St Malo to Le Havre with 4 nice towns for overnight stops

lozfuller

Been doing a bit of research for the best route between these ports for a cycling holiday we're doing in May on mountain/hybrid bikes. Would like to stop at some nice towns along the way for each overnight stop with a reasonable choice of bars/restaurants and preferably somewhere nice to stop between them for lunch!

I've come across the following options (using google maps) and would be really grateful for any views as to which one to opt for!

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/St-Malo,+France/Avranches,+France/Domfront,+France/Falaise,+France/Deauville,+France/Le+Havre,+France/@49.0314643,-1.4354332,9z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m38!4m37!1m5!1m1!1s0x480e81102126bf5d:0xf8e97dadb22be12d!2m2!1d-2.025674!2d48.649337!1m5!1m1!1s0x480955150dfa9001:0x40c14484fb98470!2m2!1d-1.36166!2d48.686843!1m5!1m1!1s0x480982ff243cb12d:0x46ea3f40815737e0!2m2!1d-0.650433!2d48.594289!1m5!1m1!1s0x480a1015358f5a1b:0x40c14484fbcef20!2m2!1d-0.201956!2d48.893548!1m5!1m1!1s0x47e1d4bac4578671:0x40c14484fbcf150!2m2!1d0.075122!2d49.353976!1m5!1m1!1s0x47e02f2395218b7d:0x5bc1867aaf33af12!2m2!1d0.107929!2d49.49437!3e1

OR

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/St-Malo,+France/Saint-Hilaire-du-Harcou%C3%ABt,+France/Bagnoles-de-l'Orne,+France/Falaise,+France/Deauville,+France/Le+Havre,+France/@49.0253052,-1.4354332,9z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m38!4m37!1m5!1m1!1s0x480e81102126bf5d:0xf8e97dadb22be12d!2m2!1d-2.025674!2d48.649337!1m5!1m1!1s0x48095cc229592cd7:0x40c14484fb969c0!2m2!1d-1.092034!2d48.577086!1m5!1m1!1s0x48099206e63dbe29:0x40c14484fb806d0!2m2!1d-0.415091!2d48.558399!1m5!1m1!1s0x480a1015358f5a1b:0x40c14484fbcef20!2m2!1d-0.201956!2d48.893548!1m5!1m1!1s0x47e1d4bac4578671:0x40c14484fbcf150!2m2!1d0.075122!2d49.353976!1m5!1m1!1s0x47e02f2395218b7d:0x5bc1867aaf33af12!2m2!1d0.107929!2d49.49437!3e1

OR
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/St-Malo,+France/50300+Avranches,+France/Coutances,+France/Bayeux,+France/Deauville,+France/Le+Havre,+France/@49.0444903,-1.4354332,9z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m38!4m37!1m5!1m1!1s0x480e81102126bf5d:0xf8e97dadb22be12d!2m2!1d-2.025674!2d48.649337!1m5!1m1!1s0x480955150dfa9001:0x40c14484fb98470!2m2!1d-1.36166!2d48.686843!1m5!1m1!1s0x480c74e103ff4111:0x40c14484fb97d80!2m2!1d-1.4452609!2d49.047808!1m5!1m1!1s0x480bacaab8e20a89:0xd64bc55fc9c3f294!2m2!1d-0.70314!2d49.276437!1m5!1m1!1s0x47e1d4bac4578671:0x40c14484fbcf150!2m2!1d0.075122!2d49.353976!1m5!1m1!1s0x47e02f2395218b7d:0x5bc1867aaf33af12!2m2!1d0.107929!2d49.49437!3e1

OR any alternatives I should consider?!!

Many thanks

disquieting_museeuws

The Hotellerie La Joie Saint Benoit in Bayeux is worth considering if you like alternative places. Can be found on Tripadvisor.

renard

In St Aubin sur Mer is an absolutely fantastic restaurant called Le Clos Normand. We had one of the best meals ever there about 10 years ago. They also do accommodation though we didn't stay there. I would love to back some time.

lozfuller

Sorry to resurrect this post, but could anyone confirm to me if you can cycle along the A29 between Honfleur and Le Havre (i.e. over the bridge) as per the following Google route?

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Honfl ... .49437!3e1

If not, then what is shown as a 24.3 km route on the above will turn into a 61.5 km route as far as I can see, as shown below:

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Honfl ... .49437!3e1

Many thanks - this could make all the difference between choosing Ouistreham instead of Le Havre for the return ferry!

marcusjb

No guarantees, but Streetview shows a bike lane (pretty slim one):

https://goo.gl/maps/wYzzTyYKbNQ2

The thing with big bridges is they are bloody steep! I've not done that one, but I remember crawling up one side of a bridge at St Nazaire to then scream down the other side at nearly 80kph!

renard

Last time I drove over the bridge (2009) you could cycle or walk over it. The path is an bit like a hard shoulder with not much of a barrier on the traffic side.