Normandy / Brittany Trip Advice

[Max_W]

Hi there,

I'm planning a trip to France for later in the year, arriving in Cherbourg on a Friday evening and departing on a Tuesday evening. I've a reasonable idea of some of the key places to visit, but am hoping to trawl the collective experience here to get the best ones.

What do you think are the best places to visit in Normandy and Brittany for a mix of biking roads, culture, history and scenery? Any particularly good campsites? For those who know the area, are the rough daily distances shown on my map realistic?

All comments appreciated. Thanks.

[URL=http://s710.photobucket.com/user/mw2xs/media/Bikes/NormandyRoute001_zpsf4a40962.jpg.html][/URL]

 

[leedude03]

You dont say if you have been before, or what you are interested in, WW11 history or just mooching around, If it was me i would spend the four days taking in Normandy and the WW11 sites, there is so much to see and do you will easilly pass 4 days away there, on the other hand your route looks a decent ride and very doable in the time frame you have, a couple of places i would recomend to visit would be Omaha beach and the cemetery, Bayeux but would not bother with the tapestry, and Mont Saint-Michel.

 

[Lord Snooty]

Personally I would not bother with Mont St Michel - it has become a big tourist trap. The only access now is via the official car parks as the only vehicles allowed to drive there are the tourist buses. You are charged €4 to park, no concessions for bikes, you then have to walk to a bus stop, wait with the crowds, and then get dropped off. Inside it is a crowded hell with the streets lined with souvenir and tat shops - a massive disappointment, both me and Alena hated it. My advice is take a photo of it from the road and move on.

Falaise is worth a visit to see William the Conquerors castle, I believe there is a campsite right next to it.

 

[alan29]

On the William the Conqueror trail, he is buried in the superb abbey in Caen. That was a surprise discovery for me.

 

[Fluffmeister]

Bayeaux was worth a mooch, having a look at the tapestry and a wander around the cathedral, Maisy Battery is a great WWII site to explore and I've stayed at Camping Omaha Beach a few times, really nice site, with an outdoor pool to relax in on the warmer evenings and great pitches.

 

[zapada]

Visit Fougeres.

Lovely castled town.

 

[zapada]

Others of same place.

 

[crumbles]

I would agree with Lord Snooty,
Place is a tourist trap now and horrible with it,
When we went many many years ago you could park your camper van next to it, overnite there for free and just walk in..

 

[mcinlb]

Re Mont St Michael, I agree with the comments above re parking setup , but if you've never been, it us worth a visit IMHO. I stayed in one of the hotels in La Caserne, the village just onshore.
If you stay at these hotels, you get in to park at their car parks via a code given by the hotel.

 

[Deleted account 240901001]

Don't go to Brittany...it's shit......stay well clear........

 

[JerseyNeil]

Oh dear Pingu did you have a bad experience in Brittanny????
I love Brittanny and have had some great weekends on my bikes around there. I can highly recommend the D769 from Morlaix to Carhaix and the D767 from Guingamp to Corley. Nice quiet twisty roads. Stay on the smaller D roads and can't go too far wrong. Great places to stop for coffee Galets etc (a bit like the rest of France really).

Your plans are not too ambitious. Can't comment on camping as I always hotel or B&B it when I'm over there.

Neil

 

[Deleted account 240901001]

Oh dear Pingu did you have a bad experience in Brittanny????
I love Brittanny and have had some great weekends on my bikes around there. I can highly recommend the D769 from Morlaix to Carhaix and the D767 from Guingamp to Corley. Nice quiet twisty roads. Stay on the smaller D roads and can't go too far wrong. Great places to stop for coffee Galets etc (a bit like the rest of France really).

Your plans are not too ambitious. Can't comment on camping as I always hotel or B&B it when I'm over there.

Neil

No..stay away...don't go there...ever. Don't believe these people telling you it's good..it isn't..it's a trap I tell you..a trap.

 

[JerseyNeil]

Oooohh! Yes...... I see where you are going with this (Brittany).
Yup it's a sh*t hole with horrible roads people and food. They smell of elderberries. Stay in Normandy.

 

[Deleted account 240901001]

That's the spirit......

 

[Lord Snooty]

A good mate of mine lives in Langoelan, Brittany - I will be going to see him this year, but don't worry I'll tell everybody how crap Brittany is.

 

[Max_W]

Many thanks for all the suggestions so far. Having spent 18 years in the Army I'm definitely interested in the landing beaches, but I don't want to spend from dawn to dusk on the beaches and in museums because it is still a biking holiday. Do the roads justify the ride west towards Brest? Must see places over that way?

Thanks in advance for any other great biking spots...

 

[Mongolian Explorer]

Oooohh! Yes...... I see where you are going with this (Brittany).
Yup it's a sh*t hole with horrible roads people and food. They smell of elderberries. Stay in Normandy.

Can't be worse than Jersey that the German army left in 1945 but where they unfortunately left the Gestapo ....

 

[Giles]

Honfleur is definitely worth a visit ....

 

[Bazzie]

Agreed! We've just spent the weekend there, and it's a great chill - out place. Convenient for Pegasus bridge and the D - day beaches too if they are of interest to you. Recommended.

 

[JerseyNeil]

Can't be worse than Jersey that the German army left in 1945 but where they unfortunately left the Gestapo ....

Not another unsatisfied customer! I shall take this up with himmler at Jersey Tourism for you. Vee have vays of making you like ze Jersey