Kerlaz to Plouhinec

June 16, 2019

Today was the best day in quite a while! It didn't start out particularly promising, overcast with intermittent showers, but the forecast was for improvement in the afternoon. I dawdled around, oiled the chain (desperately needed--my poor bike!), updated the journal (the wifi and I weren't getting on yesterday), chatted with Anthony (our host) and the other guests, and finally got on the road around 10. Not only was the weather supposed to improve, Anthony told me that the land to the south was considerably flatter than I'd just come through.

Not exactly what I'd call flat! At least it's downhill into Douarnenez.

Looking across a beach to the centre of Douarnenez

In the harbour, Douarnenez. This is what I'd envisioned a weather ship to look like, if it were to actually be a ship. If I were stationed on one, though, the France 1 (now in the Musée Maritime in La Rochelle) would be much better.

View of the harbour from the big bridge. If I'd been following the bike route, I probably would have been on that little bridge, with a bigger climb out of town.

It wasn't flat until after I'd climbed out of Dourarnenez, the city at the corner of the peninsula where I turned west, but then the hills were fewer and less steep. Unfortunately, that came with a headwind, a stiff onshore breeze. I hoped the wind would be blowing with the same intensity and in the same direction when I came back eastward, but I wasn't going to hold my breath!

I'd bought a sandwich on my way through Dourarnenez and stopped in a boulangerie/épicerie in Beuzec-Cap-Sizan to get some fruit to go with it. Good thing I didn't want a bakery dessert because it seemed that somebody didn't take the pastries out of the oven on time! Beuzec-Cap-Sizan has a nice little park with picnic tables where I ate my lunch just across from the shop.

I continued westward against an increasing headwind, but it wasn't unbearable. I rode out to Pointe du Van, the north point of this slightly-forked peninsula, and then along the very scenic road past the Baie des Trépassés and up to Pointe du Raz. Pointe du Raz is one of Les Grandes Sites de France, so I really had to visit!

Image not found :( — These wind turbines and their friends were all spinning.

Near Pointe du Van are some old-fashioned windmills. I like the bracing on this one; there must be some nasty winds out here and all from a prevailing direction!

Looking toward Pointe du Raz from Pointe du Van

On the scenic road, I passed the same woman I'd seen yesterday, pushing her bike up the steep bit. I saw her again on the path out to the point; I was walking, having left my bike locked outside the information building, but she was riding. She is touring solo as well, but not camping. I think she said that she'd toured northern Brittany last year and was doing the south part this year. Up close, she looks about my age. We might cross paths again...

After walking out to the "Sémaphore", the military communication tower or whatever it is, I walked back to my bike and headed east along the south side of the peninsula. As expected, the tailwind was very light.

South side of the peninsula from Pointe du Raz

The trail around Pointe du Raz is part of GR34.

Looking from Pointe du Raz to Pointe du Van

I found a campground in Plouhinec, just across the river from Audierne. Audierne is the biggest village on the south side of the peninsula and I chose this location deliberately. A reasonable walk into the port area of Audierne yielded a choice of restaurants open on this Sunday evening, though I picked the first one I came to.

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Today's ride: 60 km (37 miles)
Total: 2,793 km (1,734 miles)

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Rachael AndersonBeautiful photos! Glad you finally got some good weather and great cycling,
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