This is the big bike ride out of Saint-Malo. 68 kilometres one way on La Vélomaritime, mostly flat, with the Mont growing on the horizon on the final stretch. This guide covers the route, the kit you need and the three ways to get back.
One warning up front: what makes this ride is not the terrain, it is the distance and the wind. Read the wind section before you go, because it decides whether your day is beautiful or grim.
At a glance
The route in four sections
Km 0-18: Saint-Malo to Cancale
Vélomaritime (EV4) • Shared roads • Moderate
The first section runs entirely on roads shared with cars: cycle lanes along the Sillon and through Paramé to Rothéneuf, then minor roads via Saint-Coulomb, with busy departmental roads to cross carefully in summer. There is little climbing (44 m in total), but the official Vélomaritime website gives this stage its toughest rating because of the traffic. It comes while you are fresh. The kilometre-by-kilometre detail is in our Saint-Malo to Cancale guide.
Km 18-39: Cancale to Le Vivier-sur-Mer
Roads then cycle paths • Moderate
After Cancale, whose loop is not signposted with the Vélomaritime logo, the route heads inland past Saint-Méloir-des-Ondes, then reaches the bay at Saint-Benoît-des-Ondes: 21 km, 12 of them on roads and 9 on cycle paths. The landscape changes completely: a vast tidal flat and the mussel bouchots of Le Vivier-sur-Mer lined up in the water. This is where the genuinely flat part begins.
After Le Vivier-sur-Mer: the Duchesse Anne dyke
Dyke • Completely flat • Wind-exposed
The long straight along the bay, through Cherrueix and Saint-Broladre. Nothing breaks the wind here: no trees, no buildings, no relief. With the wind behind you it is a conveyor belt and you barely notice the distance. Into a headwind, this is the hardest part of the day. Near the mills at Cherrueix you have to get off and push your bike back up onto the dyke. Cherrueix happens to be a well-known land-yachting spot, which tells you everything about the local wind.
To km 68: the approach
Quiet roads and cycle route • Flat • Easy
You leave the dyke for the polders, then join the cycle route that runs to the Mont along the bank of the Couesnon; a footbridge takes you over the river at Moidrey. From Le Vivier-sur-Mer to the Mont, 22 of the 29 km are on cycle paths, with no climbing. The Mont is in sight for this entire stretch and grows slowly: a memorable arrival.
The wind: what makes or breaks this day
For the final stage along the bay (29 km from Le Vivier-sur-Mer) there is nothing to shelter behind. The bay of Mont Saint-Michel is open, flat and windy, and the prevailing wind comes from the north-west. That has one simple practical consequence: on the way out you will often have it behind you, and on the way back into your face. Which is the wrong way round, since the return happens on tired legs.
Three simple rules
- Set off early. The wind usually builds through the day. Leaving at 8am gets you across the dyke while it is still calm.
- Check the wind direction the day before. Easterly forecast? Hard on the way out, easy coming back, so plan accordingly. Strong westerly? Consider the train home.
- Take a windproof layer, even in fine weather. Standing still on the dyke is always colder than you expect.
This is also the most honest argument for an electric bike on this route. It is not about hills, there are barely any. It is that a 25 km/h headwind along the dyke turns a ride into an ordeal.
On arrival: where to leave the bike
You do not ride to the ramparts. You leave the bike at a bike parking before the Mont, and the last stretch is covered on foot or by the free shuttle. Check the current access rules for bikes before you go.
A lock comes with every rental, and you should use it: the parking is busy in season. If you have panniers, take them with you rather than leaving them on the bike.
The detail that changes everything: check the spring tide calendar before picking your date. At high spring tide the sea surrounds the Mont completely, and it bears no resemblance to a low-tide day. Those times are published well in advance and are worth planning around.
Getting back: three options
Option 1: by bike, the same way
136 kilometres over the day. That is more than one e-bike battery charge (80 to 120 km in Eco mode), and a very long day on a city bike: only for strong riders. If the wind has turned in your favour, the return is often quicker than the outward leg.
Option 2: the train from Pontorson
Pontorson-Mont-Saint-Michel station is about 9 kilometres from the Mont, linked by a shuttle and by a quiet back road. From there the regional TER runs to Saint-Malo with a change at Dol-de-Bretagne. TER trains take assembled bikes, but the number of spaces is limited and varies: check timetables and conditions before you go rather than on the day.
Option 3: we come and get you
If you would rather ride out and return another way, tell us when you book. A pick-up is arranged in advance, not on the day: our delivery schedule is set the evening before.
Frequently asked questions
How far is Mont Saint-Michel from Saint-Malo by bike?+
68 kilometres on La Vélomaritime, via Cancale and then along the bay. France Vélo Tourisme counts about 4 hours 30 of riding; the wind and the bike make a big difference. From Cancale it is about 50 kilometres.
Do I need an electric bike?+
The route is mostly flat, so it is technically doable on a city bike. But 68 kilometres with the bay wind is a long day. An e-bike is strongly recommended. Our 625 Wh batteries cover 80 to 120 km in Eco mode: enough for the ride out, but not for the 136 km round trip on one charge, so plan the train or a pick-up for the return.
Can you cycle right up to the Mont?+
Not up to the ramparts. You leave the bike at a bike parking before the Mont, and the last stretch is done on foot or by the free shuttle: check the current access rules for bikes before you go. A lock is included with every rental.
How do I get back to Saint-Malo?+
By bike along the same route, by train from Pontorson-Mont-Saint-Michel station (about 9 km away, change at Dol-de-Bretagne, limited bike spaces, check timetables), or by arranging a pick-up with us when you book.
When is the best time to set off?+
Early in the morning. The bay wind usually picks up during the day and you want it behind you coming back, not in your face. The Mont is also far quieter before 10am. Check the spring tide timetables: at high spring tide the sea surrounds the Mont completely.
Is it doable with children?+
68 kilometres one way is a lot for a child pedalling. The flat section along the bay from Le Vivier-sur-Mer, though, lends itself well to a shorter family outing, and we have trailers, child seats and tow bars. See our family cycling guide.
Key takeaways
- • 68 km one way, 136 km there and back. Mostly flat.
- • Little climbing: 44 m between Saint-Malo and Cancale, none between Le Vivier-sur-Mer and the Mont.
- • The bay wind is the real difficulty, not the terrain.
- • Set off early: less wind, and a much quieter Mont.
- • Electric bike strongly recommended; the round trip is more than one battery charge.
- • Bike left at a bike parking, then on foot or by shuttle to the Mont.
- • Return possible by train from Pontorson, limited bike spaces.
Heading for the Mont?
Electric bike, panniers and route map. Free delivery in Saint-Malo from 2 days.