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Breton Bikes

Breton Bikes

About
Established in 1989 Breton Bikes provides unique cycle camping and hotel based cycling holidays in Brittany - France. Real touring bikes, superb equipment, wonderful places to see and very family friendly. Routes suitable for all ages and abilities. Come and see why Brittany is a Mecca for cycle touring.
Gouarec, Brittany, France

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5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles76 reviews
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Joe U
6 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020
We were lucky enough to do a cycle camping holiday for a week in August 2020.
Geoff and Kate were lovely, they prepared us a fantastic route with great directions and recommendations.
The even organised our taxi to collect us and take us back to St Brieuc.

The equipment they provided was really top notch, lightweight camping stuff, properly waterproof and comfortable.

The bikes were in great condition and well maintained, we had no problems after covering about 130miles in a week.

And Brittany is wonderfully varied, from deep woodland to rolling fields, vast beaches and sunny cliff tops. And the patisseries are wonderful.

We will definitely be back!
Written 2 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

MANA_Toronto
Toronto, Canada55 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
We travelled by bike for a week with our 2 kids, ages 7 and 5. We were extremely pleased with all of the equipment we got and how helpful and responsive the owners, Geoff and Kate. Our bikes were comfortable and well tuned so everything worked smoothly. We had very roomy panniers, good tents and camping gear, and good bikes for our kids (including a trailer bike for our youngest). The riding was lovely and we would highly recommend a trip with Breton Bikes.
Written 19 July 2010
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

AmyDaniellef
Vancouver, Canada15 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2013 • Family
We did a one week trip with Breton Bikes on tandem bikes with our two daughters, aged 7 and 10. Everything about our trip was fantastic: the beautiful countryside, complete lack of traffic, delicious food in every town. The hotels that Geoff and Kate booked us into were lovely and all the quality of the bikes was excellent. The brilliance of Breton Bikes really came through however when we had a problem. On our third day, our daughter's sweater got caught in her derailer and snapped it right off. We assumed our trip was over (after all, we had broken the bike!) so we called Geoff to tell him the bad news. Within an hour, Geoff appeared, smile on his face, with a new tandem bike in tow, and sent us on our merry way. I can't say enough good things about the level of service we received. I don't want to do another bike holiday with anyone else as I am quite certain to be disappointed with any other tour operator.
Written 23 July 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Tracey T
Penzance, UK1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2013 • Family
Hi Geoff
>
> Return journey went well thank you, but we were all very sad to be leaving. What a beautiful
> place you live in. We had a fantastic holiday and loved the cycling, the scenery and the
> peacefulness. The people were so friendly and we will always remember our time in Gouarec.
>
> We wouldn't hesitate to recommend you and hope to return for another
> holiday in the future.
>
> Many thanks
> Gary, Tracey and Matt
Written 13 May 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

JennyGB
New Haven98 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
My husband and I had a terrific time on a tandem bike from Breton Bikes. The tour Geoff recommended was perfect for us. When we had extra time or energy, we deviated slightly from the plan and explored on our own. The hotels were charming, the food delicious, and the countryside was gorgeous. When we broke our bike chain on a particularly steep hill, Geoff promptly drove to our location and cheerfully repaired the bike for us. This is good value--reliable equipment, accurate directions with great recommendations for side trips and restaurants/cafes along the way, and safe relaxing routes where you can really see and enjoy the countryside. I would definitely book again with Geoff and Kate
Written 7 September 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

RobD829
Maidstone, UK6 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2012 • Couples
Our experience of Breton Bikes was entirely different from peter J's review below. The service provided by the company exceeded our expectations and we found all prices very reasonable.
I suspect Peter J below has an ulterior motive.
Written 31 August 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sue M
Palmerston North,36 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2017
Our family of four (children aged 5 and 9), had a wonderful holiday in early October, staying at the smaller of their two gites in Gouarec and using that as our base for cycling day trips. The cottage was small but had everything we needed, including books and games. Kate and Geoff had provided us with a great selection of bikes - an individual one for the 5 year old - with gears - as well as one that fitted onto the back of an adult bike, but could be peddled independently (unlike a tandem), plus a tandem, plus 2 adult bikes and one for the 9 year old. The cycling was FABULOUS. The paths along the canal under the forest were so beautiful and perfect for us. I had been apprehensive about cycling on the roads with the children, but the car drivers were incredibly considerate and we never had cause for concern. The traffic was also very low on all the routes Kate and Geoff had suggested. The food was wonderful - a quick trip to the little supermarche and boulangerie in the village would set us up nicely for picnics en route, but there was also a delicious Sunday market 5 km away, plus a great little creperie etc. Luckily the bikes came with panniers for all the booty we gathered en route... We also loved walking around the little street the gite was on at dusk and seeing the bats flying and looking out for other wildlife.
Written 21 October 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Many thanks for that - I'm glad you had such a good time - it seems you fell in love with the place for exactly the same reasons we did;-)
Written 22 October 2017
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

zimnana
Richmond, VT18 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2017 • Couples
We are a couple in our late 60’s who recently did a week long bicycle tour with Breton Bikes (BB) in Brittany, France. We had read many highly praised reviews of Breton Bikes prior to our own trip and also had a friend’s own positive recommendation. The specific trip we did was the Bay of Morlaix, using small hotels with breakfast included. In general, we had a great time, found Brittany beautiful and would suggest that anyone considering a bike trip, definitely look into Breton Bikes to see if it is right for them. However, we thought we’d also share a few frustrations we had on our trip – if for no other reason, than perhaps you can avoid them.
BB encourages you to check out your bike before you set off on your tour and we did so. I had some trouble shifting between gears but, not being a seasoned bike tourer, felt I just needed to get better used to changing gears (ie it must be my fault). My husband noted a ‘grinding’ when pedaling hard (maybe some problem with a bearing, a worn chain sprocket, or grit on the chain?). Geoff rode my husband’s bike but clearly did not think there was a problem, commenting to me that he thought ‘this was a case of princess and the pea’. In the end, he did supply a different bicycle. I should note that my husband is an experienced cyclist, an engineer and has been a volunteer bicycle mechanic for the past 8 years so he is very much attuned to the presence of mechanical problems.
Right before leaving BB, Kate told us that she’d had to change our first night’s lodging. The ‘new place’ was a farm that belonged to “good friends” and we ‘would love it’. The farm was indeed interesting, the people lovely, and their homemade pizza the best ever. It seemed, though, that they weren’t aware we were coming. They offered us 2 possibilities for the night: a low bed in a canvas tent with outhouse facilities or, (having had a last minute cancellation, they said) we could opt for a bedroom in the house. They expected us to pay for the accommodation and breakfast. I had to ask the owner to please call Kate as that was not our expectation and everything was indeed taken care of.
Our first full day of riding was in a hard driving rain and wind - unavoidable and no-one’s fault of course. However, I continued to have trouble with shifting gears on my bicycle and when we stopped in a small bus shelter to check it out, my husband found that the derailleur cable was not properly adjusted (probably stretched after being replaced). Luckily, he was able to repair it himself with the tools provided and a screwdriver on his own Swiss Army knife. That evening, I was very happy that I had accepted the offer of plastic garbage cans inside my panniers as both my panniers had puddles of water in the bottom of them. Without the plastic bags, my clothes would have been soaked. Seems as though water/rain had seeped through the rivet openings of the panniers in the prolonged pouring rain that day.
BB provided us with typed, detailed directions and a regular map. The detailed instructions could be placed in a transparent pocket of the bike bag – there was a tear in the plastic covering, though, which was a problem with the driving rain we had. Our directions got dangerously wet inside the pocket and were almost unreadable at times. Most of the time, the detailed directions were helpful. But we are not sure if some were actually accurate – mostly as regards when we left the first B&B. We suspect that since Kate had changed the location of our first night’s accommodations at the last minute, our typed directions had not been accordingly adjusted. Still, with the regular map, we were able to find our way.
At our stop in Morlaix itself, we had our only ‘2 nights in the same hotel.’ When we checked in to the Hotel du Port in Morlaix, they insisted that breakfast was not included with BB reservations. Again, I had to contact Kate and ask her to call them and straighten this out – which she did. Morlaix was very enjoyable and we suggest you also take advantage and ride your bikes all the way to the coast – even though it’s a rest day – it is worth it!
One place we were very much looking forward to visiting – and had been alerted to its existence by BB who specifically mentioned it in our detailed directions as ‘not to miss’- was a small museum in L’Etang Neuf dedicated to the French WWII resistance. This museum was literally next door to our hotel that night. We were a bit surprised then, to learn when we arrived that both the Resistance Museum and our hotel’s restaurant were closed (end of high tourist season). Luckily, the hotel put together a cold plate of charcuterie, salad and some wine for us that we could take to our room that night (there were no other nearby food options). We were lucky also to finally be able to visit the museum the next morning before leaving, but only because we stopped someone going in and they were gracious enough to let us in to view the exhibits even though they were officially closed.
So, our advice? Do take checking out your bicycle function seriously before leaving BB HQ in Gourec. Use plastic liners in your panniers. Make sure your plastic pocket for directions is not ripped. Keep your map handy as the detailed directions can sometimes be confusing. If you’re biking in shoulder seasons, be aware that some places may be closed. If you’re supposed to have breakfast included, insist on it. And most importantly, bring your common sense and have fun!
Written 13 October 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks very much for the review - and a generous one as I'd have given us 3*. I despair when hotels we have used for over 10 years still manage to put someone on the desk who doesn't know what we do! - add a random closed restaurant (again they should always tell us) and you have a season's worth of problems in one holiday - I can only apologise, though as you found, a quick telephone call and we sort everything out immediately. Same goes for bike problems as I'd have been very happy to tweak your gear cable (get's me out of the workshop...) or bring out another bike (or dry route) if needed. Rest assured Kate will read the riot act to all the hotels if you come again. One last thing in case anyone get's the wrong end of the stick - my 'Princess and the Pea' comment was very much in jest and I had a shed load of alternative bikes to choose from;-) - the grinding (felt rather than heard) turned out to be a new chain bedding into the cassette and disappeared after I rode it round for a while.
Written 17 October 2017
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

letterboxer
Big Prairie, Ohio14 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2015 • Couples
We are a couple in our sixties accustomed to long-distance rail trail cycling trips in the US. We stumbled across the Breton Bikes website (which isn't the flashiest, but does include all the information one needs and then some) and immediately saw this as an opportunity to try cycling in France. Our email communication with Geoff and Kate was timely and helpful. We settled on the "Heart of Brittany" tour, which placed us in chambre d'hôtes each night where we usually had dinner with our hosts as well.
*The bikes Geoff and Kate offer are well-maintained and came with a spare tube and some repair equipment, which we did not have to use.
*The panniers and front packs were very spacious and completely waterproof. (We encountered plenty of rain, but were never stopped by it.)
*The routes Geoff and Kate mapped out for us took us on the Nantes-Brest canal path, portions of the Voie Verte [Greenway], and less-traveled roads. Vehicles were accommodating and we always felt safe.
*We stayed in seven different chambre d'hôtes - from a 17th-century stone farmhouse to an 18th-century manor house to more current accommodations - all charming. Our hosts were invested in welcoming cyclists, assuring our comfort, and more than willing to work at conversation with our limited French and their limited English.
*We had Kate and Geoff's phone number to call in case of troubles but we never needed to. The bikes performed well, and their itinerary for us was top-notch.
*The daily cycling mileage (approx. 30-35 miles a day) was satisfactory for us as the routes often included hills. In addition, we chose to cycle at a much slower pace, taking in as much scenery and culture as we could absorb.
*The chambre d'hôte tours, with their accompanying dinners, provide an experience of almost-immersion into the French language for English-speaking tourists. We loved this opportunity and were grateful to dust off our conversation skills.
Written 11 October 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

MTMusings
Santa Barbara, CA148 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2014
In short: do not hesitate to put yourself in Kate and Geoff's hands. They know this corner of paradise well and will make sure you have a great time.

Background: Gouarec is a deserted, beautifully tended garden spot in central Brittany. Rides can be short and flat along the Nantes Brest canal, relatively flat treks along the railway lines converted into bike paths, long and somewhat hilly out to lakes or the coast, or anywhere in between. You pass through beautifully tended farm country, medieval towns (some with terrific local eateries), lakes and forests. Roads are superb and empty -- you get the impression that like rural areas everywhere, young people in Brittany head for the cities.

BB rents bikes, gites (cabins), and tours -- either camping or B&B hosted. The bikes are very good mountain bikes, well set up, crisp shifters,with Carradice bags -- some of the finest panniers made. Ours had hub generated lights that were not hooked up, but since it was light until 11 pm in June, they did not need to be.

My wife and our sons, 18 and 21, rented the Quarry Gite and did day rides from Gouarec. The Gite is as described -- a basic cabin that sleeps four comfortably. We cooked meals in the kitchen, appreciated the clothes washer, and found the beds delightful after a day of riding and eating. Main suggestion: add wifi. It's great to research local towns and places to eat (there are better and worse restaurants in every town. In Gouarec, the Creperie was excellent and the pizza place was not).

My second suggestion (to France, not to Geoff or Kate) would be for restaurants to keep longer hours! This is hardly a problem confined to Brittany, but you cannot get food served in rural France between 2 and 6pm. Plan your rides to eat on French time -- or bing along plenty of food!

Geoff's ride sheets are great -- we literally never once missed a turn. His descriptions of the rides are conservative: a 1.2 km "steep" hill was a 1.2km climb, with 200m of 7-9% grade at the start -- the rest was gentle 3-5% grade. (This hill was one of the few times I had to drop into my small chainring "granny gears". I'm 61 and my sons now beat me to the top of any serious hill). The Creperie in Saint Brigitte, advertised by Geoff as the best in Brittany, did not disappoint.

If you have problems, with a bike or with the gite, Kate or Geoff will fix it quickly. They had just added a new water heater to our gite, and it needed some adjustments. Kate and Geoff made sure that we never missed a shower. They live nearby, have been at this for 25 years, and know the territory intimately.

Finally, check their website at www.bretonbikes.com. It could use some design help, bit the descriptions of the rides and the details of their service are long and specific. Breton Bikes is a great value and a wonderful host for a great vacation.
Written 26 June 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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