Cycling in North France

[Dee]

We are going to be in Northern France this summer (near Ouisterham, Caen and Honfleur) and would like to find some good cycle route maps for the area. We are cycling on road bikes with 3 youngish children so the routes need to be fairly easy and quiet. Can anyone recommend any maps/guides and advise on where I might get them?Thanks

[MLJ]

That is Normandy - not Northern France!! Try the local Tourisme and Syndicate d'Initiative offices for these areas. As there admin is very compartmentalised, you need to try all the local ones in the areas of interest.

[longhaul]

I recently spent a long weekend touring in Normandy, ferry to Caen, back from Cherbourg. The map I used which was perfectly adequate was the Michelin Regional series No. 513 which is a 1/275000 scale. These are the ones with orange covers. I bought mine in my local Waterstones.

[gar]

If you are stuck I will do a Search in French for you. If there are good routes local clubs put them on the net. Then you can print off.

[crazyrider]

I use the IGN map 7, 1/1000000, with tourism information ; on the East of Honfleur (20km) there is a very wild, quiet area, many birds : "Le marais Vernier" (swamp), no cars, flat, close Pont Audemer, beautiful half-timbered farm.

[JohnAC]

Buy IGN 1:100,000 maps from Stanfords online. The IGN series are particylarly good because they show contour lines and all minor country roads. Link below:

www.stanfords.co.uk/seriesdetails/mapseries?series_id=297&loc_id=661&cat_id=578&seriescount=74


If you want to get hold of good maps for free then Michelin offer their ones online gratis - you can copy and paste if you wat to build a map covering a larger area:

Area for Caen via link below:

www.viamichelin.com/viamichelin/gbr/dyn/controller/mapPerformPage?expressMap=false&act=&pim=true&strAddress=&strCP=&strLocation=caen&strCountry=1424&x=0&y=0

Zoom in and out for more detail/area overview. No contours with Michelin, but they do occasionally show arrows across roads to depict inclines - one arrow for moderate and two arrows for severe - not sure they are that accurate though - IGN works better here...

[Sha]

I live in Normandy, just outside Dieppe, and use the Michelin 1cm:1,75km or 1cm:2km (with the yellow cover). They cover a large enough area not to have to carry too many maps, and are widely available in supermarkets, maison de la presse etc. No. 55 covers Caen, Ouistreham, Le Havre, Honfleur, Rouen... Have tried the IGN 1cm:1,25km but can't get on with them. Sha

[keironw]

I can recommend contacting the Local Syndicat d'Initiative. I did this last year for Southern Burgundy and they sent (free of charge) a fantastic bundle of information about accomdation , sights, restaurants and most useful, cycling routes some of which were on traffic free cycle routes
best wishes keiron