Cycling UK Forum

New to this site, but planning my first bike tour to France.

Plan on a 4 day(ish) trip, based on getting the ferry from Portsmouth.
Looking for an tips/advice from anyone who's cycled that area.

Originally was looking at going St Malo to Cherbourg, hugging the west cotentin peninsula coast, but i've heard its slightly dull and baron, with plenty of hills.

Have a look at the Tour de Manche. I rode part of it last week (Cherbourg to Ste Saveur la Viscomte) to see the tour de France at Ste Mere Eglise. There is plenty of attractive countryside.
http://en.tourdemanche.com/

The east coast of the Cotentin is very attractive through St Vaast and Barfleur. I'd be tempted to do Portsmouth-Cherbourg, down the east coast then via Carentan along via Arromanches to Caen and back. It depends on your interests in D-Day history - also consider going inland via Bayeux. I visited most of the D-Day beaches a few years ago, also a good trip.

A great route is Cherbourg to Caen. St Vaast la Hogue, Port en Basin, Carentan, invasion beaches, fortifications, museums, cemetaries. Beyond Caen its a bit grey except Honfleur, Deauville, Trouville, Mulberry Harbour. Pont de Normandie and Le Havre outskirts are best avoided.

St Vaast is great for seafood. Oyster Beds, a trip to the Island and museum. On a weekend its full of French people eating..

Al

Quite a few years ago did this route sailing from Portsmouth.....
Day 1 -Caen to Arromanche
Day 2 - Arromanche to Carentan
Day 3 - Carentan to Bayeux
Day 4 - Bayeux to Caen
I remember it as a good trip, Normandy beaches first 2 days and saw the Bayeux Tapestry on the way back.

Just returned from a leisurely ride up the west coast of Cotentin Peninsula taking the Condor Fast Cat from Poole to St Malo and returning Brittany Ferries Cherbourg to Poole.
Thoroughly enjoyed it, nice coastal views and not hilly until the last 20kms approaching Cherbourg.
Rob

Did St Malo to Ouistreham (Caen) in 2014 and have previously done Cherbourg to Ouistreham - both very good for different reasons - take your pick:

https://roundthebendpart1.wordpress.com ... july-2014/

https://roundthebendpart1.wordpress.com ... june-2010/

ubert767 wrote:Just returned from a leisurely ride up the west coast of Cotentin Peninsula taking the Condor Fast Cat from Poole to St Malo and returning Brittany Ferries Cherbourg to Poole.
Thoroughly enjoyed it, nice coastal views and not hilly until the last 20kms approaching Cherbourg.
Rob

Hi Rob
We are doing our first overseas cycle tour in May and have booked a ferry to St Malo, with a view to cycling to Cherbourg. I have heard that doing the more inland Petit Tour de Manche south to north is fairly hilly, so we were thinking of staying closer to the coast. Could you outline your route for me, please? If you have special recommendations for overnighting (b&bs), they would be welcome, too. Thanks for any help you can give me.

Linda

Just done similar route...Interest in WW2 and invasion beaches etc.
Day 1..Started Pompey to Chebourg from the port went across to Ravenoville using the D61 road and camped overnight at Camping Cormoran.
Day2..Ravenoville to St Mere Eglise then Carentan camping at Le Haut Dick.
Day 3.. Carentan to Point du Hoc, Omaha beach and Bayeaux. Camping at Camping Bords De L'Aure
Day 4..Bayeaux to Crepon and Rye then to Ouisterham camping at camping Les Pommiers
Day 5 General fannying about at Pegasus bridge and Merville battery etc

Average campsite fees around €6 a night per tent. Shopped mostly at Supermarches and cooked for ourselves (group of ten cyclists)

Nice route with quite a few off shoots to look at this and that.

All recorded here at crazy guy if you want a few pics and more info etc.
www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/17333

Hello Linda, sorry for the delay, hope it's not too late.

We are doing our first overseas cycle tour in May and have booked a ferry to St Malo, with a view to cycling to Cherbourg. I have heard that doing the more inland Petit Tour de Manche south to north is fairly hilly, so we were thinking of staying closer to the coast. Could you outline your route for me, please? If you have special recommendations for overnighting (b&bs), they would be welcome, too. Thanks for any help you can give me.

Linda

As I said, it was a leisurely ride with nice coastal views of the estuary, brilliant when the tide is out and you can have a guided walk across the sands to Mont St Michel. We stayed at the following, keeping as close as possible to the coastline.

"L'Hotel Particulier Ascot" 35 Rue Du Chapitre, St Malo
"Logis Hotel de Bretagne", Dol de Bretagne
" La de la Croix d'Or", Avaranches
"Anne-Marie Besnier", 1 Rue Ponée Granville ( Air B&B)"
"Hotel La Pocatiere", Coutances
"Relais du Silence" -26 Rue Des Mares, Saint Germain-sur-Ay
"L' Hostellerie Du Château", Bricquebec



PM me if I can help further.

Rob

Thanks for the responses to my question, guys. Very helpful. Happy cycling. Linda