Driving on the Pink Granite Coast in summer

Hi there, We’re about to finalize a booking for late July near the Pink Granite Coast. We’re wondering about the traffic jams that could make our trip miserable, given how famous the place is—we’re excited to see it too. Could it get pretty bad? Thanks for sharing your experiences.

Hi Florence,

We’re about to finalize a booking for late July near the Pink Granite Coast. We’re wondering about the traffic jams that could make our trip miserable, given how famous the place is—we can’t wait to see it ourselves. Could it get complicated? Thanks for sharing your experiences.

This area is always a headache for traffic—summer because it’s so touristy, and year-round because roadworks are regular, very frequent, very long, and can lead to huge detours—without much concern from those in charge, it has to be said... Before booking, I’d suggest checking out long-term disruptions, current or planned: https://inforoutes22.cotesdarmor.fr/ Check at the start of each week. Whether it’ll be complicated depends on your patience and your usual tolerance for traffic.

Michel

I live in the area year-round and honestly, I don’t run into any issues driving even in the middle of summer. I avoid going to Perros-Guirec on August 15th because it’s the festival, and I avoid Paimpol during the Fête des Chants Marins weekend unless I’m going for the show. But other than that, no problems. There might be roadworks, but what else can you do? For major works, the municipalities make sure they’re finished before the summer season.

You might be wondering about driving back from the beaches? Don’t worry, you won’t have any issues.

Hi Danielle,

It’s really about landmarks, and it does depend heavily on the exact summer date, as well as any festivals or events going on. Roadworks can be managed differently than how they’re done in the Côtes-d’Armor (22), which, from experience, is an absolute disaster on this front—starting with the RN12. Personally, I wouldn’t enjoy going to that area in July or August at all, but for someone used to suburban traffic jams, everything should still be manageable.

Michel

It’s definitely a busy time, but I can reassure you: it’s totally manageable with a bit of planning. My top tip: use Waze! I highly recommend using Waze to anticipate and bypass traffic jams. This app is particularly effective in this area because it suggests real-time alternative routes and helps you avoid the main congestion hotspots. Enjoy your trip! :)

Hi Sébastien...

It’s definitely a busy time, but I can reassure you: it’s totally manageable with a bit of planning. My top recommendation: use Waze. I highly recommend using Waze to anticipate and bypass traffic jams. This app is particularly effective in this area because it suggests real-time alternate routes and helps you avoid major congestion points. Have a great time! :)

Watch out for roadworks, though... Waze might suggest detours that are hastily set up and can lead you into no-entry zones without warning. Drivers have lost four points on their license for this kind of thing, just by following an app’s advice—like the Kernilien slip road on the RN12 a few weeks ago.

Michel

we all agree... the quirks of technology :) but personally, since I'm moving around all over Brittany all week, setting the destination 1 or 2 hours in advance and checking where it "gets stuck" helps anticipate things well :) Best regards

Totally agree with you. Checking the announced roadworks on the General Council websites is also a good idea, but it’s more tedious.

Michel

Thanks to all of you for sharing your thoughts. We decided to rent a quiet cottage in the countryside, but close to the sea. A great compromise for exploring this beautiful region. Have a nice day!

We just spent a week in the Côtes d'Armor, on the Pink Granite Coast. It was absolutely stunning—we were blown away! We didn’t run into any issues getting around, either. Driving from our gîte to the coast was smooth, no problems at all. It was about a 15-minute drive from Tonquédec, nothing to worry about. You can head there without stress. Right now, it’s peak hydrangea season, and it’s just gorgeous. We had an entire hedge of them in front of our gîte—I’d never seen so many!

Same thing in Perros-Guirec, the hydrangea city.

Thanks. That’s reassuring. A recent experience—it’s awesome! Could I ask where you found your rental place? Have a great day.

We didn’t book through an accommodation site but directly by phone. We were invited to a friend’s wedding in the area, and they knew about this brand-new rental. We really loved the welcome and the atmosphere of this Breton house, which combines charm and comfortable elegance.



If you’re interested, I could dig up the phone number.

Yes, thank you. I'm definitely interested. We're about to book, and if we can avoid unnecessary fees, that's a big plus not to overlook.

I totally get you. When I book directly, I do the same. Here’s the phone number of the energetic young woman who welcomed us: Tel: 06 65 67 05 53 Alternatively, I also have her email if you’d prefer to get the info that way: marielaurencot21@gmail.com



I’m thinking of making a travel journal about this trip to Brittany.

Gorgeous hydrangeas. Flowers that really thrive in Brittany. They don’t like extreme heat. The hydrangeas definitely struggled this year.

I checked the site, but it’s not open for booking yet. I’ll wait—it shouldn’t be long. It’s lovely.