France | Tags: , , , | 32 Comments

Cycling France’s Brittany and Normandy coasts: Top 10 highlights

Posted on January 16, 2020 by carolinehelbig
Along the V4 cycling route in Brittany, France

Last September, Mike and I cycled in coastal Brittany and Normandy. Our 732 km (455 mile) independent journey took us to charming French towns, pink-granite seascapes, iconic monuments and World War II battlegrounds. We feasted on huîtres (oysters) and moules-frites (mussels and fries) washed down with wine and cider. Except for a few killer hills, and one day of route-finding mayhem, it was a marvellous 3 1/2 weeks of slow travel. In future posts, I’ll provide details on logistics, but for now let me entice you with my top 10 highlights.

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Categories: Biking, France | Tags: , , , , | 42 Comments

Cycling the Alsace Wine Route: From One Beau Village to the Next

Posted on March 6, 2019 by carolinehelbig

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Bergheim, Alsace: 4-flower rated village

So many lovely towns along France’s scenic Alsace Wine Route…which ones are the fairest of them all? That’s what I was musing over on our last night in Strasbourg as we plotted our next six days of exploring Alsace à vélo (Alsace by bike). Looking back at it now, I laugh about my obsession with reading reviews and checking the “flower ratings” of countless villages. No way was I going to miss a town with the coveted 4-flower rating or one on Les Plus Beaux Villages de France (the most beautiful villages of France) list. It turns out that regardless of rating (or no rating at all), every village, town and city we visited was over-the-top charming. Continue reading →

Categories: Biking, France | Tags: , , , , , , , | 37 Comments

Happy Valentine’s Day from Strasbourg: My French Love

Posted on February 14, 2019 by carolinehelbig

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Cycling into beautiful Strasbourg, France

Strasbourg, the largest city in eastern France’s Alsace region, was another “rest” stop on our three-week cycling trip in Germany and France. I fell in love fast and hard. The dedicated bike lane with excellent signage that brought us to the busy city center was like the ultimate welcome mat. Over the next few days we gaped in awe at the behemoth that is Strasbourg Cathedral,  marvelled at the flower-lined canals and charming half-timbered dwellings and lingered in romantic cafes. We were enchanted by a place that’s been tossed around like a ping pong ball between Germany and France, yet has an undeniably strong identity and proud people. Continue reading →

Categories: Biking, France | Tags: , , , , , | 45 Comments

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