Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => Rides and Touring => Ride Reports => Topic started by: LEE on 06 June, 2017, 05:31:10 pm
-
A long weekend in Brittany and Normandy has become a twice-annual occurrence of late (and I'm not complaining).
Rather than doing it as a full camping trip I've started doing it as a 3 day, <200 mile, "credit card" tour using budget hotels. That way it's easier to attract members of my cycling club (Whitchurch Social Cycling).
Once again we had a perfect, and I do mean perfect, 3 days. Summary:
- 10 people (some couples) arrive at Portsmouth Ferry Terminal at 6pm on Thursday evening (specifically the Ship & Anchor).
- Beers and food
- 8:15pm..set sail...head to the bar.
- Bar closes....head to cabins
- 7:00am breakfast on-board then disembark at 7:45am Friday
- Coffees in St Malo and then a look around on the ramparts (St malo is one of my favourite towns).
- Head along the coast to lunch at Mont St Michel (which never stops looking stunning and amazing). Despite rumours to the contrary you can cycle right to it along a new boardwalk. There were plenty of officials about and nobody minded.
- From Mont St Michel we headed, via another village cafe, to our Hotel (Hotel Patton) at Avranches.
- We found a beautiful restaurant, on it's opening day, by a fountain, in front of a lovely church. Truly a great location.
- Beer, Wine, Cidre, food...hotel.
- Hotel Breakfast on Saturday before heading back to the coast road via more deserted roads.
- 2nd coffees at Jouloville before heading to Granville Harbour for a delicious Seafood menu.
- Overcoming the urge to snooze our lunch off we headed along the coast to Coutance, a town whose medieval defences seem to comprise of a road so steep that any potential invaders would get knackered before reaching the town centre.
- You guessed it...hotel..restaurant.....drinks...hotel
- Brekky in Coutance hotel then back to the coast. We had to use fairly big roads to make time but they were so quiet on a Sunday morning, and the tarmac sooooo smooth and flat, that it was no hardship.
- We got to Portbail for coffee and cakes and then Carteret harbour for a sandwich and cidre snack/lunch shortly after.
- From there we headed inland to Cherbourg and some loong climbs. It all gets very much like England's South Downs as you approach Cherbourg. A change from some of the pan-flat roads we'd got used to but, quite tough all the same.
- We hit Cherbourg around 5pm on Sunday and ordered drinks until they started serving food at 6pm.
- Cherbourg is a bit of a dump but we found a nice restaurant on the harbour and the food was great. I finally had my Moules Frites & Cidre.
- At 7pm we head over to the Ferry, boarded at 8pm and were back in good old Blighty at 10:30pm. Back home at 11:30pm.....for a few more cold ones.
Highly recommended.
Spit Bank Fort - Portsmouth Harbour
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ychn5xMvmZHggMJHA5EBJhLSDseyDe7SxPMNKycdAqYrcD_x4ofBBPGUeCN1T7MFuf_xd6tLzNStDXga9pywxec0gEw70UZm2c_BffV3GLtBxDth0vacOOcO-M9ThGi2g_Xoc5Fecja-w_0DUqVTvkJHugOd29A5KSfjpx-I5OqNbZvw54LQQiKBXps6e5I6AEnfX_B3_I9XIGuT5Y32G9EjK4I3nTRaTddE59W7NW8yo26k5114z0FUEyJGkXSndK3luwTBkow3ONQYvvFJZNCLnKvYFb5e-EQTWwAAXxpGVhL3lcJpvMuLFppCARWy6bkTzeeOjHgqQ4dSqIDnV_YcE85zKRFGHkg266m7xMXRR_eCuBna2PGtwfRoMfJrTppP2LJcgNYum-mL-LHOHd-d_AsDhllYAX94thgVdhP84AtpbwavpzeeTUHLfnI0RXjnd8al5L282N_IefUrnF6wfljWbRtX7NWOytkiIdoPMeLIkOeAxCGC2dPuclEEgtjQcOm5ztMay1q4JzDSI-DEdOsOVKHUmWytfIM9clZ3FYToqCR2G57UK8oaVIUG6zJ5rlpYqcPDTgDFgzg680GnLLiP_GfwhQssNMWj5ZDFcVrEzS4pfG1bYGvS4mrXbdv7_ssoaejw8Js78RJ4NJO07IrJFEnuegzLY7agxQ=w1689-h950-no)
The Motley Crew at St Malo
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Exe01Tr_pwGJxkPsDSiuQkeJ1fhzVKtR_1-uPaHe9HDGYYWqaGXoTGpUR8OgGoZgNZE64htHSLrG982JFYfM-KM9Ziy8Xg2CNJbAiljU3dKEVrmkKtZpvDB1G_QHSY27CCtKclUMZD0fxonb3lUaWUoqUa95MdY_zpI__KBxKNxPi16d2Fd1OH5WfiQI7r8zuGnp9F_LZUgMZGE-qXPUKI7DKQ05QmVCR4jGOWSlYuttK0XFg6d58cnO0XcD6mOczdn-BpoiwtujvhJ1hejubNpMEJ3mvowcyL8fWBVvDLI-ecvmlds_uC7OOB9XKwdSomHPKkK-dpRQgk5Q-RciTUfgD2m_2GMhlA9kF2-ew4ca-9Le3jxEbz1ny4LQ3ELamAeOO1QG727wM1NDig-rRpQrXaMe7-cXBQIdtGfzpeKE2q4CbjEX0q4OjL8g6qdl3zOCuHoFYLMJUI3C2wfPwYAEYfaIVb64nNg7gyI4aAbAvhDa1_lEcZHprSLykHHI0ZhaBHOWOT_v7NcT0jAu0TwpuPQx-E7HitTE1GPp9Zm0VPK7n2DzA8sHYtY75yKeyxae9VMhTayrgyp5lA4g495uGfQcv0gmRnK_Uvmxv_PGoaXYDte29mM3cKxrBghz7HocWBLtI8VBYhppytsAcefSB6632iOmldZrtic_IA=w1690-h950-no)
A coastal cycle path leading to.....
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/UPQ1klmBBM4tcQnISbK3_D10iO2P92vO-gNquLLZZ-Cp3dbUw05JRZVg0XieYtelWDLlpBNc0_CszQG5dQmd0DZ3-rv8-KJyeAs1m4m_2Pw1Bw9j9kYoAUj-86iKEINKznZ_7TeTh5a6wQEdi0XJevKOBAI23j9-P_8Q3oucKzQQLXCcofnUiNlYvwyL31A_aZdjx-gMqM8_IrtVhKLwe4vOrQS2oursjC2FNFiELqcdIogtXZCpq3-0rvqeqgw7-sQQvvGc3Q1PKYO0WvbLS4MUop66YUJflCbgHJuFmK-kFvMR2nQs0xlJYPjPOet5qmb5h3cxwRGcx3wvRheHxrLrIF-EHCv3Kgj2ePMwJ3dBAdHs2-NWz3QoBebH0Qca4weZTPX74sWa4gOnX96OZvnayXpS5CufZada4s9ODLWrVVvkCmBUjKG-b2U4BvWN7nkqawiMtAyVUTf4DhC3v3jd5fHS6u71hSZ7oCjCq5VBWbgYjv0-iuc6tBagorjIiqyFgnzyDCZa_mfFRnpOwKDOI7OVzI-CyAgM8LT2Cv0v7iKQEgFt2pCvdgAi2l4eEK7kv1aST_zfAypj9PrrqWo7zwJZQ-J9Lqr93yKk4zLZH2a8pYz6bcDmvi_LMEExn27J3fRvTVp2Tu01pp4EcUgbdJfv5GYxjUSoWKfaKw=w1689-h950-no)
Mont St Michel
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Z3Lo4wZQif6eLlK4o2JpkaI0RxDeBRGMMuOcV4vUXtjAE8lepIysTcO1o452Tv7W9hdy3X9RYqg8kMZ9PxB6JuhP8eqhmjkrSyU_qoSFwq5HD10rJTjDlZqdSsDM16oPCpM8R8FtUUKtZ3u1qBcREzMhmENhzrnVct7YJURAsJ0Geflh2N7i7lUnWo2xUdRH7BkOMFiMGa3Ot8a6VXJjt3B6Bci2RI8lj9u4daTXVXfEyVGl61pwXmcXW9k6rV4t5P6irXfszBWNSM2UH7PG1oIxYbBnt4ffQcdV7nRaVFOvxYagwj0gZYrquOLXYmMOj-2M0X_EUfG7il8BPl95XYEGiICi7KKHo7MjWPFZVPmVT9OGCpINbBbRSorOiDZDyIQQ5CN4F4kL_dBV6rHPKzo4sAHL8bMAKRyeKvqhhcMow1VDrrbJv9r_XKLtkl2liyAmOz6ilIh2tcgrbCb6ZZL1FiCUxdTXoMgYOWG7L6PM3w0-sAhYHWWDqWKs1R9nF8JXNwSroIZ-lx3xkrgHsDsSwhu1H1jeQ0J6Mq7zVNSX5gCS6756oglSvmUysvmaVmO_G2jkO4WnYSIsVrbFRjOmJuEnSZvPfeYy2m8LZS-W66cV8eWAmQDC19llUqHfKTx72Pd3aQVjGmw5GDPaVTySJWT6VHuQFQ6Rv5aJ8Q=w1689-h950-no)
It's as amazing as I remembered
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/vTJJs6JogOM-_rTIk4XPHf3o-RUkIEAaJ4FhnNVohi5jU1CuND7Ivsy95Yc5c87hei83mCCddjuxEPhxS8MQfzNyZPJaPr2EY0ZV15eM5de94ekQ7E2766SHKKw8JcQ1ftcX-5J40AiaTeJOdXbCBpJnYCiPzVZn8ODbBVVOtdEHazMqX9-aSuKNUYpdwqyYMJGdQK6Wv6R-ZTrkJtl1TdllbhjpIqHpL5KhwM1QAoVgnrPKLaOGF2Mu0SQ42HN_Mvyn7znzr9cvYOTgMPVte2-bfZLwy0yxm-YwuEKa7JX4h17uj3K-I7Ja2l_T0hJAznUYfRUN0DnnJBOAcsmi62Yd7KaI2PwTFw03JuRhOkZLNdTVtuxVb5KbdhBlkqo_huFMAHDdg7he5kxLcvG_sss7DWDdKbq2LTudK0sWUww7FhcBh_ij7UFH4JpPAEYO0UgbtP9hkBN_MTWnf3prWx4d908ZKU2-vKuCk4SOh-LimLZ1r7bwPyw5aVTu2EbJxxLRHdPpUpv9ACLLZoGz9GPeDb4ZUUNl4BFHf_YnIIN5nUJW75oDIg5OYA3Ei4zLa38w5EBXTe4_-aKhia1tFW8w06votHQUcza6ahApiGx5ufoqg3YHlx_QSPRAsd08I14UHaDs_C9gLa7GayiMEeY9KhL2LV-ji71g397oaA=w1689-h950-no)
Avranches. Opening night at Restaurant "DT"
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/OL8kBdvAxbBBBmuXumpxwl_o2wA667EPEhdOyYBFYl7zXTj0vla4gulHrD9-UHrI_UhB_VT0o2cvoqgk1K7qh3d1LLFkHvnO2B8AAPloI-Xi3GJI1eWsZUwxSKS_FwH8Pj4JOBOlRgvmoFbYfXqLPrg-LjMEKCp5wQIqmLy6B_gfK9IjKBXoAPUbXCNbPWHhBcwvs5_8v3Y9JWEMitibxPvYcQehzUzOR-9Fyjo4Si6eS9ZzIJd1FJlnS2BQU9CvRF1ZwTspre8K630NajVyORu2nxsRXItigvcqfC8Wg6mtR2a1rpmJGW7Q-uBapt-PVZWbFLkJF7YkOaTe9xM5AKS9RlB_zF5opq9X7DE5AL4NKtYhFeIrkIro1oRj7h1q6OhwSCIewtk0W5M_dv6ch5cjN0gwsE-qYu1fipsRS0-7Doha3QCq7T8r8Oy3-Wgi98WyFHNrEN7L4uwtYG9-j83JlDyb9jI7cx0HGk4RTgM2eIHwIr09b7r8Zp1r5cZQzqZH5CyLNEFYMO3xK9p0V7POhqRJC3KCT4Y7BaVUSa6-DeLBTdEiAieonktcDUFHDqV3bB5RyXpuY9tgUZwpIoRbkDoq6UK7IaD9fdC5I3u9xMiVoTecQmUeneak27yjW89B0ZeqFfbphJrmN0GHKRJepnCnr8EmFqtI7IGTFQ=w1690-h950-no)
I want to go back..
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/i0dSUuOwns6b1Z-kgtOPdJKyBhz1AMLe68NqlMpySSLVQR5F2BJ2sJITNzl2SN7Otncq3WuHT291H8nQirsuOkW75A7yM1IappnKVNnK3u9gYhp6q7kI9mzikRxh6lyWgTJ_YBZy2EAtWl3A3hkXk4GYEQU0OvP97fUU41fTW5RcIqYjXsTGWpW43daWIlIOju21NqB45ukla-DrT19xvEiDAqkgVlpD-sFOKD5h1Af6XysWxqFJV2PPsW4rrZHc-bggH4r2VMmZ63ydOYK5NBF98rwF35ol4WrZ78xBRjQlPd1i-PupdYCgJipgPSGjuzrqjFFnd5S7qJH0voEd8Ps5wekSpQuvwtK5f1Zq7PqfRXx8rQlXqS0ED1iBZon5BdP6SvN2u44glzH3fE2HvwXqiDqUSlfvIlICjGfONHmseZ9Wa9s_erIr-5BV_Ws7Ofaq9JAeSLGlowTnhUDKwjZwhPlIJMrpuoM2iwpr7GCxWdoKNE1CfIh1F4nqnL-PgEvbZ6MbjsBmx8GRDjdpz5RMJViV_X4fCKvtz5xTlC71CJras-P2pG-N0WKeCfnQyz3ojOkhnZ0Y_hGHavItwmj5El03b3FeL64QmQN3Xh4SX8ptGP5-M7ymSZuaHILoMPvqFrisIyaKR_Ogc_fs1jqS1aAO-2JFVTN2loe6oQ=w1689-h950-no)
Coutances, the view from the Restaurant
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/NwkFRga6wsJYPUIfsaGlQAMEwrtZyVHbXIBoNfHhj0jPXQvUOEVcQnY0WhblvM1iVF9u_HjqsqQoWkOSvAVYiTtI0I5fcn3gjabcfK2ZsXsT28NAVT7jGMvXhKLUOrZrQGuOg8KZoa5STs133dU7qNR_MmaDlVqXWeGbk9KHiZu1OqypAMy3hx59P8OXcejsIzCckqB8iAmjUxS-BowFqaI_bfylBzckQbmvT2slT4PgUNbJlKg44lZSMBg4MQHf9qVDZRYPtpMby8xEe1aJ2VAhFA4l_d4yVilS0ONicEst3jvu21EmujuXDEPjwsbMyxXMVm276SRoJyw68-D4l8JDe7x8r7t1rAqr5_7IF2dXstgSlcBhfaME1Xk67WaUSEltR4S4Brxf4-X-BxtABnfznUbfZ1qxcoGLkTmWpKp-W935KQlLeRRb8B34Tvx3F_v69mKFIVH9BpuqGdq_pVJ3U9m07hrG5u8zhvFJqV4jIbe0WxTV4xjVxhTtPlnSsfw4OvvXQVW2t27A5N16NlEdI2YqXimOi4LA3zBJL5QzADEz27QgyeVV-tlwsDuuVBYOURmjPiZK48QFfh-KeYmmhAcCNcJIk1Brls1PIvyF6vmxNYEbXo5uCp_2Oc4tBi7F3Gc1ZHNwK4dm1uVtPFYEL3QstFKhy3c17jJPzg=w535-h950-no)
The lumpy bits nearer Cherbourg. Still gorgeous..just lumpy.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/2dXoWDDWmDH_IKWNSFhTLVXUVaqdE3twWjBm2ksPiEM1MPmq0xEtXzX7R6oP6ZxJIp5sXaUfTpU8gT2ZiBO9YigdgdttbrMRw_gYrb2qi6R1a0lWAwonLQ38x9qbwRJz2JuMpbkvkW8B3vcs9z49hLFguO8bwGUzYj_aBhs109AqSuhdczdE_EFI-WNu7rkypaG_Vg4bPtoSRb2fKJPG7wWeoFZIvG78QRagCAAsTCw0K2rF7EoTe403p-j76Ni1eWxdrNEdPlnsJxkLF80ysJDKyH3UjXFszFM8mGNZbhAuRAz02LPTcJextLxW1qHbKUfDw0y9Uw7HWHEB-f28wi8XU_ebxS2fiTliPONrGdYLqAsQjzfjA4TQW0rZtkr1te9N2pxcPovUlm9Q4BXaO_lQHUpnKmGRxKEYw0XkIlHPd7caSMcJoXXGwDHCSLs3JKxqJtx6ATR0lcez1FOoTpieJwMdLty-KQyXeijQaGKWjsI1mTdnxa2rDOkZSP4954B_sbq0Fmpyt8yJh0RuEjWVMUJBOueBOMjGha1dArJp60upWe7Al-g1Tli5jnwsiX_DVc_fdyOtiQmROznS7_FaNQkwbBatHcJZV0h4wqQ9RdG0hY6RytcY1LSBfIJMlDcoPTmXMKC5jXqmQJs_SLm6_mEsIJD1zJHYoG5hxw=w1267-h950-no)
-
Cool !! Just perfect. We cycled past the building in that last photo in the Summer.