David, Mick, Ray, Brian and I enjoyed our day ride in France although the weather gods conspired to make it a bit colder than we hoped. It was bright and sunny for most of the day with a cold northerly breeze. After the overnight ferry crossing it did not take long to reach Evran by car, about 30 miles south of St Malo, on the motorway so we made a start at about 9:30 local time down the V2 cycle route alongside the canal. It had been resurfaced and was in good condition and being a canal the only slight gradients were at the locks or bridges over.

In Tinteniac, about 12 miles in, we stopped for a coffee in a bar and to buy sandwiches for lunch at the boulangerie. We left the canal about 15 miles from the start and headed cross country on the VD4 mainly following back roads through the villages. The roads were a contrast to the canal with a few mainly gentle gradients. When we got to Miniac we we stopped by the gendarmes as the road was closed for the Tour de Bretagne. We watched as the many police outriders and the tour service cars went through before two riders with another shortly behind came along - the peloton was about 5 minutes behind and did not seem intent on catching the breakaway. We had chatted to the gendarmes and when asked where we were headed, David said St Malo, so he shook our hands and wished us well [David did not mention that most of the return journey would be by car!].

Shortly after this we climbed up again to Becherel before the long downhill to join the Veloroute V3 heading north again on a former rail line. Eventually we left this at the junction with the V2 for the short run back down the canal to the start point - 45 miles and 450m of ascent on a very good ride.