Rambling is a very popular activity in Brittany with its 2500 km of pathways. These thousands of kilometres of marked pathways allow exploring the diversity of the Breton landscape: natural history sites, forests, chateaux and typical small towns, etc. By following the markers on the customs officers paths along the coast and the towpaths and rural tracks of the interior, walkers, cyclists and horse riders can appreciate these preserved areas.

In the footsteps of the customs officers
Brittany has 1300 kilometres of coastal paths. These footpaths, suitable for both energetic hiking and gentle strolls, cover almost the entire perimeter of the coast, from the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel to Saint- Nazaire. The customs officers pathways were created during the French Revolution by the customs authorities for surveillance of the coast and to combat smuggling and the pillaging of shipwrecks. The Breton coast, on account of its rugged terrain with thousands of inlets and its sheer length was a favourite site for illegal landings of a vast range of smuggled goods. Thus until the start of the XXth century, hundreds of customs officers walked the coastal paths, day and night in all weathers, seeking to intercept any illegal landing of goods. Today, the pathways once used by the customs officers are protected sites, developed for walkers and hikers.

On the towpaths
Crossing inland Brittany from east to west, a 360 kilometres pathway along the Nantes to Brest canal. Initiated by Napoleon, this project to unite Nantes and Brest by an inland waterway was completed in 1842. The towpath was created so that barges could be towed along by horses. Now it can be used by ramblers.

By bicycle or mountain bike
Whether you are a touring cyclist or a mountain biker, all the roads of Brittany are accessible to cyclists. There are several cycling paths or mountain bike routes crossing forests, woods or along lakesides. Many of the Brittany islands where cars are banned are havens for cyclists. These are conservation sites for observing the local flora and fauna. In towns, cycle tracks allow investigating the streets and alleyways and appreciating their historic heritage. Several Breton towns, such as Rennes, Brest, Lorient or Quimper are seeking to facilitate the use of bicycles in urban traffic zones.

On horseback
Brittany has 2000 km of bridlepaths, using marked routes. The "Equibreiz" bridlepath is marked with orange plastic markers. These are generally attached to trees or wooden posts. A dense network of equestrian centres offers rides along the coast or on the heaths. For the less sporting, these routes can be travelled in a carriage or a horse drawn caravan. After learning how to harness up and attach the horse, you can appreciate the diversity of the Breton landscape at the pace of a horse.

Marked pathways

GR (GrandeRandonnées–national long distance routes): Marked in red and white, GRs are mainly linear routes, such as the coastal route GR 34 which comprises a tour of Brittany.

GR de Pays (local long distance routes): Over the years, a number of loops have been added to the GRs and these are called GR de Pays, and to differentiate them from the national GRs, they are marked in yellow and red. An example is the Tour of the Brocéliande forest.

PR (Promenade et Randonnée): Walking and hiking routes of from one to 6 hours covering the entire territory. The range of PRs suits all tastes and all levels of ability. These routes are most frequently marked with a yellow line, such as that from the Côte d’Emeraude to Mené.

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