BV25-52 Le Mont Saint Michel

For the final weekly route of the year, I wanted to share a classic: Mont-Saint-Michel in a day. While many riders would split this into multiple days, I’ve ridden it in one push several times. The original idea came from conversations about a three-day trip that Le Peloton Café did years ago, followed by the inevitable question of whether it would be “fun” to try it in a single ride. It sounds a bit crazy, and it probably is, but I’ve managed to convince plenty of people to join over the years, so it can’t be that bad.

The route leaves Paris as efficiently as possible, following the quai and heading straight up through Sèvres. You pass Versailles quickly, descend the 17 turns, and continue west through the forest. After about 70 km, you exit the Rambouillet forest and begin crossing the wide open fields that stretch westward. There is a lot of farmland between Paris and Mont-Saint-Michel, but the terrain changes enough to keep things interesting. There are no major climbs, though the rolling terrain and sheer distance mean the elevation gain adds up over time. The route passes through plenty of villages, making resupply straightforward throughout the day and you don't need to plan much in advance.

cyclist on a gravel path, crossing under am arched bridge

After roughly 300 km of fields and forest sections, you join a 35 km bike path we’ve nicknamed the “acorn path.” I’ve only ridden this route in summer, but when the group did the original three-day version in the fall, the path was completely covered in acorns, which made it a little precarious on road bikes. The surface isn’t paved, but it’s hard-packed, fine gravel and perfectly rideable on any road setup. It’s a welcome change of pace and offers long, uninterrupted stretches that help you push toward the finish.

Not long after leaving the path, you reach the coast and begin the final approach. It’s a great feeling to spot Mont-Saint-Michel on the horizon from more than 10 km away. Ideally, you’ve made good time and arrive while the sun is still up. I’ve done both daylight and nighttime approaches, and unsurprisingly, the sunset version is better. The route takes you all the way out to the tidal island for a close-up photo to end the ride. If you want to explore the village or the abbey, you’ll need to lock up your bike back at the parking area and swap out of clipless shoes, as there are a lot of stairs. I usually recommend saving the sightseeing for the next day or another trip.

For accommodations, I’ve stayed in Airbnbs or gîtes near Beauvoir, the closest town. Planning dinner in advance is important. On my first trip, we arrived later than expected and had to sprint to the McDonald’s in Pontorson, which was the only thing still open. On the most recent trip, we planned ahead and had groceries delivered to the Airbnb, which made it much easier to cook a proper meal and start recovering.

Getting back to Paris efficiently requires taking a TGV, which means bringing a bike bag. If you have a Fairmean or similar bag, it’s not a problem. The return starts with a TER from Pontorson to Rennes, the Pontorson station is about 10 km from Mont-Saint-Michel and even closer to Beauvoir. Bike reservations are required for this train. From Rennes, you bag the bike and take the high-speed train back to Paris.

A 350 km ride to Mont-Saint-Michel isn’t a typical weekend outing, but it felt like the right way to end the year of routes. You can easily break this into multiple days, or you can push yourself and see what’s possible in one go. It’s also a great first ride beyond the double-century mark, with frequent resupply options and an iconic destination that gives you something concrete to ride toward.

GPX File