Hello all,
Next year my club will be running Rennes - Brest - Rennes which is a French Brevet run infrequently generally the year before PBP. So the idea is to do the Breton part of PBP. The ride starts in Rennes, joins the PBP route at Vieux Vy sur Couesnon, then riders have to control in Loudeac, Carhaix, Brest and finally retrace back. It probably is the hardest bit of the PBP route but also the nicest IMHO. It is coming from a Breton, not that we are known for being objective on the relative merits of he rest of France and Brittany, but you can ask "PBP anciens" for an impartial opinion about this.
So for all the PBP nostalgic, this is an occasion to climb the Roc Trevezel, go through Huelgoat and others Breton villages and for those who have never done PBP an occasion to scout the hardest bit, not that it is nowhere as hard as randonnees like the mille Cymru. A zed stop will be organised somewhere close after Brest.
To get there from the UK (or at least Southern England), the easiest and cheapest is probably to take the ferry from Portsmouth to St Malo and then either ride the 65km or so to the start or take the train that wil get you and your bike to Rennes city centre. If you need accomodation in Rennes let us know here and we will make our best to help you. The actual start is in Chantepie which is just on the edge of Rennes.
Those who want to practice their French can go there :
http://parisbrestparis2007.actifforum.com/t5596-rennes-brest-rennes-2018