The Vélomaritime®
Along the English Channel
The Vélomaritime® (EuroVelo 4) offers a unique 1,500-km maritime experience from Roscoff to Dunkirk, leading you past picturesque harbours and pretty coastal towns. The 70-km stretch in Finistère is France’s starting point for this adventure, and it offers truly fabulous views over Morlaix Bay and the English Channel.
Breathtaking views over Morlaix Bay
The Vélomaritime® adventure in Finistère begins in Roscoff, opposite the Ile de Batz, where you can still see traces of corsair town’s historic past. The route winds its way towards Saint-Pol-de-Léon, through the market-garden landscapes of cauliflower and artichoke fields. It then reaches Morlaix, rightly classed as a Town of Art and History. There are plenty of views over Morlaix Bay and the tiny islands including Ile Louët and its lighthouse, as well as the looming silhouette of château du Taureau, Brittany’s own Alcatraz. As you head up the estuary, the views are truly breathtaking and a stopover at Le Dourduff-en-Mer or Saint-Samson is a must if you want to admire the scenery. Continue on to Pointe de Primel, clinging close to the cliffs and the Pointe de Beg-an-Fry. Finally, you’re rewarded with the beautiful seaside resort of Locquirec, after which the Vélomaritime® continues beyond Finistère towards Dunkirk.
Fancy a trip to the UK?
From Roscoff, you can take your bike on board the Brittany Ferries service and complete the English-Channel tour (Tour de Manche) or its smaller version (the Petit Tour de Manche). You can cross the Channel on the Plymouth-Roscoff, Poole-Cherboug or Poole-Saint-Malo routes to make a complete loop between France and England. Be warned, however, that this route is for experienced cyclists only.
Don’t miss: a breather at Barnenez
As you near the site of Barnenez, make sure you admire the view across the Bay and the river, as this promontory, 48 m above current sea level, is truly remarkable in every way: on a clear day, you can see the Arrée Mountains in the distance. The Cairn de Barnenez is an ancient burial chamber, one of the most imposing megalithic structures of the Neolithic period. The Cairn includes eleven burial chambers, the oldest of which were built around 4,500 BC.
To make your trip easier on the Vélomaritime®:
In Finistère, we do everything we can to lighten the load on your journey. We offer an increasing range of specialised services including luggage transfer, bike or passenger transport along the route, so that everyone can travel more freely. Accueil Vélo accommodation providers, cab drivers and specialised agencies can even organise everything for you, on a self-guided or accompanied basis.
Planning your trip along the Vélomaritime®:
Need more information?
If you’re looking for a good place to stay along the route, our Tourist Offices have plenty of ideas and helpful advice!
