Caen to Cherbourg over 4 days

[lozfuller]

Will be doing this trip in early May on mountain/hybrid bikes. Could anyone recommend a route to take - should be able to meander quite a bit given the relatively short distance, so doesn't have to be direct - planning to do about 35 to 40 miles a day. Any particular towns/villages worth visiting along the way? Better to hug the coast or go in land?

Any recommendations for reasonably priced Hotels/B&Bs along the way also would be very gratefully received!

Thanks, Loz

 

[Brandane]

You will be spoilt for choice, so maybe best not to have a set route. There is a great network of well surfaced minor roads all around that area, most of which you will have to yourself. The coast road is nice, but can be busy with traffic, although much of it has PROPER cycle lanes and paths running beside it - along beach promenades in places.

If you are taking the ferry to Ouistreham, there is a fantastic cycle path running alongside the river into Caen, passing the famous Pegasus Bridge.

If it was me, I would be zig-zagging between the beaches and some of the inland towns like Bayeux and Carentan, maybe even cutting west to Coutances and then up the west side of the Cotentin peninsula to Cherbourg.

Re hotels, it depends on your budget. I am quite happy to stay in the characterless but cheap and functional chain hotels. Formule 1, Etap (now Ibis budget I think), B&B Hotel, Campanile, etc. are all plentiful in the bigger towns.

All this talk of France is getting my wanderlust going again, tempted to go into Brittany Ferries site.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I did a similar-ish tour in Normandy last summer, and visit the area often. It's lovely for cycling.

I don't really have much to add. The minor roads are great for cycling. In small towns finding accommodation can be tricky, and while planning I had to change my mind several times because I simply couldn't find any hotels at or near some small towns on the web, so I would advise having your hotels booked in advance. (Maybe that's just me being cautious)

As to routes ... it's all good, so really it's up to you, and searching maps and planning your routes can be part of the fun (it was for me anyway). I don't think it possible to plan a bad route. It is not flat. While there may not be any huge hills (outside of Suisse Normande) the landscape is quite corrugated with river valleys, so there's a fair bit of general uppy-downyness inland.

In high season I expect the roads around the Normandy landing beaches may get a bit crowded with coaches and so on (just guessing, not from experience) but as you're going in May I don't think that will be an issue either. And hotels in that area will probably book up for anniversary events in early June.

We stayed in the Campanile in Cherbourg (nothin' fancy, but nice enough) and a Gite near Caumont l'Evénté (Etang Fleuri) which was really lovely. Normally Gites don't do single nights but we got lucky. I think they also do rooms. The rest of the time we were a bit off your likely route.

I envy you.

 

[lozfuller]

Many thanks for the tips! I'll research some places to stay!

 

[wintonbina]

Hi Loz,
I go over there most years on Charity rides so to add to the above make sure you go to Bayeux and the landing beaches then go through Montebourg (lovely market town with a great cake shop!) and follow the road around St Vaast, Barfleur and on to Cherbourg and there is a fantastic campsite at Anse du Brick (about 4miles out). Good luck, Tony.