NORMANDIE

 

15th of July

We start at 10:00 o‘clock leaving towards Paris. The Parisian Ring is very busy, and we take wrong turns several times and get through heavy traffic. In the end we follow “Rouen” and are launched on the right motorway. After 8 hours we arrive in Carentan, Hotel Kyriade. We eat our picnic-dinner at the hotel and try to get organised for the coming days. We realise that “last minute” bookings are out: hotels are busy and full, so we make sure to reserve rooms minimum 2 days ahead.

CARENTAN

 

16th of July

Early start since the first days are always a bit hard to get going. But we find cycling tracks right out of Carentan, all on gravel. The path is covered by greenery and reminds us of the French “voies vertes” (old railway tracks). This is leisure cycling and we get our first impression of the Normandie: massive stone churches with square spires, roman style, solid stone houses, clean and pretty with coloured shutters. Flowers in abundance, Hortensia in all shape and colours, Agapanthus, Roses, you name it. We come to Cherbourg, B+B Hotel. The accommodation is 5 km out of the centre, so we walk a long way downhill to get into Cherbourg. There is the fishermen’s harbour and a few buildings (nice theatre) plus a little shopping street, surprisingly few things to see. We eat a pizza, stroll around and take a bus back to the hotel. 83km

 

17th of July

Leaving Cherbourg is quite easy, not bad since cycling in towns is always a bit stressful…. Right from the start we get a strong headwind and the track leads us up and down, rollercoaster style. Rather tiring as well as the wind. But the landscape is a rewarding for the hardship, the flowers we see remind us of Madeira and the Canary Islands, so definitely a milder climate here. The grey stone houses nicely restored and “Nordish/British” like, little brooks surrounded by Hortensia in full bloom, field flowers, all in all a pleasure for the eye.

 Shortly before Saint Vaast la Hougue the police are stopping the cars: no entry into the town due to “la fête de la mer” festivities. Bicycles are permitted so we pass and get stunned: streets, houses, squares and all the boats are decorated with brightly coloured flower garlands! It is a gorgeous sight, streets are crammed with visitors, there is food and drinks and music. We are so lucky to be at the right place at the right time and take many many pictures.

Saint Vaast

 

Leaving Saint Vaast we hit a direct coastal track, on gravel and sand. It is actually a “GR", so we need to push the bikes for the little distances impossible to cross with a bike. But the landscape is worth the while, those marshlands are busy with birds and the sea breeze is very nice.

 

Utha beach

 

Leaving the GR we head on towards Utah Beach, one of the landing places in WWII (6th of June 1944). There is a huge museum and many statues. We all know these “debarquement” boats from films, where the young lads land at the beach and immediately risk their life in the battle. 

WWII is still in people’s mind here, totally present: on every street lamp or signpost is a flag with a young soldier’s portrait. It is hard to see their young faces knowing well that so many of them get slaughtered in the battle. 

We cycle on and get through lovely landscapes: very green, there is always a little river, fertile pastures for the cattle, a lot of semi-marshlands; all on gravel tracks but a great sightseeing. 

We get back to Carentan, find the Domaine St Hilaire and recuperate the car. The friendly landlady gives us her permission to leave the car in her yard while we do another 4/5 days loop. 87km

Domfront

18th of July

Breakfast is rather late at our Domaine, we make sure to arrange luggage and bikes before food and leave straight after breakfast. Today’s “étappe” is called “les collines de Normandie” and we wonder what we are going to get. There are some hilly passages indeed and after that a gravel track along the river. In Saint-Lô we get drinks and snacks and see a nice cathedral. We suffer a bit from the heat, get more drinks and water on the way. We decide to do a short cutting, it is really hot.

Finally, Vire, Hotel Campanile. We clean the dusty bikes, get dinner and call around to get the next day’s reservation. Busy times again. 85 km

19th of July

Early start, a bit hard to get out of Vire. But luckily, we hit a “voie verte” quite soon, and we decide to continue here although it is the longer way. The trees and greenery cool off the heat, those old railway tracks are a blessing. (“Véloscénie”) On top of that there is a strong wind, everything cools down noticeably, so glad to escape the blazing sun.

We ride until Domfront, Hotel Relais. 72 km. We get a hose to clean the bikes (very helpful) and clean bags and rest as well. The track has been extremely dusty, I personally feel like “panée” (breaded): suncream, sweat and dust have left a very unpleasant layer of dirt on body, clothes and bags.

Domfront’s medieval centre is very nice: the castle’s ruins, church and many half-timbered houses make it into a lovely stroll through the town.

Dinner at the hotel’s garden, and a deserved rest.

20th of July

 7.00 o’clock: heavy rain! And a drastic temperature drop!

We know everybody was waiting for the rain but the prospects of a full cycling day in heavy rain are not so nice.

We bravely start cycling on a wet sandy gravel. Pedalling is not easy, you get the feeling of being stuck in the wet sand. We are still on the voie verte and as the cherry on the pie get some more dripping from the trees. Eventually a real shower comes down so it boils down to getting the rain gear on and off all the time…. We get through Fers, big church, Nordish style and a nice market. Leaving the town, the rain starts to come down in buckets and soaks us through. In Pont D’Ouilly we get to a bar for some drinks and snacks. Wise decision since a short time later a heavy thunderstorm brings torrents of water, to the point that some houses are flooded in minutes….We are happy to have been so lucky to escape this!

When things calm down again, we cycle on. Signposts say “Département du Calvados », I had no idea that this drink comes from the Normandie…

Then we see signs with “Suisse Normande”. Well after a time we know why it is called “Suisse” and not “The Netherlands” instead! The landscape is very hilly, reminds us of the “Voges”, too. Rivers are busy with kayaks and little boats, a lot of other bikers on a nice, smooth tarmac instead of the wet and clotted gravel. The whole area is very touristic and richer.

We get to Thury-Harcourt, chambres d’hôtes “La Pause”.

Dinner at a nice pizzeria and our first Calvados!

Caen

21st of July

Today’s plan is a short cycling day and a visit of Caen and Ouistreham and maybe a museum. We enjoy our breakfast and a longer chat with our friendly landlords. Get going and right out of Thury we find a perfect cycling track: smooth tarmac with a light but constant descent. Simply pleasant! When we arrive in Caen we cycle around to discover the city: churches, a very impressive abbey (L’abbaye des hommes), a castle ruin and its stronghold. We walk around, leave the bikes and get up to the “ramparts” to take some pictures. To round the visit off we treat ourselves to a delicious piece of cake and cycle on.

Arriving in Ouistreham we get our room, put the bikes into the facilities (a proper bike shelter) and get into Ouistreham. See the harbour, its light house, ferry harbour and look at the boats. We visit “The big Bunker” museum, a giant bunker that shows how life was in one of these awful buildings, it is well illustrated and documented.

After that we chose a nice restaurant in the tourist alley and walk back to our B+B Hotel, 52 km.

 22nd of July

Early on the bikes, we try to escape the rain they announce for the late afternoon. Again voting for a smaller distance today…

The sky is covered and grey but gives a very special light. It is early, smells of sea, salt and fish. The track leads us along the seashore, heading towards the port. Here the fishmongers sell the catch of the day on small stalls, a rather smelly business. The typical roundabouts you get at the seaside stand still, food stalls are still closed. Not many people in the streets except for a few joggers. The sky hangs low, not much difference between the sky and the line of the horizon. A very idyllic and atmospheric morning.

We cycle for a long time on the “vélo maritime” track, passing small beaches, admiring the beautiful houses that line up at the seafront. Some of them remind me so much of English houses, almost like cottages, others are splendid mansions (“maisons de maître”) and half-timbered little jewels. A pity not all of them are restored, some look a bit shabby. 

We tick off the different debarquement beaches : Juno beach , with a big Canadian museum, Gold beach, Arromanches,  an artificially built port for the landing (now you can see the leftovers )  

 

 

So many monuments and reminders. The cycling is easy and a lot to look at. Soon we hear the rolling thunder and know the storm is close at hand.

 

Arromanches

 

We speed up to get to the hotel, Port-en-Bessin , Ibis. 58 km. We are dry and safe at the hotel when the rain starts to fall.

Ibis hotel is right in the heart of the port, with all the fishing boats moored close by. It is a popular place for tourists, we enjoy a little stroll. Great dinner at “Les pieds dans l’eau”,galettes, crèpes  caramel/beurre salé and fantastic ice cream.

Things to buy in the Normandie:

Sablés, confiture de lait, tergoule (rice cooked in milk and cinnamon), calvados, confit de pommes, caramels au beurre salé, jumpers from Saint James, to name some.

 

Port en Bessin

 

 23rd of July

 

Start after a long and delicious breakfast. Today’s distance is modest again, so no need to hurry. The sky is covered, grey and threatening at places but no rain yet. We find our track, it leads up the hills, rather steep hills, to the big American Military Cemetery (Bayeux). We pass Colleville with the big Omaha Overlord Museum. We would love to visit it but cannot leave the fully packed bikes outside. A pity. We cycle on, up and down on a sandy track along the coast and get to Omaha beach and its memorials. Right after that we get to a stony little beach where I find some beautiful shells, I just have to get some, can’t resist…

 

Back in Carentan at the Domaine St  Hilaire where our  car waits, we    clean the bikes, have a rest, shop some goodies and calvados and have dinner at the port. 62 km.

 

 24th of July

 

Pack the bikes on the car and drive to Honfleur. Leaving the car in front of the B+B hotel we start on our last loop.

The little port of Honfleur is very atmospheric and photogenic, we spend a moment there. Cycling on we pass Trouville, Deauville, posh place for the rich: Parisians come here for the summer horse races. Very expensive hotels and restaurants. We cycle around the racecourse, it is nice to get away from the traffic. The houses vary, from small to big, half-timbered again and rather nice. Bigger houses with brightly painted roofs, many little balconies and side rooms. Mansions and of course castles. All very nice and picturesque. And a bit British!

We go on, find a voie verte again, it is a sunny day! At Pont-l’éveque we get a drink and continue. All very pleasant although it is a bit hilly at times.

We finish the loop and the holidays at B+B hotel in Honfleur. 72 km.

Dinner at the “Wok” and packing up for tomorrow’s long drive home. 

Honfleur

 

Deauville

 

Pont de Normandie