Top tips for scenic roads between St Malo/Fougeres/Caen etc?

[Bez]

Currently pondering a two-day route from St Malo to Caen, and while I'm quite comfortable planning routes, I'm wondering whether there are any particular bits which are worth taking in. I tend to plough through Streetview a lot, but some top tips would help shorten that process

I'm broadly familiar with the area: I've ridden through it several times and last year we did a one-day St Malo–Caen route—
https://mashing53.cyclyc.com/a-day-and-a-half/
https://grassupthemiddle.com/2018/10/03 ... to-summer/
—so there's no need to suggest the obvious in Mont St Michel or la Suisse Normande

I'm looking for hidden picturesque stuff: particularly affable river crossings, twisty climbs in and out of valleys, that sort of thing. Gravel is doable, so mucking about in forests is possible. Recommendations for particularly fine boulangeries or hotels are also welcome.

A first pass at the rough route is below: about 300km in all, on a mix of roads and voies vertes, with an overnight stop at Fougeres or Domfront or somewhere thereabouts. But it can be twiddled.

Shame we can't (because of ferry logistics) head west from St Malo, really… no shortage of scenic stuff there. Hey ho.

[Chat Noir]

Sounds a great idea and a good route.

Just couple of comments, noting some of your preferences in the blog. Great start across La Rance to Dinard on the Corsaire boats, then easy up to join the old railway line in the middle of town. Easy and mostly pastoral cycling, good warm up, on the track. Just before you come into Dinan, immediately past the wood factory, there is a very nice café / restaurant with garden tables overlooking the river. Of course, if you really want to eat a lot you can always go into one of the restaurants in Dinan itself. It’s a lovely old town but up seriously steep cobbles. Looks like you turn off the canal at Evran. If that’s where you’re going, at the bridge turn right and detour 100 m until you find the artisan boulangerie on the left. If it’s anything near lunchtime the queue out of the door will assure you it’s the right place.

Enjoy the ride.

[Bez]

Just before you come into Dinan, immediately past the wood factory, there is a very nice café / restaurant with garden tables overlooking the river.

Thanks. Got it:

https://goo.gl/maps/uGk5Aecb39U2

I'd planned on not climbing up into Dinan. Been there once and it seemed a very nice place, though I was just passing through four times on a 500km cloverleaf route, and my memories of it are largely a couple of hours' sleep in a car park on the third time through and doing something immediately regrettable with some very minty chamois cream on the second

Looks like you turn off the canal at Evran. If that’s where you’re going, at the bridge turn right and detour 100 m until you find the artisan boulangerie on the left.

This one?

https://goo.gl/maps/4Mvw4wE5bZ62

Noted, thanks.

[Chat Noir]

That's them (thought I was in the first one for a brief moment!).

Going back to the canal from the boulangerie it's very pleasant sitting near the boat in the grass eating your goodies, even more so if it's so hot you have to sit under the shade.

We went on down to Rennes this time, having come down from Cherbourg, and then swung further south-west before coming back to the coast and returned from St Malo. One option from St Malo is to plot a route to come back from Roscoff to Plymouth, giving you access to some really attractive voie vertes on the way.

Good luck.

[Bez]

Yeah, a route to Roscoff would take in a ton of great stuff. Problem is, it means most of a day travelling home from Plymouth, whereas St Malo to Caen can be done with two overnight ferries, which is kind of free travel and makes it easier to fit in around family and work. (Le Havre to Caen also works, but Le Havre is pretty unpleasant to ride in and out of; and Dieppe to Caen or Le Havre also works but I’m not sure I fancy the 4am landing time for this one.)

If they ever start a Portsmouth to Roscoff route I’ll be over it like a rash

[al_yrpal]

I have done the Cherbourg to Le Havre route. I cannot say that there was any spectacular scenery, it was all pretty flat. But,....there is oodles of interesting places to stop and appreciate on the way.

Barfleur....where William the Conquerer embarked

St Vaast last Vogue... A real fishing port and gourmet destination. One quarter of France's Oysters are produced here. You can take the whacky floating tractor and visit the island where there is a great museum dedicated to the sea battle with the English.

St Mere Eglise..the parachute still hangs from the church tower and nearby emplacements from Hitler's Atlantic Wall.

Utah beach..another museum and a French one too, how the population suffered in occupation

Carentan...lovely town with interesting stained glass in the church. A peaceful marina to eat lunch on the grass.

Omaha beach..the vast American Cemetery, all Americans are burried here. Not far to Bayeux whre there is one of many British cemeterys

Port en Basin...a charming small fishing port

Aromanches...the Mulberry harbour and the best invasion museum

Courseilles sur Mere...where Dr Gaulle landed.

Then things start going downhill. Pegasus Bridge on the canal

After that is pretty dreary but Deaville and Trouville are interesting for their 1920s character

Honfleur...the gem of the Normandy Coast. Stunning Huganot preserved port on tne mouth of the Seine.

Then gird up your loins for the awful and frightening cycle ride to the port of Le Havre across the bridge. Cycle on the footpath and be very careful afterwards.

Al

[Bez]

Thanks; I keep meaning to visit some of those at some point. But the lack of overnight service to Cherbourg counts it out for this trip.

The Atlantic Wall is a thought. I'm not far from the one they built in the UK for training prior to the landings. Might make an interesting circular route.

[al_yrpal]

Yeah, a route to Roscoff would take in a ton of great stuff. Problem is, it means most of a day travelling home from Plymouth, whereas St Malo to Caen can be done with two overnight ferries, which is kind of free travel and makes it easier to fit in around family and work. (Le Havre to Caen also works, but Le Havre is pretty unpleasant to ride in and out of; and Dieppe to Caen or Le Havre also works but I’m not sure I fancy the 4am landing time for this one.)

If they ever start a Portsmouth to Roscoff route I’ll be over it like a rash

Think trains and you have it. From the station in St Malo via Rennes out towards Roscoff and Brest, bike friendly trains. Easy peasy as far as you like ! Cycle back...

Al

[Bez]

Think trains and you have it. From the station in St Malo via Rennes out towards Roscoff and Brest, bike friendly trains. Easy peasy as far as you like ! Cycle back...

Problem is that the overnight ferry back from St Malo only sails on a Tuesday, which is no good for me. The only viable overnight sailings back to the UK are from Caen or Le Havre.

Anyway, on trips like these time is scarce and I'd prefer to spend as much of it as possible on a bike (or in a bar or restaurant) rather than sitting on a train or a ferry Hence getting overnight ferries: in terms of time, it's free travel.