A gentle tour of Normandy & Brittany

[Wowbagger]

After our recent injurious tours, Mrs. Wow and I are planning a little light relief with a pootle down the French coast, probably beginning cycling in Abbéville. I have ordered the Guide Officiel Camping-Caravaning and when it arrives I shall do some planning. We haven't picked a date yet, but there are no advance ticket bargains between here and Dover, it costs £31 between us on the train from Calais to Abbéville, so I'm hoping that this will be a fairly leisurely event some time about mid-August. I suppose we could be really silly and take the trailer.

We haven't yet decided whether to go on the tandem or solos, we are aiming at no more than 30 mpd, Mrs. Wow will take her painting and drawing kit, if we can fit it in, and I'm hoping to get into the sea as often as possible.

The main aim will be to come home in one piece.

[andrewc]

I recall a lovely tour* that spanned Normandy & Brittany, gorgeous scenery, wonderful seafood, plentiful campsites,Cidre and Calvados.  Not flat inland.... we were a bit further south than you I think.   Bayeux was worth a visit, for the abbey, rather than the carpet..

*Only spoiled by some chaps flying airliners into the World Trade Centre, which rather upset the Americans in our group.

Useful info on Brittany here .Geoff is a top bloke, he got me into touring.

[RW]

Calais to Abbevile isn't a bad ride.  I did the bit from Calais to Montreuil ten or more years ago -
follow the canal south of Calais then the D127 through Guines and Desevres - then down the valley of the Course to Montreuil - then down the valley to the coast, through places like Etaples and Verton.  Le Crotoy on the north side of the Baie de la Somme is worth a look as is Ste Valerie on the other side.  There's a little train that connects the two.  We did a mini tour of the area from Boulogne a couple of years ago. CGOAB link

[Wowbagger]

We rode from Calais to Boulogne a couple of years ago. I just want to kick-start the tour and get a bit further south before we start cycling.

[Crumbling Nick]

Slightly alternative thoughts... Youngest daughter & I are going across in mid July. Portsmouth to Le Havre overnight at £20 each plus £32 for a sleeper seat (I'm 65 so am cautious about my limitations). Return is Dieppe-Newhaven  at £16pp (Saturday night departure 1800).

It seems easier, at least from this side of the Channel, to find cheapo train tickets in UK than in France - £13.55 for Brum to Pompey is the start of our trip. Thus far we've only found good discounts on the TGV network in France. TER trains seem to be full price regardless. They were rather empty in Savoie in April, unlike TGV.

[Charlie Boy]

Lovely area. Was there last month. http://charliespbp.blogspot.com/2011/05/brittany-and-normandy.html

You'll have a great time.

[bazzerp]

Can heartily recommend the area around St Malo - did it for 2 weeks about about 12 years ago. No more than 25 miles a day on an aged Peugeot tandem called Honza, with a czech lady on the back who put her feet up whenever possible - crepes, langoustines, fruites-de-mer, brandy, & afternoons lying in meadows with a bottle or two of wine, Oh & seeing hope many cherry pips we could flick into various things - including police cars & wine glasses.

I hope you have a wonderful time after your latest inspiring UK foray.   

[Tourist Tony]

Wows, near Abbeville, out West from Rue, is Marquenterre, a rather nice bird reserve. Reduced entry for RSPB members. Like a French version of WWT.Lots and lots of egrets, whimbrels, storks, spoonbills.....

Hotel in Rue, Leon d'Or, Logis de France. Proper food.

[Wowbagger]

I've just booked tickets from Portsmouth to St. Malo on 15th Aug, returning 24th Aug.

Must get down to making a list of stuff we want to see and do, or maybe just have some days when we do next to nothing.

[Crumbling Nick]

I've just booked tickets from Portsmouth to St. Malo on 15th Aug, returning 24th Aug.

Must get down to making a list of stuff we want to see and do, or maybe just have some days when we do next to nothing.

I like that. I don't know how to explain it, but "doing next to nothing" is what I like to do in an unexplored place.

[LEE]

I've just booked tickets from Portsmouth to St. Malo on 15th Aug, returning 24th Aug.

Must get down to making a list of stuff we want to see and do, or maybe just have some days when we do next to nothing.

Mr Wow

One of my plans, post PBP, is to hang up my 400/600km shoes in order to spend more time doing leisurely "mini-tours".  The appeal of sitting in a Brittany restaurant at 10pm is starting to appeal more than the feeling of sleet bouncing off my face on some Welsh mountain pass.

My plan is to do a Pompey - Caen - St Malo - Pompey tour next year (fri-mon) so I am very interested in your little adventure.  Primarily in learning whether there are lots of nice quiet "B-roads" to pootle along, punctuated by villages with cafes/restaurants.

I only know the area around St Malo by car and hence have only used the larger roads.

Dinan, near St Malo, is a definite target though, it's a lovely town (although it will be heaving in Aug.  Still worth a visit though imo)

PS.  Why don't you head towards Loudeac and erect a tent?  Send me your GPS coordinates and I'll see you twice on the week commencing 22nd Aug (Can you give massage?)

[Panoramix]

Funnily I thought i had already posted on this topic...

This is on my patch, I would recommend in no order:

Mont St Michel (get there very early as it gets swamped by tourists), Dol De Bretagne, Cancale (yummy oysters), St Malo, The rance river including all the small villages - unless you are interested in the engineering aspect don't use the tidal powerplant to cross the river but use the old bridge in St Hubert -  Dinan, Dinard, Cap Frehel, Fort La latte, Dahouet. If you want easy miles there is a canal with a towpath from Dinard to Rennes.

I will be around some of this week, but don't know yet which days I will be free...

[Wowbagger]

LEE, we're intending to head towards Gouarec, where a friend of ours has a house. This may also involve Loudeac, which is pretty much en route.

Panoramix, thanks for those suggestions. I shall have a look at maps and see what transpires.

[LEE]

LEE, we're intending to head towards Gouarec, where a friend of ours has a house. This may also involve Loudeac, which is pretty much en route.

That should be quite an experience given that PBP will be passing through Loudeac and Corlay (about 10km from Gouarec).

I'll be departing on Sunday evening (21st) from Paris which should get me to Loudeac around midnight on the 22nd and again on the 23rd.

I expect you could get an endless parade of PBP'ers in Corlay from Monday afternoon onwards.  Quite a show.

[Panoramix]

LEE, we're intending to head towards Gouarec, where a friend of ours has a house. This may also involve Loudeac, which is pretty much en route.

Panoramix, thanks for those suggestions. I shall have a look at maps and see what transpires.

Ha ha, in this case I would recommend the east side of the Rance estuary, cross in St Hubert, head toward the coast (around Fort la Latte or Cap frehel may be which is a bird sanctuary and a nice bit of coast) follow loosely the coast toward Dahouet (old fishing harbour), avoid St Brieuc and  go toward gouarec cross country. There are a few lumps on the way toward the end.

This is in the middle of the tourists season so I would keep off the main roads and although the coast is a big attraction not to be missed I wouldn't spend too much time there as it can be crowded.

[Wowbagger]

I am intending to spend a bit of time on beaches. Are there any you would recommend in that area?

[Panoramix]

I am intending to spend a bit of time on beaches. Are there any you would recommend in that area?

Really there are plenty between Dinard and Dahouet and you can have a new one every day! Les sables d'or is big and popular: Sables-d'Or-les-Pins - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Your best bet is to look at the wind direction and choose a sheltered one (unless it is very hot!). On sunny summer days, the day breeze tend to be NorthEast in this area.

Dinard is an old fashioned English seaside resort with Casino, bars and beaches if that is what floats your boat.