Normandy Beaches

greasedscotsman
greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
edited June 2014 in Road general
Was thinking of heading to Normandy after checking out a few stages of the TdF. Would like to see some of the beaches, Mulberry harbours, Pegasus Bridge, that sort of thing, but is the area good for biking as well?

Any advice/top tips greatly appreciated.

Comments

  • owenlars
    owenlars Posts: 719
    It is brilliant for cycling, stay off the main roads and there are hundreds of miles of unpopulated minor roads. The area around Clecy is known as the Suisse Normande for reasons that will become obvious if you cycle there. The rest of it is beautiful, green and very rolling. Think South Devon with fewer people. The sites range from the beaches in the North to historic sites like Bayeux (of tapestry fame) to Mont St Michel in the South West.
    Oh and they treat people on bikes with courtesy.
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,388
    Yep, been there too. There's a michelin Cycling France guide with a Normandy section in for a few ideas. But to be honest you won't need it.

    Just an FYI - Cherbourg Penninsula is dire, if you get the boat over there then smash that out as quick as poss.
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • il sole
    il sole Posts: 56
    ddraver wrote:
    Yep, been there too. There's a michelin Cycling France guide with a Normandy section in for a few ideas. But to be honest you won't need it.

    Just an FYI - Cherbourg Penninsula is dire, if you get the boat over there then smash that out as quick as poss.

    That's a bit unfair to the Contentin, as the Cherbourg Peninsular is called in France. The western side is beautiful with loads of tiny harbours and coves - much like the cornish coast. Plus when you get down the bottom near Granville, the views to the Mont St Michel are a.m.a.z.i.n.g!

    I cycle regularly in Normandy as my parents live in the Orne (the department below Calvados, where the UK/Canadian forces landed) Even the main N roads are cycle friendly with almost all drivers being courteous, but as othe people have said, the quiet rural roads are really quiet. If you stay close to the coast, you'll mostly be on the top of a long plain which stretches from Caen west. Come 20 miles inland toward the suisse normande and it gets nice and lumpy! My usual 50 mile route around the town of Flers (about 50 miles south of Caen) where my parents live has over 4000ft of climbing...

    Whilst you're over there, check out Caen if you've never been, it's fab. William the conker's castle in Falaise is well worth a trip too, then obviously the beaches, Arromanches, the 'memorial' in Caen, pegasus bridge and definitely the US cemetry in Coleville sur mer are all fantastic places to visit.

    have fun!!
    Wilier Zero.7 Chorus
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,388
    I went up the east side I admit

    Agree with the other places to visit though and add Bayeux (I could get into most places in the evening after riding and setting up camp etc). I think the difference between the British Cemetery in Bayeux and the Saving Private Ryan one at Omaha Beach is quite interesting.
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • il sole
    il sole Posts: 56
    ddraver wrote:
    I went up the east side I admit

    Agree with the other places to visit though and add Bayeux (I could get into most places in the evening after riding and setting up camp etc). I think the difference between the British Cemetery in Bayeux and the Saving Private Ryan one at Omaha Beach is quite interesting.

    I agree, however I think it's the scale of the US one which gets me. Of course they lost a lot more men on D day than the UK did...Omaha was much better defended than sword and juno...
    Wilier Zero.7 Chorus
  • jimmythecuckoo
    jimmythecuckoo Posts: 4,712
    Just got back from a little town near Caen. There were cyclists everywhere in organised parties.

    Lovely tree lined avenues and really decent looking cycle ways for heavily traffic populated carriageways.

    You will be in heaven.
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    My blog and pod...
    Beers of Belgium Cycling Club UK
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,388
    il sole wrote:
    ddraver wrote:
    I went up the east side I admit

    Agree with the other places to visit though and add Bayeux (I could get into most places in the evening after riding and setting up camp etc). I think the difference between the British Cemetery in Bayeux and the Saving Private Ryan one at Omaha Beach is quite interesting.

    I agree, however I think it's the scale of the US one which gets me. Of course they lost a lot more men on D day than the UK did...Omaha was much better defended than sword and juno...

    Agreed - You can't believe how anyone could have got anywhere off of it...

    In that vein i recommend taking and reading one of the history books on the subject and reading it the appropriate bits the night before you go to the relevant places.
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • WindyG
    WindyG Posts: 1,099
    Point du Hoc is worth a visit as it's one of the only places left untouched after the war with loads of bomb craters are bombed gun positions, gives you an idea of what it was like from the German point of view.
    Utah beach has a really good museum.
    Omaha Beach is nice seafront you can ride along too.
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  • rodgers73
    rodgers73 Posts: 2,626
    Buy this guide -

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Definitive-Batt ... ches+guide

    I used this when I went to the beaches in 2008 for a week to see all of the sights connected to the invasion. Really really good guidebook and full of great historical as well as practical information. Not too bulky a book either so very easy to take with you in a pannier or whatever.
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    Excellent, thanks for all the replies. Got too much to do now!

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