Pont de Normandie experience

[ericonabike]

Just back from a tour from St Malo to Calais. I decided to add the Pont de Normandie to my list of bridges cycled across as I knew it had a cycle path on it. It did, but...

Imagine going over a reasonable [3%?] hill alongside a motorway on a metre wide cycle track. There were signs asking traffic to slow, as cyclists present, but they were coming past at 70 mph anyway! After a few hundred yards of this I moved across on to the 'pavement' which was separated from the cycle track by a kerb. This was even narrower though, and towing a trailer made me distinctly nervous. I was on the brakes during the whole descent, which I would never do normally. Overall it is not an experience I would care to repeat! I didn't see another cyclist or pedestrian on the bridge the whole time either. Hope this helps anyone contemplating doing the same thing.

[bikepacker]

Did you have a crosswind? When I did it a westerly wind was blowing me towards the traffic. As you say not an experience to be repeated.

I would like to cycle over the Millau viaduct (aka. bridge in the sky) as it's a motorway no cycling is allowed. Been under it a few times.

[nirakaro]

Funny that, I thought it was a delightful experience, though I think I walked most of the way to admire the view. Horses for courses!

[andrew_s]

The (free) ferries are much to be preferred, unless you are going to/from Le Havre, where the extra distance to a ferry may be of significance.
The most downstream ferry is at Quillebeuf, about 5km upstrean of the Pont de Tancarville.

[stewartpratt]

The most downstream ferry is at Quillebeuf, about 5km upstrean of the Pont de Tancarville.

Oh - thanks for the tip. When we crossed at le Havre we took the Pont de Tancarville. It was a surprisingly stiff climb on a loaded tandem, as I recall. Future routes to be planned via Quillebeuf, methinks.

[groberts]

I couldn't agree with the OP more - see my comments at the end of Day-8 in this write-up; if Pont de Normandie is bad then the subsequent ride west through the container docks to the UK ferry is awful.

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=38629

The problem is if, as I did, you come through the beautiful town of Honfleur from or too the UK ferry port, is there really a viable alternative, without a significant upstream detour? Pity, as my overall experience of cycling in France is wonderful.

[albal1]

For your information. The point de Normandie currently has the inside lane coned off for works, tho I never saw anyone working! North and South bound.

Makes the experience far more enjoyable.

[simonineaston]

A few trips ago, I went with a chum to Brittany via Le Havre for a change. I took an old map and when we stopped for a coffee at the first roadside caff we spotted, the patron helpfully drew the position of the new bridge we didn't know about... just as well, otherwise we'd have hurtled past it and headed for what we thought was the first crossing over the Seine - the A131 at Tancarville

old French map

[ericonabike]

Good to see this thread still proving useful, ten years on!

[simonineaston]

My map purchases used to go in 10 year cycles...