Backroad cycling France
From the d-day beaches to the mont saint michel
A crossing of the Cotentin region combining history, heritage and seaside!Ref CN75
Our 6-day coastal cycle trip in Lower Normandy begins on the Côte de Nacre. Its enchanting name recalls the mother-of-pearl shades of the sky that are reflected in the sea and create ever-changing moods on our journey. From Bayeux, we first explore the iconic D-Day beaches. The coastal cycle path takes us from , from seaside resort to seaside resort, where today the souvenirs of the Second World War and seaside tourism mingle. We continue along picturesque roads and gentle cycle paths into the Marais du Cotentin et du Bessin regional nature park with its kilometres of sandy beaches, cliffs, peat bogs and Norman villages... This historic region has managed to retain its own unique character thanks to its remoteness. The sublime final point of this Normandy backroad cycling trip is the wild bay of Mont Saint Michel. The unique monastery mountain is probably the most emblematic place on the English Channel coast and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A relaxing and varied cycle tour that can be extended in Brittany if desired.
Highlights
- Discover the traces of history on the D-Day beaches
- Explore the historic region of the Cotentin, which has preserved its character and language
- Enjoy our route of excellent cycle paths and small Norman roads
- Experience the final point of this tour with the arrival at Mont Saint Michel
- Stay in a beautiful selection of hotels and guest rooms with charm and comfort
Description
Comments
- The return transfer from Mont Saint Michel to Bayeux at the end of the trip is included in the price
- We offer you several options to extend your trip in Britanny (7 or 8 days)
Costs and services self-guided tour
Price per person for a group of :
Single-room supplement will be automatically added in the case of odd-numbered groups.
The price includes:
- 5 or 6 nights in guest houses and hotels of the chosen category in double/twin rooms with en-suite facilities (depending on chosen trip duration)
- 5 or 6 hearty breakfasts (depending on chosen trip duration)
- Daily luggage transfers (only 1 baggage item per person, max 13 kg)
- A carefully designed itinerary
- Our navigation app for smartphones, a detailed road book including maps (digital format) and GPS tracks
- Return transfer to Bayeux for you, your luggage and your bike on day 6 or 7 (depending on chosen trip duration)
What is not included:
- Lunch meals and dinners
- Bike rental
- International flights
- Your transfer to the meeting place (see paragraph below)
- All services mentioned in extensions
- Drinks at the accommodation
- Visits to museums, monuments and sites
- Insurance, assistance
- Last minute booking fee (if applicable)
- Additional travel related to changes in the programme due to bad weather
- All personal expenses
- Everything not mentioned under “the price includes".
Trip extension: Saint Malo and Jersey
We can offer you to continue your tour in Brittany, finishing in Saint Malo. The programme is then 8 days, including 2 extra nights: 1 night in Avranches and 1 night in Pontorson (see the programme tab for details).
| Tour extension | 345 € /  |
This per person price includes two nights in a double room with breakfast, additional luggage transfers and your return from Saint Malo with your bikes to Bayeux. If you have rented a bike, two extra days of bike hire are required.
| Standard bike (8 days) | 290 € / |
| E-Bike (8 days) | 450 € / |
Finally, if you have chosen to finish your tour in Saint Malo, we can organise an extended stay on the English island of Jersey, north of Saint Malo. You are responsible for booking the return boat tickets, but we can book your hotel, your bike and advise you on bike rides on the island.
Prices and availability: please contact us.
Available extra services
| Single room accommodation, 2* and 3* hotels (5 nights) | 340 € / |
| Single room accommodation, 2* and 3* hotels, (6 nights) | 395 € / |
| Single room accommodation, comfort+ (5 nights) | 410 € / |
| Single room accommodation, comfort+ (6 nights) | 465 € / |
Extra nights in Bayeux:
| Extra night in Bayeux in 2* hotel, double room, including breakfast | 75 € / |
| Extra night in Bayeux in 2* hotel, single room, including breakfast | 120 € / |
| Extra night in Bayeux in 3* hotel, double room, including breakfast | 115 € / |
| Extra night in Bayeux in 3* hotel, single room, including breakfast | 185 € / |
Dinner reservations
On request, we can book all dinners of your trip in restaurants carefully selected by our teams (budget generally between 30 and 35 € per person, starter, main course and dessert. Drinks not included). Meals are to be paid by you upon arrival at the restaurant.
| Dinner reservations | 35 € |
Bike rental
It is possible to rent two types of bikes (7 days rental including the return to Bayeux):
| Standard bike (6 days) | 230 € / |
| Standard bike (7 days) | 260 € / |
| E-Bike (6 days) | 345 € / |
| E-Bike (7 days) | 400 € / |
| Second rear pannier hire | 35 € / |
Don't forget to tell us your size on your booking form.
The bikes are equipped with mudguards, a luggage rack, a pannier and a helmet. They are delivered with a repair kit in case of a puncture.
E-bikes :
It offers pedal assistance that allows you to make much less effort than on a classic "human powered" bicycle. It can be an alternative solution in two cases:
- You don't feel capable of doing a 2-wheeled circuit. Thanks to electric assistance, this trip becomes accessible.
- You want to do a tour with a person with a higher level of fitness than you and you are afraid of suffering too much by trying to keep up with them, or that they will get bored by riding at your pace. The electric bike is the solution so that "everyone can join in" and have fun...
Private groups / Custom tours
You are a group of friends, a family, a company or a cycling club and you would like to organise a private cycling tour on the dates of your choice. This option is available for guided and self-guided tours.
- If you are interested in one of the tours presented on our website, we can provide you with a detailed quote based on the number of persons in your group.
- If you are interested in a custom version of one of our tours, with specific requirements (tour duration, accommodation type, vehicle assistance, airport transfers, bike rental, etc.), we can provide you with a detailed quote based on the number of persons in the group and the group's specific requirements.
For more information or to receive a quote, please contact us by phone at +33 458 140 435 or by email at info@france-bike-trips.com.
Travel insurance
It is important to be correctly insured when embarking on a cycling holiday. We recommend checking the details of your travel insurance (if you have one) and, if necessary, subscribing to our contract below. Please note that France Bike Trips is simply an intermediary between you and the insurance company.
You can choose between these travel insurance contracts while completing your booking form:
- I subscribe to the "comprehensive multi-risk" insurance cover (4.5%), minimum premium of 15 €:
This contract covers assistance, repatriation, lost or stolen luggage, holiday interruption and cancellation. To see the full contract, click here. - I purchase the "cancellation only" insurance cover (2.5%), minimum premium of 10 €:
This policy covers cancellation only. To see the full contract, click here. - I purchase the "repatriation & assistance" insurance cover (1.6%), minimum premium of 10 €:
This policy covers assistance, repatriation, lost or stolen luggage and holiday interruption. To see the full contract, click here.
Recommendation: |
Booking procedure / Cancellation
How to book
In order to make a booking please fill in the online booking form on the "booking" page of your chosen tour. At the end of the booking process you will be transferred to our bank's secure payment page in order to pay a 30 % deposit.
Last minute booking
All self-guided bookings made within 21 days of tour departure will incur a surcharge of 15 € per person.
Expert advice
- Unsure which tour to book?
- Interested in a custom version of one of our tours?
- Not sure if a particular tour is suitable for your riding style?
A dedicated team of travel specialists is available to offer you expert advice Monday to Friday from 9 am to 6 pm (French time) by phone - +33 458 140 435 or by mail - info@france-bike-trips.com.
Tour confirmation
In order to confirm our guided tours, we need to reach a minimum number of participants (usually 5 persons are necessary). Therefore booking a guided tour does not necessarily mean the tour is confirmed. In the unlikely event that we are unable to confirm your chosen tour, we will offer you the opportunity (no less than 21 days before departure) of switching to another (confirmed) tour, or receiving a full refund.
Self-guided or custom tours: We confirm bookings of self-guided tours and custom tours directly after booking.
In both cases, please await our final booking confirmation before making any travel arrangements.
Balance payment
Tour balance payment must be made no less than 30 days before tour departure. Your travel documents will be sent to you once we have received your balance payment. Road books and maps will be sent to you 3 weeks before departure.
Cancellation
In the event that you are obliged to cancel your tour France Bike Trips will reimburse the entire sum paid for the tour, minus the following cancellation charges:
- More than 60 days before departure: 5 % of the tour price, excluding insurance premium
- Between 60 and 31 days before departure: 15 % of the tour price, excluding insurance premium
- Between 30 and 21 days: 30 % of the tour price, excluding insurance premium
- Between 20 and 14 days: 50 % of the tour price, excluding insurance premium
- Between 13 and 7 days: 70 % of the tour price, excluding insurance premium
- Less than 7 days before departure: 100 % of the tour price, excluding insurance premium
Full details of our sales conditions are available here
Group size and guiding
For guided trips we limit the size of our groups from 5 (min) to 12 (max) persons in order to ensure security and conviviality.
You will be guided by English-speaking French mountain bike guides.
No size limitation for self-guided groups.
Food
"L'art de la table"
We pay very careful attention to the quality and the variety of your meals. Fresh and local produce will be served wherever possible.
Depending on the meals included in your chosen tour:
- Continental breakfasts taken at the accommodation
- Cold picnics for lunch (mixed salad, bread, cold meats, cheese and fruit). Each participant carries his picnic in his daypack
- Hearty dinners (3 to 4 courses, with local dishes)
Please check the "Dates & Prices" section for meal plan details.
Baggage
During the day you carry only a daypack for additional clothing, water, food, camera, etc. The rest of your baggage is transferred each day to the following nights accommodation.
Bike and plane / train
If you decide to bring your own bike, be aware that transporting a bike by plane or train is no longer an issue. However a few simple guidelines help to optimise the transport and avoid potential damages that could occur.
Your bike must be transported in a designated bike bag (standard size 120x90cm). This maximal size allows you to travel with your bike as "hand luggage" in any TGV and SNCF trains.
It is very important that you protect your bike in the bag. After having deflated the tires, removed the wheels (by removing the quick release mechanisms), pedals and rear derailleur (which is left hanging on the chain), we recommend you wrap your bike inside the bag in a sheet of dense foam (thickness of 3 to 5 cm). A piece of cardboard or rigid plastic positioned between the foam and the inside of the cover can be beneficial to provide more rigidity.
Once folded up the bike bag will take up very little space and will be transported by the assistance vehicle during your tour.
Bike bags are available directly from France Bike Trips at a cost of 70 euros, plus postage.
Car sharing
If you sign up for a guided tour, we offer you the opportunity to see if you can carpool with other participants to get to the point of departure. To do this, go to "Car sharing" in our website. By entering the complete reference and the date of departure of the tour (available on the registration confirmation that we have sent you), you have access to route details and emails of other participants who wish to carpool.
Health
We strongly recommend having a medical check-up before your holiday.
Our / Your state of mind
- A "group" tour: If you join a guided tour, you will be part of a group for several days. This is a superb opportunity to meet new people and share some magical moments. However, a group tour requires that each person show friendliness, openness and mutual respect for their fellow travellers.
- An "adventure" tour: despite the most careful preparation, adventure tours can present unforeseen events. Accepting these risks will help you enjoy your trip to the full, in the knowledge that your guide, our local partners and the entire France Bike Trips team will offer you the most suitable solutions to any given situation.
Your equipment
Equipment provided by France Bike Trips on guided tours:
- A group first-aid kit
- A bike repair kit and tools
Personal equipment to bring:
Baggage
All your luggage must fit in two bags: a daypack/pannier and a travel bag.
1/ Daypack or pannier
This is the bag you will keep with you each day whilst riding. This bag should not be too large (up to 30 litres).
It will contain: a picnic lunch, camera, waterproof and extra clothing, etc.
2/ Travel bag
This is the bag that will be transported from one accommodation to the next by vehicle. It should contain all the belongings you will not use during the day.
Please note: Your luggage transported from one accommodation to the next must fit in a single bag and must not exceed 20kg.
List of equipment to pack in your bag the day of departure:
For your head
- A cap or other head protection against the sun
- A hat or headband
- A bike helmet
For your upper body
- Two base layers (made of synthetic or natural breathable fabrics)
- A warm shirt or a sweatshirt
- A fleece
- A waterproof jacket
For your legs
- Two good quality cycling shorts
- Trousers
- Casual short
- A swimsuit
For your feet
- Comfortable sports shoes
- Sports socks
- Sandals (not obligatory, but nice during breaks and in the evening...)
For your bike
If you rent a bike from France Bike Trips, this material is not necessary.
- 2 spare tubes and a puncture repair kit
- Lubricant for chain and derailleur
- A pump
Various
- A pair of cycling gloves
- A bike lock
- Water bottles (or Camelbak)
- A small individual pharmacy: sunscreen (face and lips); band aids + double skin; Immodium; pain killers, earplugs, other personal medication.
Route navigation
You will receive an email 2 weeks before departure, containing all the information necessary for your upcoming tour, including the following navigation tools:
Our dedicated smartphone app
Follow your route with comfort and ease! Thanks to the Velorizons navigation app, download the full trip itinerary to your smartphone, view route maps and profiles, access the list of booked accommodation, services and useful contacts, and use the integrated route guidance (visual and vocal) for navigation.
►See the mobile app presentation video
To benefit fully from the app navigation system, we strongly recommend attaching your smartphone to the bicycle handlebar using a dedicated mount. An example can be viewed here.
| Operating system | Android | Apple | Windows Phone | Blackberry |
| Compatibility | Version 8.0 minimum | iOS 8.0 minimum. iPhone compatible, iPad compatible if GPS equipped | Non compatible | Non compatible |
A detailed Road Book
Your tour road book will be available to download in your My France Bike Trips customer area. The road book contains:
- Full colour maps with highlighted routes,
- Step-by-step route description,
- Route profiles
GPS tracks
Tour GPS tracks will be available to download in your My France Bike Trips customer area. The tracks are in .gpx format, compatible with all GPS devices/apps.
Self-guided tour "user guide"
Active autonomy: what you need to know for our self-guided tours
In order to achieve the planned tour programme, you must:
- Guide yourself with the highlighted maps and road book;
- Choose suitable start times adapted to the lengths of the daily stages as well as your own riding pace, and leave an adequate safety margin of time;
- Obtain daily weather forecasts from your hosts, and take into account the weather conditions when planning journey times;
- Arrive at the booked guest houses and hotels listed in the programme on the given dates;
- Bring the necessary personal equipment to carry out the tour. France Bike Trips equipment list constitutes the necessary minimum;
- Carry insurance policies and emergency telephone numbers with you at all times;
- Be familiar with basic first-aid steps;
- In the event of any problems during your trip, contact France Bike Trips (contact information in your travel documents). Possession of a mobile phone that works in France is strongly recommended.
Self-guided tours are undertaken without a guide and at your own risk. France Bike Trips cannot be held liable for any route error, misconduct, personal imprudence, inadequate planning or inappropriate reactions in the event of incidents.
Any programme change of your own initiative is under your responsibility and at your expense.
Having said this, with our advice and good preparation, you should be able to look forward to a wonderful, trouble free holiday. Enjoy your trip!
Average tour rating:
I liked that our hotels were quite different from place to place. At every hotel, the accommodation and breakfast were superb and the staff were exceptionally kind and helpful.
I thought the rental bikes, large pannier and helmet with visor were perfect for this trip. The bikes were in excellent condition and had all the gears needed for the occasional steep hill. The staff cheerfully installed my pedals and swapped seats to make me more comfortable.
Thank you for planning such an educational and scenic trip and providing exceptional customer support before, during and even after our trip."
