Hi
Anybody used the Brittany ferries Caen cycle tour route(BF website)?.
Ouistreham
Honfleur
Pont Audemer
Beaumont le Roger
Rugles
Gace
Falaise
Mezidon Canon
Beuvron en Auge
198 miles.
First time bike camping for me and 14year old son.we've got mountain bikes tent and camping gear.both of us fit,but unsure of logistics/timeframes in bike/camping.
Is this realistic to do in four days?
If not any advice/ideas on circular route from the port,cheap campsites/wild camping.
Using Brittany ferries.Arriving in ouistreham Sunday 2nd August approx 07.00 departing ouistreham 08.00 Thursday 6th August.
Caen Normandy cycle tour route?
Re: Caen Normandy cycle tour route?
Its not a nice ride to Honfleur, but Honfleur itself is nice. Pont de Normandie is horrid. If it were me I would go to Pegasus Bridge then Courseilles, Aromanches, Bayeux to see the tapestry then back to the coast to see the invasion beaches museums and cemeterys, Carentan, up past Utah, St Mere Eglise, St Vaast for a gourmet seafood fest and back via Cherbourg. But.. You may not want to see all that. Havent done their route.
Al
Al
Reuse, recycle, thus do your bit to save the planet.... Get stuff at auctions, Dump, Charity Shops, Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, Car Boots. Choose an Old House, and a Banger ..... And cycle as often as you can......
Re: Caen Normandy cycle tour route?
Hi Terry Macca
I used the BF Caen cycle route as the basis/inspiration for my tour last September but modified as follows:
Ouistreham (n), Pegasus Bridge, Beuvron en Auge, Trouville(n), Honfleur, Pont Audemer(n), Conches en Ouche(n), Rugles, St Evroult Notre Dame du Bois(n), Vimoutiers, Livarot, Le Mesnil-Durand(n), Ouistreham(n). Overnight stays denoted (n).
Unfortunately I can't give advice on campsites as I use B&Bs, wherever possible finding interesting Chambres d'Hôte (to practice my French) or small provincial hotels. Also, as you may guess from my username, I take a more leisurly approach - 7 nights - with plenty of sightseeing and pottering around - total mileage 230.
I used the late ferry to Ouistreham and so spent the first night there and similarly the last night, taking the early morning ferry back to Pompey. I took the coast road between Trouville and Honfleur (rather than BF's inland route) which I found a bit of an undulating slog (and not many views of the sea). From Honfleur (which I knew from my sailing days - very picturesque and touristy) I took the riverside cycle path along the Seine which runs under the Pont de Normandie. A very dramatic bridge which I would hardly call horrid (maybe this refered to cycling over it?) although the actual cycle path to Berville-sur-Mer I found a bit rough for my tourer bike. I enjoyed the cycle route which broadly follows the River Risle on quiet country roads and was well sign posted. The rest of the route was mainly improvised to fit in with my B&Bs and mainly through quiet rural back lanes where possible. I also followed an off-road cycle path from Vimoutiers to Livarot which was not paved (rather grassy I seem to recall) but OK for my bike.
I'm sure you and your son are younger and fitter than me but I feel that attempting this for a first tour, especially camping and with mountain bikes, is very ambitious.
Previously I have also done Ouistreham, Pegasus, Arromanches, Bayeux, Carentan, St Mere Eglise, St Vaast and Cherbourg and I agree with al-yrpal that this would make an interesting trip if your can alter your return ferry booking.
I've also done a modified version of BF's St Malo round trip which you may wish to consider next time!!
I used the BF Caen cycle route as the basis/inspiration for my tour last September but modified as follows:
Ouistreham (n), Pegasus Bridge, Beuvron en Auge, Trouville(n), Honfleur, Pont Audemer(n), Conches en Ouche(n), Rugles, St Evroult Notre Dame du Bois(n), Vimoutiers, Livarot, Le Mesnil-Durand(n), Ouistreham(n). Overnight stays denoted (n).
Unfortunately I can't give advice on campsites as I use B&Bs, wherever possible finding interesting Chambres d'Hôte (to practice my French) or small provincial hotels. Also, as you may guess from my username, I take a more leisurly approach - 7 nights - with plenty of sightseeing and pottering around - total mileage 230.
I used the late ferry to Ouistreham and so spent the first night there and similarly the last night, taking the early morning ferry back to Pompey. I took the coast road between Trouville and Honfleur (rather than BF's inland route) which I found a bit of an undulating slog (and not many views of the sea). From Honfleur (which I knew from my sailing days - very picturesque and touristy) I took the riverside cycle path along the Seine which runs under the Pont de Normandie. A very dramatic bridge which I would hardly call horrid (maybe this refered to cycling over it?) although the actual cycle path to Berville-sur-Mer I found a bit rough for my tourer bike. I enjoyed the cycle route which broadly follows the River Risle on quiet country roads and was well sign posted. The rest of the route was mainly improvised to fit in with my B&Bs and mainly through quiet rural back lanes where possible. I also followed an off-road cycle path from Vimoutiers to Livarot which was not paved (rather grassy I seem to recall) but OK for my bike.
I'm sure you and your son are younger and fitter than me but I feel that attempting this for a first tour, especially camping and with mountain bikes, is very ambitious.
Previously I have also done Ouistreham, Pegasus, Arromanches, Bayeux, Carentan, St Mere Eglise, St Vaast and Cherbourg and I agree with al-yrpal that this would make an interesting trip if your can alter your return ferry booking.
I've also done a modified version of BF's St Malo round trip which you may wish to consider next time!!
Re: Caen Normandy cycle tour route?
Yes, its just the cycle track on the bridge which is horrid. We cycled on the bridge footpath which is also horrid, badly maintained but safer, and the route into Le Havre heavily populated by Poids Lourds on narrow roads to the port.
Al
Al
Reuse, recycle, thus do your bit to save the planet.... Get stuff at auctions, Dump, Charity Shops, Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, Car Boots. Choose an Old House, and a Banger ..... And cycle as often as you can......
Re: Caen Normandy cycle tour route?
We did
Caen to Arromanches
Arromanchez to Carentan
Carentan to Bayeux
Bayeux to Caen
Caen to Arromanches
Arromanchez to Carentan
Carentan to Bayeux
Bayeux to Caen
My worse day on my bike is better than my best day at work!