La Vélomaritime — loop between Saint-Malo and Cancale

The port city of St. Malo, with its medieval city walls and reconstructed historic center, is a real hotspot in northwest Brittany. We continued on to the oyster capital of Cancale. Best oysters ever🦪

The first 10 km were quite unattractive in terms of the route, except for a short stretch of beach with a pretty promenade. We were happy when at some point we were able to turn off the busy country road onto a small peninsula. But soon the fun was over, because the bike path ended in Nirvana. First we tried to push our bikes over the sandy hiking trail, but at some point that didn't make sense anymore and so we turned around 🙈. But there was one good thing about the whole thing. We saw a beautiful bay from above and then googled a bit. And so we ended up a little later on the beautifully situated terrace of the Colette restaurant with a view of the great sandy beach. After a delicious lunch we continued to the oyster capital Cancale (approx. 5,000 inhabitants). We really liked the fishing village. There was a great Sunday atmosphere. Not only the countless restaurants were jam-packed. Many simply picked up a dozen fresh oysters and a bottle of white wine at the oyster market and sat down on the quay wall with them. The empty oyster shells were simply thrown onto the beach. They will probably be disposed of with the next flood. It was really fun watching what was going on around us. Unfortunately, the tide was high and we could neither see the oyster beds nor the harbor, which was dry at low tide. On side streets we went back to our parking space. Refreshment tips: Restaurant Colette: Great location on the beach with excellent food. I can absolutely recommend the tender lamb and the tuna ceviche 😋. https://g.co/kgs/bxR1WW Otherwise there are plenty of great restaurants in Cancale. Not only oysters are a specialty there but also mussels 🐚.

The nearly 48 km bike ride led us from Cancale, in bright sunshine and a fresh sea breeze, along country roads and quiet bike paths through typical Breton villages with granite houses and flower-filled gardens, to Saint-Malo, the legendary corsair city. Saint-Malo welcomed us with its imposing city walls, which enclose the heart of the city like a protective stone ring. Inside, "intra muros," there was a lively atmosphere: narrow alleys, squares filled with outdoor cafés, and historic facades. We cycled over the walls, enjoying the view far out to sea, the wide beaches, and across to the small offshore islands with their old fortresses – one postcard-perfect scene after another. At a quieter stretch, the Plage des Bas Sablons, we found a quaint beach café for mussels and fries and a glass of Breton cider. The return journey led through the gently rolling hinterland back to Cancale – a wonderful day full of maritime impressions, culture, and Breton flair.