From Saint-Malo to the D-Day Landing Beaches
Cycling from Brittany to Normandy
©Severine Freres
Duration
7 days and 6 nights
Niveau
Fit
Departure date
From April 1st to October 31st
Type de séjour
Séjour liberté
Type de circuit
Une traversée itinérante
Les points forts
- Saint-Malo and its inner city
- The Mont Saint-Michel
- The D-Day Landing Beaches
- Bayeux, a beautiful preserved historical city in Normandy
On the tracks of the D-DAY
7 days cycling trip onto the path of freedom from Saint-Malo to Bayeux
Along the coast in Brittany and Normandy, you ride along the path the allies opened in 1944 after their landing on the Normandy beaches. The route offers many historical and natural sites for you to discover. The Second World War is still present along the Côte de Nacre. Through places of memories, you can feel the atmosphere and relive historical events.
The route will take you to:
– The Mont Saint-Michel, part of UNESCO’s World Heritage, which calls travelers from around the world. Climb to the top and visit the abbey. It is worth a visit !
– Mont Saint-Michel’s Bay, an exceptional natural site you ride close to thanks to a small road away from traffic.
– DDAY Landing Beaches: Omaha, Gold, Juno beaches and related sites like the Pointe du Hoc and Port Winston d’Arromanches. They help better understand the landing and its difficulties. Many museums retrace the history with equipment and archive images.
Participate in a journey through time and space, celebrating courage and freedom.
Itinéraire
SAINT-MALO to MONT SAINT-MICHEL 57km 120m
Your route follows the Emerald Coast and Mont Saint-Michel Bay. Between land and sea, your route takes you to meet local producers: oyster farmers, mussel farmers, livestock farmers… There are so many specialities to sample throughout your journey. Halfway along the route, you pass the foot of Mont-Dol. A strange rock in the middle of these flat marshes, it’s the ideal place for lunch. After the break, there are still a few kilometres to go through the salt meadows. Then you’re at the foot of Mont Saint-Michel. A further effort awaits you, this time on foot, to reach the heights and the famous abbey, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- For a few more km 65km 204m
You reach Cancale to discover the famous oyster of this tradionnal breton port. A nice experience and a great tasting in front of the sea, in front of the Bay of Mont Saint-Michel.
From MONT-SAINT-MICHEL to GRANVILLE 64km 433m
Far out in the Bay, a small road runs along the sea. The spot place is ideal for a picnic! Before that, it will take an effort to climb Avranches, a typical city of Normandy with its dark stones and small shops. Delicatessen specialties are very appreciated and allow you to easily compose your lunch.
From GRANVILLE to SAINT-LO 65km 553m
From Granville, a seaside resort town which has preserved its prestige thanks to its architecture, you ride North to Coutances. Visit a beautiful church in the city center. The Normandy grove opens up in front of you. The road to Saint-Lo is a bit more hilly..
From SAINT-LO to PORT EN BESSIN HUPPAIN 80km 644m
You ride up to the ocean through the Regional Natural Parc des Marais du Cotentin et du Bessin. From Grandcamp-Maisy to Port-en-Bessin, it is a journey into the history of the landing of the Second World War. The Hoc Point, Omaha Beach, and the Colleville-sur-Mer American Cemetery are some of the highlights of the day. You will appreciate the arrival on Port-en-Bessin. A typical and authentic fishing port and very enjoyable city to stop for the night.
From PORT EN BESSIN HUPPAIN to BAYEUX 58km 426m
You ride along the sea up to Juno Beach. Discover Winston Harbor where dozens of pontoons still laying on the sea constituted an artificial port for the Landing of June 1944. With a little regret you leave the Normandy coast for Bayeux. Fortunately, the road is beautiful. The Seulles valley you ride through shelters has many and very pretty mills. In Bayeux, one of the towns miraculously spared from the bombings, stroll through the streets and appreciate its typical houses.
BAYEUX
End of stay after breakfast. Before you leave enjoy a visit to the Bayeux tapestry museum. It displays a major and amazingly preserved 11th century work of art, a 70 meters (230 feet) long tapestry relating the conquest of England by William the Conqueror!
Ils ont voyagés avec nous
Informations pratiques
Comfort Range
Our quality standard at Abicyclette. This type of accommodation includes 2 and 3 stars hotels. Depending on the itinerary, you might spend some nights in approved guesthouses. You enjoy a double bedroom with private bathroom and toilet and adapted welcome for you and your bikes.
Starting from 1145€/participant in Self Guided option
See detailed prices Accommodation example
Essential Range
You want to enjoy your itinerary without anything fancy. Our ”essential” range offers a simple accommodation for a good night’s rest in a simple hotel, guesthouse, rest house or hostel.
Quote on request
Contact us
Privilege Range
Opt for total comfort in charming 3 and 4 star hotels which offer all the services you need and a special welcome for you and your bikes.
Quote on request
Contact us
Price includes
- Accommodation: 6 nights in a Double room
- 6 breakfasts
- Luggage transfer
- Phone assistance 24/7
- Access to our exclusive travel application to follow your route, inform you about places of interest, restaurants, facilitate your assistance in case of emergency, find all your travel documents and our practical advice.
- Application fee
- Taxes
- The trip itineraries available on the following supports:
- Loan of a Bicycle GPS uploaded with full itinerary of the trip
- Topo maps
- Cycling practical guide including restaurant recommendations for lunch & dinner
- Day 1 : A personalized greeting with our team at the beginning of the trip to receive your travel documents
Price does not include
- bike rental (see option)
- Breakfast on day 1
- Lunches
- Dinners not included in "Price includes"
- Drinks, visits & other personal expenses
Homemade and fully tested itineraries
- Routes selected for their cycling and touristic interest entirely tested and away from traffic
- Accomodations selected for their hospitality, atmosphere, services and quality meals
- A flexible organisation to suit you needs and wishes: You choose the date you want to you leave on! We check the availability of each accomodation to make sure it is possible.
Close assistance
- One of our guides greets you on your first day. He will hand out all the needed documents for the trip (hotel vouchers, maps of the area,GPS, practical guide), get you settled on your bikes (for rental bikes).
- Phone assistance, you can reach the Abicyclette team whenever you need
- A Luggage transfer service which respects your hours of rest (we pick them up after 10:00 and deliver them before 16:00)
Follow your itinerary anyway you like – modern, practical, traditional
- We loan you a GPS so that you can easily follow your itinerary without having to look for your way around (bike support included)
- Access to our exclusive travel application to follow your route, inform you about places of interest, restaurants, facilitate your assistance in case of emergency, find all your travel documents and our practical advice.
- A practical cycling guide with all the useful information (addresses, highlights for the day, topo maps, and touristic information)
You can also
- Rent a high end quality bike for real comfort, cycling pleasure and reliability a long trip requires.
- Suscribe to a Cancelation or Multi Risk insurance policy which cover you in case something unexpected comes up.
On our guided tours (for groups on demand), we accompany you every step of the way
- One of our state qualified instructor and professional cycling guide accompanies you every step of the way
- Full board (all meals covered unless asked otherwise)
- A picnic buffet set up for lunch with a wide choice of fresh and local produce
We offer a high-end bike rental service. Our bikes are suited for road and gravel road long-distance cycling. Fully equipped and highly reliable, they are faithful travel companions.
Our rentals include a "breakage and theft guarantee" for peace of mind when travelling. Information and details from your advisor.
Trekking bikeA layed out and dynamic position Mixed aluminium frame, telescopic fork. Straight handlebars. Disc brakes. Drivetrain Shimano 11 to 30 speeds (single, double or triple crankset). Supplied equipment per bike
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Touring bikeAn upright and easy going position Mixed aluminum frame, telescopic fork. Straight handlebars. Disc brakes. Shimano 11 to 30 speed transmission (single, double or triple crankset depending on the model). Supplied equipment per bike
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EbikeWith an autonomy of almost 120km, cycling has never been so easy! Supplied equipment per bike
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Gravel BikeA versatile bike brimming with qualities: maneuverability, lightness, versatility, elegance. Aluminum frame, carbon fork and steerer tube, Shimano GRX 400 derailleur, double chainrings, 11 speeds. Hydraulics disc brakes. Luggage-rack (not in photo) Weight: 10.50 kg Supplied equipment per bike
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Children BikeRecommended bike size (to be confirmed when booking) :
Supplied equipment per bike
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Bike trailerThule Chariot Cross 2 Supplied equipment per bike
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Getting here
Departure city : SAINT-MALO
Coming by car
- at 4h15 from PARIS
- at 5h15 from BORDEAUX
- at 7h from LYON
Parking*
- Parking Saint-Malo Remparts 1 P8 – SAINT-MALO
- Parking du Naye – SAINT-MALO
- Parking Saint-Malo Quai Saint-Vincent – SAINT-MALO
- Parking Saint-Malo Feval – SAINT-MALO
Coming by train
- Saint-Malo train station - 2h30 from Paris
- Rennes train station - 1h45 from Paris
Coming by plane
- Rennes Airport
Taxi : 1h - Saint-Malo Dinard airport
Taxi : 22 min
Arrival city : BAYEUX
Coming by car
- at 2h from PARIS
- at 6h from BORDEAUX
- at 6h from LYON
Coming by train
- Bayeux train station - 3h from Paris
Coming by plane
- Caen airport
*Parking: Since many of our clients travel by train or plane, we do not include parking in our packages. In addition, many accommodations don’t have the capacity to park a vehicle for the duration of your cycling vacation. So if you’re planning to arrive by car, we suggest you check parking options when you make your reservation. If you reserve a parking space at the first or last accommodation of your stay, you must pay the accommodation provider on site.
* Abicyclette Voyages accompanies you on demand, including transportation solutions.
How to get back to the starting point
- By train from Bayeux to Saint-Malo in 3h10
- Return by car in 1h00 to your starting point
- Private shuttle: see detailed fares or contact us
Recommended equipment
Bike
- Hybrid Bike or Touring Bike or Gravel Bike
- 18 to 30-speed transmission
- 26- to 29-inch wheels
- Tires: 35 to 42 section, reinforced against punctures
- Disc brakes recommended
- 2 bottle cages
- Bell
- Front and rear lighting
Clothing and equipment
- Helmet (supplied with bike rental unless otherwise specified locally)
- 1 bike mount for smartphone to use the mobile route planner application
- Suitable cycling clothing:
- bib, shorts or tights: elastic and breathable, to facilitate movement and wick away perspiration
- Breathable T-shirts, synthetic or merino wool
- Breathable windbreaker
- Thermal or fleece jacket
- Waterproof jacket
- 1 pair of sunglasses
- 1 pair of cycling shoes
- 1 backpack or 1 or 2 carrier bags
- 1 or 2 water bottles (supplied with bike rental in France)
- 1 lock (supplied with bike rental)
- Technical details, recommended by the team for optimum comfort:
- 1 pair of gloves or mittens, depending on season and destination
- Padded bib (chamois)
- High-visibility vest or fluorescent belt
- Neck warmer and cap
Bike maintenance
- Emergency repair kit: 2 or 3 inner tubes, patches, pump, tire levers, multi-tools
- Maintenance kit: rag, oil, brake pads
Other
- A suitcase for your belongings carried in the vehicle (limited to one per person)
- Street clothes
- 1 pair of evening shoes
- Fleece jacket for the evening
- Toiletry bag
- Telephone and charger
Terms of payment and cancellation
The full terms and conditions of sale are available here: https://www.abicyclette-voyages.com/conditions-generales-de-vente/
Booking and payment
- Departure more than 30 days before your booking: payment of a deposit of 30%, excluding insurance, at the time of booking. If you have taken out travel insurance, it must be paid in full at the time of booking to guarantee its validity.
- Departure within 30 days of your booking: payment of the total cost of your stay. Or payment of the balance of the holiday if you have already paid a deposit.
Cancellation of the Contract
You may cancel the Contract at any time before the start of the Tour, subject to payment of a cancellation fee. Any total or partial cancellation will incur the following costs per participant:
Cancellation period | Fees |
From the date of Booking to 60 days or more before departure or the 1st day of the programme | 5% of the total cost of the Tour (including options); a minimum of 100 euros including VAT will be charged to the Customer |
Between 59 and 30 days before departure or on the 1st day of the programme | 10% of the total cost of the Tour (including options); a minimum of 120 euros including VAT will be charged to the Customer
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Between 29 and 10 days before departure or on the 1st day of the programme | 30% of the total amount of the Tour (including options) a minimum of 150 euros including VAT will be charged to the Customer |
Entre 9 à 7 jours avant le départ ou le 1er jour du programme | 45% du montant total du Voyage (options incluses) |
Between 9 and 7 days before departure or on the 1st day of the programme | 75% of the total cost of the trip (including options) |
Less than 3 days to the day of departure or the 1st day of the programme | 100% of the total cost of the trip (including options) |
No show on day of departure or 1st day of programme |
Starting from 1145€
Book your trip
FROM SAINT-MALO, SAINT SULIAC LOOP 36km 277m
Discover Saint-Suliac, one of the villages listed as “France’s Most Beautiful Villages”. Departing from the Malouin countryside, you reach the banks of the Rance, a beautiful river that draws its strength from the tides. The water is a superb sight when the setting sun reflects off its banks and the stones of the village of Saint-Suliac.
Meeting with our local guide
Before your first ride, we invite you to meet one of our guides, at your place of departure. A time of exchange, a privileged moment to give you our last practical tips, must-see places and experiences, to answer all your questions, take care of your bike fitting to begin your trip.