After the short-lived heatwave the previous week, it was cooler with a north easterly wind blowing as the group assembled at Portsmouth on the Bank Holiday Monday evening for our day ride in Brittany. Twelve of the group were taking their bikes on four cars onto the ferry – David, Sue, Lin, Mark, Brian, Peter, JohnR, Helena, Carol, Rod, Mick and Ray whilst six were just riding their bikes onto the ferry –Gary, who had ridden from home, and Alistair, Vanessa, BrianC, Graham, JohnH who had left the cars in the port car park. As usual, the bikes were boarded first, and it was about 45 minutes later before the last of the group in the cars were on the ferry.

This was our first trip on the St Malo, the new hybrid ferry that only came into service at the end of February, so it was nice and modern with improved cabins and public areas and very quiet and smooth underway. Once settled in, we met up for our evening meal then most retired to the bar for the evening entertainment.

After breakfast, we headed for the car decks to disembark where again the bikes were off first. Whilst waiting at the border control we chatted to another cycling group who asked us for directions to the Dinard ferry. When I pointed out that the first ferry crossing was not for another hour, they opted to follow us on our route, the same one that we took last year as far as the road leading to the Rance Barrage.  From there, we followed EV4 for four miles before branching off on back roads to Chateauneuf d’Ille et Vilaine where we arrived as the last of those travelling by car got there.

We formed into two groups and mainly followed the VD4 through Miniac Morvan and Tresse, then through the forest to Le Tronchet. We skirted Bonnemain and headed to Baguer Morvan and into the larger town of Del de Bretagne.

The first group stopped at a bar, Le Stuart, for lunch, some 30 miles in for most in the group who had cycled from the ferry, so in need of liquid refreshment. We sipped our beers whilst contemplating what food to order. Our grasp of the menu was not great and we ordered six portions of saucisson and chips despite the waiter saying four would be more than enough. When the food turned up, it was six big platters piled high with slices of air-dried sausages and heaps of potato crisps and not the sausages and frites we were expecting. We were up to the challenge and managed to finish them off, though I am not sure that anyone wants to see another saucisson again.

The second group had turned up shortly after as we were sipping our beers, but as they were intent on a seafood lunch at a restaurant on the coast, they did not stop long and carried on to Le Vivier sur Mer where they had a proper lunch, but missing out Mont Dol on the way.

After lunch, most of the first group rode up Mont Dol [17%] and admired the views from the top of the tower at the summit before continuing onto the coast where we saw the second group at the restaurant enjoying their lunch overlooking the sea. We stopped nearby for an ice cream and then both groups met up to continue along the coast.

There was a stiff onshore breeze buffeting us a we rode along the coast road to Saint Benoit des Ondes before turning inland when at last, the wind was now behind us.  we split up with one group headed back to their parked cars and the other headed back to St Malo on the back roads. We all met up at La Madeleine shopping centre on the outskirts of St Malo to stock up on goodies to take home before returning to the ferry port.  Those that rode from and to the ferry port did 51 miles and 754m ascent with those starting and finishing at Chateauneuf and missing out Mont Dol did 36 miles and 360m ascent.