Brittany Walking Tour
From Saint Malo, explore the majestic Brittany Coast during this walking tour of Brittany.
The itinerary starts in St Malo. Take time to visit this old fortified town and its beautiful cathedral. From there you will walk along the Emerald Coast to Cancale, a small fishing village famous for its delicious oysters.
After a night in Cancale, your next and final stop is the world famous Mont Saint Michel. Originally, this island was just a huge rock. The most imaginative techniques where used to build the Abbey, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Region : Brittany
Duration : 5 Days / 4 Nights
Level :
or 
Type : On the way
Category : Hiking
Trip : Self-guided
Activity : Walking
Dates : Starts any day
Click below to see hotels versions.
Day 1 : Arrive in St Malo
Arrive in Saint Malo, a famous seaside town and a famous sailing city, where many major sailing events take place. After checking in at your hotel, you will have some free time to discover the walled city with the Chateau of Saint Malo and the Solidor Tower of Saint-Sevran.
Accommodation : Hotel de l'Univers - "Saint Malo"
Accommodation : Maison des Armateurs - "St Malo"
Day 2 : From Saint Malo to Cancale
Option 1 : 9 Miles - 14 Km
Option 2 : 11 Miles - 18 Km
Elevation gain 1 : 175 Meters
Elevation gain 2 : 175 Meters
Our driver will transfer you to La Guimorais, from where you will take the GR34 trail. You will walk along the Emerald Coast up to La Pointe du Grouin, where you have a stunning view on the ocean. On a clear day, you can even see the outline of the Mont Saint Michel! Your destination is Cancale, a picturesque fishing village famous for its oysters. History says that Louis XIV had his oysters brought to Versailles from Cancale. Centuries later, the oyster farming is still a major activity in the port and there are oyster beds covering about 7.3 square kilometres, easily seen from the pier. You'll stay in a lovely hotel.
Accommodation : La Mere Champlain Hôtel - "Cancale"
Accommodation : La Mere Champlain Hôtel - "Cancale"
Day 3 : From Cancale to the Mont Saint Michel
Distance 1 : 9 Miles - 15 Km
Elevation gain 1 : 50 Meters
Today, you will walk to the Mont Saint Michel. Our driver will transfer you to La Masse in Saint-Marcan, where you will take the GR 34 trail taking you to the Mont Saint Michel. You will walk through the polders and along the Bay of the Mont St Michel.
To visit at the Mont Saint Michel:
- The Abbaye: once a humble little monastery, the island and its fortifications have grown up around this Abbey. During the French Revolution, the abbey was used a prison, and an extensive restoration was required to restore it.
- Porte de l'Avancée, the main gate at the end of the causeway, which leads straight to the Grande Rue
- The ramparts, which offer great views over the bay
- Museum of History, which features old weapons, paintings, sculptures and watches collections, and a 19th century periscope.
- The Archeoscope, a light show retracing the construction of this fabulous monument and its sacred history.
- The Maritime Museum, where you can discover all about tides and the bay surrounding the Mont Saint Michel.
Accommodation : La Mère Poulard - "Le Mont Saint Michel"
Accommodation : Relais Saint Michel - "Le Mont Saint Michel"
Day 4 : Loop Walk along the coast or free day to explore
Distance 1 : 8 Miles - 13 Km
Elevation gain 1 : 69 Meters
You have two options today. You can either take the whole day off to visit the Mont Saint Michel, or you can go walk around the Mont. If you choose to walk, today's itinerary will take you to East coast of the Mont Saint Michel along the GR 223.
Accommodation : La Mère Poulard - "Le Mont Saint Michel"
Accommodation : Relais Saint Michel - "Le Mont Saint Michel"
Day 5 : Departure Day
After breakfast, you can take your time and catch a bus that will bring you back to Rennes, from where you can catch a TGV to Paris. You have a bus leaving at 9:30am, allowing you to catch the 11:05am train to Paris.
Click below to see hotels versions.
Day : 1
L'Univers is situated in the town centre, at the Chateaubriand place and in front of the castle, close by the seaside. The hotel has a special atmosphere with a coziness aspect, and is also an historic place. Located in intra muros in front of the castle, the Hôtel de l'Univers with its 64 rooms welcomes you all year round within the refuge of the ramparts of Saint Malo.Ideally situated within reach of beaches and the piers for Dinard, Dinan via the river Rance, Cézembre and the Channel Islands Guernsey and Chausey.Its terrace invites you to make the most of the summer entertainment on the square and in the Mecca of the local navy, the Univers bar is an incontrovertible place to meet with friends and to get the nostalgic adventure boat stories...
Day : 2
Located in tranquil surroundings La Mère Champlain brings you the comfort of a grand hotel and the atmosphere of traditional Brittany. Our extremely comfortable rooms with their seaside decor offer an exceptional view over the Bay of the Mont Saint Michel.
Day : 3, 4
In a unique setting, nestled in the heart of the medieval city of Mont-Saint-Michel, the inn La Mere Poulard offers the charm and comfort of the hotel, the tradition and the quality of its restaurant, the heat and the friendliness of its piano-bar: an unforgettable moment in this magical place steeped in history.
Day : 1
Located in the heart of St Malo, La Maison des Armateurs is the only 4 star hotel in St Malo Intra Muros. Choose a Sailor's Cabin, Major's or Lieutenant 's Room, Captain's or Admiral's Suite. Centrally located, all of Saint Malo is within a 5 minute walk, the Saint-Malo ramparts, the Beaches, the Casino, Restaurants and shop.
Day : 2
Located in tranquil surroundings La Mère Champlain brings you the comfort of a grand hotel and the atmosphere of traditional Brittany. Our extremely comfortable rooms with their seaside decor offer an exceptional view over the Bay of the Mont Saint Michel.
Day : 3, 4
Overlooking the Mont Saint Michel Bay, with an unforgettable view of the world's most spectacular tidal phenomenon, in the heart of a landscaped park and flower-filled gardens, awaits the Relais Saint Michel hotel. The hotel is tastefully decorated and equipped with the most modern facilities for your comfort. There is also a lounge bar and terrace to relax over a cocktail and take in the amazing panoramic views.
Accessories
INCLUDED
GPS are included on most of our tours since 2008. We change the units every 2 years and always invest in the best models. Simple to use, easy to read, yet sophisticated devices they are available on all of our tours. The routes described in your roadbook are stored as tracks in the GPS unit. You simply have to follow the line shown on the GPS, and enjoy. 1 GPS for every 1-3 people
INCLUDED
Our roadbooks are complete packages of information that will help you to guide yourself through the itinerary that we have planned and laid out. We have invested significant time and incorporated the feedback of our customers over many years (since 1997!) to make our roadbooks even better. Our roadbooks include: color maps, highlighted routes, touristic information, orientation points to reach hotels, and easy to follow step by step directions (cue-sheets). Please note that for custom itineraries you will not have cue sheets. Only maps and GPS routes.
INCLUDED
Our Travelbooks are complete packages of information that will help you to guide yourself through the itinerary that we have planned and laid out. You will find information about the hotels, itinerary, regional informations...
Option 1: 9 Miles - 14 Km Elevation gain 1 : 175 Meters
.jpeg)
Option 2: 11 Miles - 18 Km Elevation gain 2 : 175 Meters
Option 1: 9 Miles - 15 Km Elevation gain 1 : 50 Meters
.jpeg)
Option 1: 8 Miles - 13 Km Elevation gain 1 : 69 Meters
.jpeg)
Included
- 4 nights of accomodation in superior hotels of charm with private shower and/or bath
- Daily breakfast at each hotel, 1 dinners included
- Orientation in person with our local guide
- Detailed ROAD BOOK, including details maps, touristic information, step by step itinerary and cue sheets
- 1 GPS for every 1-3 people
- All luggage transfers
- Comprehensive trip literature
- Technical and emergency support available at all times
What's not included
- Airfare to and from the trip
- Lodging before and after the trip
- Drinks
- Some meals are not included in each destination, which gives you the opportunity to explore regional cuisine on your own. You will find all information needed with our team support in your roadbook.
- Option for an in-person orientation with a supplement.
Informations & Recommendations
Arrival city is Beaune; via Paris Gare de Lyon by train; 1 hour, 30 min. and departure city is Nuits Saint Georges, 3Hrs to Paris Gare de Lyon. Trains from CDG airport to Dijon possible with connecting train to Beaune.
Tour rates
Contact our tour consultants for more information and an exact rate based upon your travel dates.
| Price from* & per person | Double occupancy | Single supplement (traveling with a group) | Solo traveler (traveling alone) |
| Standard | 860 € | 220 € | 1290 € |
| Upgraded | 990 € | 290 € | 1490 € |
Accessories
| Accessories | |
| GPS | Included |
| Biking Roadbook | Included |
| Travelbook | Included |
United States
We had a very enjoyable time in Brittany: very scenic. The walks were good and certainly challenging, averaging about 20 km for the first 2 days. The weather was generally fine, if a bit chilly, but good for walking. The road books and GPS worked well for us, and the trail markings were easy to follow. We feel we should bring to your attention a couple of things which would help future travellers. The airport at Dinard is not traveller-friendly, with a long queue, exposed to the weather, on the tarmac, for immigration. Taxis/shuttle /transfer to St Malo for walkers are non-existent. We had to ring the hotel to get the telephone numbers of taxis companies, one of which said they couldn't help us. We eventually got a taxi after a 40 minute wait. We did enjoy a beautiful part of France. We hope this feedback helps. Regards,
Brown
United States
I have had a great time. I loved the route from St. Malo to Cancale.. It was a beautiful day, sunny, no rain at all. Walking has been a great way to see the country. I really hated that it rained so much on Sunday, but I knew that was a risk for the region and time of year. However, I was able to come in and see Mont St. Michel.It is really a beautiful experience. The hotels and restaurant recommendations have been so great.... and everyone I have encountered, super sweet. The GPS and directions worked great! You all did a fantastic job with those! This has been an incredible journey... and I am already thinking about coming back and perhaps doing another walking tour. Thanks for all you have done! -Ashley
Casual : Beginners and occasional cyclists. Easiest tours we provide. Typically flatter terrain, no notable hills or anything of a steep gradient.
Hobby : Weekend riders. People with some cycling experience, rolling countryside, possible short climbs.
Active : Cyclists with experience on longer rides. Hilly terrain with reasonable amount of climbs and difficulty
Pro : Avid cyclists, ride every week and love long and challenging rides. Dream on riding the Tour de France cols.
Comparison chart : (15km/hrs)
| Average dist (miles) | Average dist (km) | Elevation max/day (m) | Average hours | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Casual |
< 28 | < 45 | < 300m | 3-4 |
| Hobby |
18 - 35 | 30 - 55 | 300-550m | 3-5 |
| Active |
30 - 60 | 50 - 100 | 550-1000m | 4-6 |
| Pro |
> 60 | > 100 | > 1000m | > 5 |
Some of our tours can be in 2 different level, we have itinerary for both versions
Casual : Beginners and occasional hikers. Typically flatter terrain with just rolling hills.
Hobby : Weekend hikers. People with some experience hiking around trails.
Active : Hikers with experience on longer hikes. Hilly terrain with some steep gradients.
Pro : Randonneurs avides, randonnée chaque semaine et adore les longues et difficiles randonnées.
Comparison chart : (4km/hrs)
| Average dist (miles) | Average dist (km) | Elevation max/day (m) | Average hours | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Casual |
< 6 | < 10 | < 150m | 2.5 |
| Hobby |
6 - 9 | 10 - 15 | 150-300m | 25-375 |
| Active |
9 - 11 | 11 - 18 | 300-450m | 3.75 - 4.5 |
| Pro |
> 11 | > 18 | > 450m | 4.5-6 |
Some of our tours can be in 2 different level, we have itinerary for both versions