2 weeks in Northwest France

[Regulator]

I have a map of the canals and canalised rivers of France (and surrounding bits).  It's amazing how far you can get following them in France - they're far more extensive and connected than in the UK.  I fully intend to try and cycle/walk them all (once I retire).

[sparklyfish]

Hello team,

Finally getting back to looking at our summer tour. Definitely the latest I've ever booked it! For ease of train travel in the UK, I'm wondering about:

Train Cambridge-Brighton. Cycle/train Newhaven. Ferry Newhaven-Dieppe. Train Dieppe-Rouen. Cycle along La Seine to Le Havre. Cycle La Velomaritime to Dunkirk. Ferry Dunkirk-Dover. Train Dover-St Pancras, King's Cross-Cambridge.

I think that the Dieppe-Rouen train is fine for our bikes (bahn.de certainly seem to think so). Bahn.de says it'd be a TER train. There are five of us, obviously we'd avoid rush hour etc. I've looked at all the train websites, seems okay, but we've never tried to take trains in France so I am a bit nervous! Can anyone confirm that we'll be okay to rock up with our bikes?

[Veloman]

Hello sparklyfish

There should be no problems and I'll be doing similar with a group I'm involved with:
https://www.sncf-voyageurs.com/en/travel-with-us/train-and-bike/bike-on-board/

[Veloman]

And you might find this of use:
https://www.freewheelingfrance.com/planning-a-trip/bikes-and-french-trains.html

[robgul]

Hello team,

Finally getting back to looking at our summer tour. Definitely the latest I've ever booked it! For ease of train travel in the UK, I'm wondering about:

Train Cambridge-Brighton. Cycle/train Newhaven. Ferry Newhaven-Dieppe. Train Dieppe-Rouen. Cycle along La Seine to Le Havre. Cycle La Velomaritime to Dunkirk. Ferry Dunkirk-Dover. Train Dover-St Pancras, King's Cross-Cambridge.

I think that the Dieppe-Rouen train is fine for our bikes (bahn.de certainly seem to think so). Bahn.de says it'd be a TER train. There are five of us, obviously we'd avoid rush hour etc. I've looked at all the train websites, seems okay, but we've never tried to take trains in France so I am a bit nervous! Can anyone confirm that we'll be okay to rock up with our bikes?

You'll enjoy the le Havre - Dunkirk ride.  We did it in 2017, although only as far as Calais and crossed through the tunnel on the Eurotunnel Bike Service.    This year we're going to Dover by train - cross to Calais - train to Paris then the Seine a Velo to Honfleur and then on to Caen for the ferry to Portsmouth and train via London home.

I've checked the bikes on TER trains question and have an email from them to say that it's fine - that's for 7 of us - to just get on the train (we have 2 trains - Calais-Amiens, Amiens- Paris)

When are you going ? - we'll be in Rouen overnight on 16 June.

[sparklyfish]

Thanks both, that was the exact reassurance I needed. 

This is July-August, got to get back in time for A-level results day this year...  We haven't yet toured in France (mainly done Netherlands and Belgium, with some bits of Germany and Luxembourg). Should be good!

[GdS]

Cycle along La Seine to Le Havre.

I did this a couple of months ago. There are a lot of meanders in the river and the cycle route crosses by ferry (Bac) between each bank (very good service and free) make sure they are all running and plan accordingly. Also they stop for Dejeuner which could mean anything in France!

As you get nearer Le Havre the riverside route disappears as they have built an industrial wasteland on both sides and you'll need to divert onto quiet roads.

Don't trust OSM! the suggested route up to the Hotel F1 in Gonfreville is not a cyclepath, it's barely a footpath

[robgul]

Cycle along La Seine to Le Havre.

I did this a couple of months ago. There are a lot of meanders in the river and the cycle route crosses by ferry (Bac) between each bank (very good service and free) make sure they are all running and plan accordingly. Also they stop for Dejeuner which could mean anything in France!

As you get nearer Le Havre the riverside route disappears as they have built an industrial wasteland on both sides and you'll need to divert onto quiet roads.

Don't trust OSM! the suggested route up to the Hotel F1 in Gonfreville is not a cyclepath, it's barely a footpath

Thanks - we're taking the southern bank route so no issues with le Havre.

[sparklyfish]

Eek, I was assuming taking the north bank was the thing to do for Rouen to Le Havre. Thanks for the tip off GdS! I was investigating doing it in two days so needing accommodation for that stretch...

[andrewc]

My trip here.  Watch out for slavering hounds!


https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=107512.0

[GdS]

Eek, I was assuming taking the north bank was the thing to do for Rouen to Le Havre. Thanks for the tip off GdS! I was investigating doing it in two days so needing accommodation for that stretch...

This was my intended route; I had to get to Gonfreville and should have taken the road earlier rather than the dirt track. It looks like it could be OK along the blue route (switch to OSM cycle) but it's all ablaze with oil refineries blowing off flames and very toxic

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45269625

The route from Le Havre via Etretat and Fecamp is much nicer and I've done it before, I just wanted to get to Dieppe asap on the last day. There's a very good proper ex railway cycle path a la Avenue Verte which I found by chance and diverted along; if you want to stay inland it's definitely worth it. Veloroute du Lin, certainly flatter than the coastal route but not as scenic.