Where to mountain bike in Brittany?

Are you ready for an adventure? Thanks to its wide variety of landscapes, Brittany is ideal for mountain biking. With wild moors, undergrowth, rocky mounts, the seaside and rural paths, there are many marked routes that combine sport and nature. Whether you’re a thrill-seeker or you’re looking for new challenges, there’s something to suit every pace. We have selected five unmissable spots to enjoy the pleasures of mountain biking.

En un coup d'œil

1. A dip into the heart of Brittany

Guerlédan Lake

Enjoy a meeting with the unspoilt nature in Guerlédan and its huge 400-hectare artificial lake! From Guerlédan mountain bike resort, you can rent everything you need for your adventure. Discover the 300 km of marked routes emerging from the edges of the largest water reservoir in Brittany. All around you, Quénécan forest unfolds, covering 3,000 hectares and offering varied landscapes of undergrowth and heathers. It’s an ideal spot for beginners and experienced mountain bikers. 12 circuits with four levels of difficulty allow you to discover these natural landscapes steeped in history. Chapels, manors and vestiges mark the way. Join the Nantes-Brest canal and cycle alongside the many waterways between moors and peat bogs. Do you want to fine-tune your practice? There are instructors available for all levels of mountain bikers. Hop on!

Mountain bike base in Guerlédan

2. A top mountain bike spot

Monts d’Arrée

Welcome to the heart of the wild panoramas of Monts d’Arrée, in the Armorique regional nature park, a well-known mountain biking site. There are 15 marked circuits between Monts d’Arrée and the Black Mountains. The choice is yours! Adjust your helmet and hop on your mountain bike to slalom between the Roc’h along your way. Enter Huelgoat forest and be captivated by the mysterious atmosphere. You might even hear the fairies whispering in the hollows of a rocky chaos? For the more skilled, the “Kostez ar Menez” circuit is one of the longest in Finistère, culminating at 680 m after a 45-km trail! Keep going to Mont Saint-Michel de Brasparts and its chapel overlooking the Yeun Elez peat bogs. Just a little more effort and you’ll be able to enjoy a 360° panorama of these legendary lands. The perfect playground for mountain bikers, Monts d’Arrée hosts “Les Roc’h des Monts d’Arrée” every September, where 6,000 cyclists pedal along the marked trails of these mountains.

Mountain bike base in Monts d’Arrée – Black Mountains

©Couple enjoying beautiful views on the ocean, standing together near the car on the rocky coast, showing with hands heart shape. Carefree lifestyle, love and travel concept

Ideas

The inratables of the summer, the place to be to treat yourself to a seafood platter, the best views on the GR®34, the best spots to start surfing… in short, all the good...

3. The peninsula by bike

Crozon

Head to the Crozon peninsula and its watery scenery! A mountain bike is the ideal way to explore the 300 km of marked trails and to discover the treasures of the coast lapped by the Iroise Sea. There are around 20 secure trails in this idyllic setting, for beginners and experienced riders alike. From Cap de la Chèvre in the south, to Pointe de Pen-Hir in the north, the edge of the world awaits you! Keep going to Vallée de l’Aulne and let the changing landscapes guide you. Thrill-seekers can attempt the 34 km from Telgruc-sur-Mer. Don’t miss “Le panoramique”, a 14-km circuit around Menez-Hom, the highest point of the Black Mountains. You’ll need to go right to the top to understand where its name came from! From here, the bay of Douarnenez looms in an impressive panorama where the colours seem to have been painted by hand. You’ll soon forget the little climbs when you embrace this exceptional view!

Mountain bike base of Crozon Peninsula – Porzay – Menez Hom

4. Ready to tackle a variety of landscapes?

Mont-Saint-Michel Bay

Starting at Saint-Père Marc en Poulet and Cancale, this is a wonderful route in the land of Saint-Malo! The 207-km marked routes will take you to some exceptional sites in northern Brittany. Six circuits from 16 to 72 km will take you along the Emerald Coast, its steep cliffs and its beautiful little bays. Pedal to wonderful Cancale and its famous oysters, treasures of Breton gastronomy! On your way, you will meet the spectacular panoramas of Mont-Saint-Michel Bay, changing with the tides. Opt for the interior circuits and ride alongside the banks of the Rance Valley, dotted with charming fishing villages. Do you like a challenge? The longest route, “Entre Rance et Baie”, covers 72 km and has a 678 m altitude difference. A great way to test your endurance! If you need a break, stop in Saint-Suliac, one of the most beautiful villages in France. There, you can stroll through the narrow streets imbued with the memory of the fishermen who left for Newfoundland. You’ll find it hard to leave!

Mountain bike base of Saint-Père – Cancale

©Saint Suliac - Vélomaritime|BERTHIER Emmanuel / EV4

5. Explore the green lung of Morbihan

Lanvaux moors

Are you ready for a mountain bike ride across the wild lands of Morbihan? Conquer the Lanvaux moors and the characteristic landscapes scattered with forests and heathers. Here, the granite ridge stretches east to west for 70 km and culminates at altitude 175 m, tracing the contours of a natural area for a unique experience of the sport. Sérent is the starting point for three of the 14 routes proposed, from 12 to 25 km and suitable for everyone. On site, you can get ready for your trip: repair kit, tyre pumping station, washing station and also equipment hire. Chapels and megalithic sites will mark your way. Don’t forget to stop in Malestroit, a little medieval city on the banks of the Nantes-Brest canal. In Bignan, take a break at Domaine de Kerguéhennec, a contemporary art centre in a 175-hectare green setting. It’s a great way to connect cycling with discovering heritage.

Mountain bike base in Lanvaux

FAQs: Mountain-biking in Brittany

What is a mountain-bike resort?
Imagine a ski resort… but without the snow or the ski lifts! A mountain-bike resort is a life-size playground with signposted routes for everyone: families, weekend amateurs and sportspeople on top of their game. They use colours to help you get your bearings (green, blue, red and black, from very easy to very difficult, the same as in skiing). As a bonus, you can hire a bike, spruce up your equipment and even choose to cycle with an instructor for a carefree outing.
Where are they located in Brittany?
Ten French Cycling Federation (FFC)-labelled mountain-bike resorts are waiting for you in Brittany, from 200 to… 1,000 km of signposted trails (yes, enough to wear out several tyres!).
The stars?
- Saint-Brieuc Bay (43 trails, 1,027 km)
- Lorient-Quimperlé Bretagne Sud (40 trails, 969 km)
- Pays d’Iroise (18 trails, 958 km)
To find out everything about the other resorts and view details of trails (and their GPX tracks):
Comité de Bretagne Cyclisme
VTT-FFC®
Where can you hire a mountain bike or a gravel bike in Brittany?
At cycling professions all over Brittany. Adult, children’s and electric versions, and even in “one-way” mode (you hand back the bike somewhere else…Clever, don’t you think?).
Hiring your bike in Brittany
Can you go mountain biking in Brittany all year round?
Yes, 12 months out of 12! And mountain-bike resorts are open throughout the year. But let’s be honest: in Brittany, you never quite know what the weather’s going to be like, winter or summer… so a glance at the forecast is recommended before you set off. Check the type of terrain too: sandy soils are OK, even after a heavy downpour. But on clayey soil or pebbles…get ready to slide!
Are there mountain bike trails for families in Brittany?
Absolutely: head for the green and blue trails. A great way to convert young (and old) to the joys of two-wheelers.
What are the best spots for a beachside mountain-bike trek in Brittany?
Bear in mind that bikes aren’t allowed on GR®34. The same goes for some beaches and dunes too, depending on municipality. But no panic – you’ll find heaps of trails with “wow!” views of the sea at Saint-Brieuc Bay, on the Pink Granite Coast, in Pays d’Iroise and Quimperlé les rias among other places… With panoramas that’ll make you want to stop and stare every 5 minutes.
Where can you find trails suitable for gravel biking in Brittany?
We love them, those chameleon bikes that switch from road to rutted lane without batting an eyelid. You’ll find plenty of trails on the apps for cyclists. We’ve also found some for you ourselves: 6 gravel trails to track down in Brittany
Is it easy to get around by train with your mountain bike?
Yes, on TGVs (with bike reservation) and BreizhGo TERs (free out of season, if not*, bike ticket to purchase during the summer, at least 48 hours in advance), your loyal steeds are welcome.
(*) from May to end September
Taking the train with your bike
Are there any mountain-bike events held in Brittany?
Absolutely! Among our favourites:
Roc’h des Monts d’Arrée (mis-September) : With more than 6,000 participants, it’s Brittany’s top mountain-bike gathering. On the programme: crazy landscapes including rounded peaks, rocky ridges, the Arrée Mountains’ moorlands, Huelgoat forest and loops for all levels.
Tro Bro Leon (May) : the “Breton Paris-Roubaix”, in classical or gravel version. 79 km, including 24 on the “ribinou”, narrow, unpaved tracks composed of local earth and stones.
Gravel tro Breizh  (late April-early May) : the challenge: travel 1,300 km in 180 hours, on a gravel or mountain bike, along tracks and narrow roads. An unassisted ultra-long distance cross-country test taking in the whole of Brittany. The landscapes make all the effort worthwhile!
Tour du Bout du Monde (May) : the new kid on the block: a 100% gravel bike test (mountain bikes possible too) in Châteauneuf-du-Faou. 70 km and 1,200 metres of elevation gain. Your calves will just love it!