Marque Bretagne

From Saint-Malo to the D-Day Landing Beaches

Cycling from Brittany to Normandy

©Severine Freres

Duration

7 days and 6 nights

Niveau

FitNiveau Fit

Departure date

From April 1st to October 31st

Type de séjour

Séjour liberté

Type de circuit

Une traversée itinéranteUne traversée itinérante

Destination

Brittany
Normandy

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.

Couple de cycliste traversant un pont Vélo-Etreham
© G. Wait
Un couple de cyclistes traverse Saint-Malo et son chateau
© Emmanuel Berthier - CRTB
Le fort de Saint-Malo vu des remparts
© Abicyclette Voyages
Coucher de soleil sur une vue aérienne de Saint-Malo
© Teddy Lezbroz Verneuil - CRTB
© Emmanuel Berthier - CRTB
Un couple de cyclistes sur les hauteurs des plages Normandes
© Gil Giuglio
Musée de la bataille de Normandie
©Thomas Le Floc
Une femme feluri une tombe au cimetière britannique
©Thomas Le Floc
Une famille de cycliste quitte les plages du débarquement à vélo
©Marie-Anais Thierry

Itinéraire

Carte itinéraire De Saint-Malo aux plages du débarquement
Niveau FitFit
Day 1

FROM SAINT-MALO, SAINT SULIAC LOOP 36km 277m Niveau Loisir

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.

Day 2

SAINT-MALO to MONT SAINT-MICHEL 57km 120m Niveau Loisir

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 Niveau Forme

    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.

Day 3

From MONT-SAINT-MICHEL to GRANVILLE 64km 433m Niveau Forme

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.

Day 4

From GRANVILLE to SAINT-LO 65km 553m Niveau Forme

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..

Day 5

From SAINT-LO to PORT EN BESSIN HUPPAIN 80km 644m Niveau Forme

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.

Day 6

From PORT EN BESSIN HUPPAIN to BAYEUX 58km 426m Niveau Forme

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.

Day 7

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

Dominique (France) Note du client : 5/5

08/2024

Toujours de beaux parcours avec Abicyclette et un accompagnement bien présent ! Des paysages magnifiques, nos meilleurs souvenirs furent les plages de débarquement. Merci à toute l’équipe comme d’habitude.

Claude (France) Note du client : 5/5

08/2024

C’est la deuxième expérience avec Abicyclette Voyages, je valide ! L’organisation générale est très pro dans le choix des étapes, du parcours et des hôtels. Le service de portage des bagages est TOP. Merci pour tout.

Gaétan (Canada) Note du client : 4/5

06/2024

Nos meilleurs souvenirs commencent par la découverte de la culture, de l’architecture et des paysages à couper le souffle. De plus étant donné que nous y étions dans la période des festivités pour commémorer le 80e anniversaire du débarquement, nous avons pu réaliser à quel point il est important pour les citoyens de s’assurer que les nouvelles générations comprennent l’importance de cette évènement.

Pour les services, nous dirions que l’itinéraire, les réservations pour le logement, le GPS pour le tracé et le choix de parcours sont des points que nous avons vraiment apprécié. Nous sommes deux Canadiens très satisfaits d’avoir choisi ce voyage proposé par Abicyclette.

Martina (Suisse) Note du client : 5/5

05/2024

Wonderful routes through the nature and landscape, we appreciated safe routes through the cities and villages.

Very satisfactory. Thank you!

Dale (United States) Note du client : 5/5

09/2023

September was the perfect time out near the coast. No overwhelming crowds and the temperatures were great. I am going to be 70 very soon and my brother is 68, and we handled the riding perfectly. The best moments were riding through many small towns. Having coffee in very local cafe’s. Enjoying the history of the Brittany and Normandy areas. Having a cold beer at the local Taverns and Restaurants.

The Bikes we rented were in excellent condition. We loved having our luggage delivered to the next upcoming Hotel. Overall the trip was all that we had expected. The communication we had from the very beginning was prompt and always helpful.

Morgane was our representative and helped us with the booking including making several alterations to their normal trip. Thanks Morgane.

Éric (France) Note du client : 4/5

09/2023

Magnifique région avec de nombreux sites très intéressants à visiter. Parcours agréables avec peu de circulation. Les bagages étaient au rendez-vous dans chaque hôtel, aucun souci particulier à mentionner. Bravo et merci !

Diana (United Kingdom) Note du client : 5/5

09/2024

The route was excellent. Constantly varied, we never knew what was coming around the next corner. The views and scenery were magical. Bikes very good quality – quite heavy but the gears were excellent and they got us up the steepest hills! Thank you! Excellent work.

Ross (Australia) Note du client : 5/5

09/2024

A wonderful cycling holiday, expertly organised by the team at Abicyclette. The small back roads and tracks through the countryside and villages were fabulous. The accommodation, other than that at Erquy, was excellent, the bag pick up and drop off was faultless, the gpx track was spot on and the GPS worked perfectly, giving us a little ‘beep’ warning when we veered off the route.

A wonderful and memorable trip ! Gaelle, was prompt and attentive during our enquiry and booking process. She was magnifique!

Clare (United Kingdom) Note du client : 5/5

09/2024

So impressed with the respect for cyclists in Brittany. Apart from the centre of Nantes the GPS was brilliant. The accommodation was wonderfully diverse. Hotel Garden was a great start. Le Gavre hotel in the forest dining experience was luxurious as was the swimming pool!

Really appreciated the care taken to make a good holiday. Thank you for making it easy to adapt the trip to suit our particular preferences.

Leo (United States) Note du client : 5/5

08/2024

The trip were the best moments. I had the general idea of the route and distances I wanted to cover. They planned the route to perfection with all the services I needed to make the trip perfect. I plan do to another trip next year with Abicyclette. I would highly recommend them to plan your next trip. Thank you for a professional and expert job!

Alan (New Zealand) Note du client : 5/5

08/2024

Great bike trip: lovely natural scenery and easy ride. Good bikes well equipped and the GPS guide was excellent. Thank you for a well organised and very enjoyable trip!

Alan (Japan) Note du client : 4/5

08/2024

We had a great time on our trip. Your company seems to have deep connections in Brittany and the places we stayed all treated us well. We appreciated the effort made to customize the stock itinerary to our requests. And once we gained confidence, we made it even better by going off piste a bit.

Mike (United-Kingdom) Note du client : 5/5

08/2024

The cycling around Paimpol was especially beautiful and we loved Perros-Guirec and the Hotel Les Costans was lovely and very welcoming. The restaurant at Hotel Le Brittany in Roscoff was superb and probably one of the best meals we’ve eaten. Gaelle was very helpful arranging our tour.

Martine (Suisse) Note du client : 4/5

07/2024

L’organisation est excellente. Nous avons apprécié l’alternance avec les traversées en bateaux et les paysages magnifiques. L’hôtel à l’île d’Arz était parfait. Nous avons rencontrés quelques difficultés avec le GPS mais l’organisation des pistes cyclables dans le Morbihan est optimale….finalement nous avons toujours trouvé notre route !

Merci pour votre très bonne organisation !

Kathleen (Austria) Note du client : 5/5

07/2024

The routes offered beautiful views and were mostly easy to navigate without any/too much traffic. It was nice to also have an overview of the points of interest along the route. We liked that the distance we had to do each day was such, that we still had enough time to visit the cities we were staying at.

We were helped very well by Gaëlle, who customised our travel itinerary for us, and by our very friendly welcome guide Antoine. It was the first time that we did a biking holiday like this. We had a great time, and we would definitely want to have a holiday like this again.

Thank you for a lovely holiday and for a very professional organisation!

Giles (United Kingdom) Note du client : 5/5

06/2024

Definitely a five star experience ! The scenery was fantastic and the food delicious and the hotels were all amazing. The owners were very welcoming and helpful. Everyone was expecting us and our bags were there on arrival each day The pre trip info was useful. We didn’t use the GPS unit but downloaded the files onto our phones so navigation was easy. The Abicyclette rep who met us in Roscoff sorted everything out.

Merci beaucoup, we had a great time.

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
  • Additional services included:
    • 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

    appareil GPS TwoNav Cross

    • 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

    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 bike

    A 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

    • 1 helmet
    • 1 back bag 20L (waterproof)
    • 1 front bag 4L with plastic map holder (waterproof)
    • 1 lock
    • 1 repair kit (patches, tube, tire lever)
    • 1 multi tools box
    • 1 pump
    • 1 bike computer
    • 1 bike water bottle
    Vélo Abicyclette Voyages

    Touring bike

    An 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

    • 1 helmet
    • 1 rear bag 20L (waterproof)
    • 1 front bag 4L with plastic map holder (waterproof)
    • 1 lock
    • 1 repair kit (patches, tube, tire lever)
    • 1 multi-tool
    • 1 pump
    • 1 bike computer
    • 1 water bottle
    Vélo Rando Abicyclette Voyages

    Ebike

    With an autonomy of almost 120km, cycling has never been so easy!

    Supplied equipment per bike

    • 1 helmet
    • 1 back bag 20L (waterproof)
    • 1 front bag 4L with plastic map holder (waterproof)
    • 1 lock
    • 1 repair kit (patches, tube, tire lever)
    • 1 multi tools box
    • 1 pump
    • 1 bike computer
    • 1 bike water bottle
    EBIKE VELO DE VILLE

    Gravel Bike

    A 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

    • 1 helmet
    • 1 pannier 20L
    • 1 lock
    • 1 repair kit including :
      – Set of patches
      – One inner tube
      – Set of tire levers
    • 1 multi-tools
    • 1 pump
    • 2 water bottles
    Vélo gravel Abicyclette Voyages

    Children Bike

    Recommended bike size (to be confirmed when booking) :

    • 16 inches from 105cm to 120cm (or 6 to 7 years old)
    • 20 inches from 120cm to 135cm (or 7 to 10 years old)
    • 24 inches from 135cm to 145cm (or 10 to 12 years old)
    • SPORT XS bike (adult frame) from 145cm to 155cm (from age 10)

    Supplied equipment per bike

    • 1 helmet
    • 1 inner tube
    • 1 bike water bottle
    Vélo enfant Abicyclette Voyages

    Bike trailer

    Thule Chariot Cross 2
    Children’s trailers can only be rented for installation on one of our bikes.
    We do not provide this service on any other bike. There is too much risk of incompatibility and breakage.
    Por one or 2 children.
    Max child trailer load: 45kg.

    Supplied equipment per bike

    • 1 helmet (or 2 if 2 kids)
    • 1 inner tube
    • 1 bike water bottle (or 2)
    • Accessories on request: baby hammock. A padded hammock that supports baby’s sides and offers maximum stability (1 to 10 months). Use only the newborn hammock for walking.

    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 periodFees
    From the date of Booking to 60 days or more before departure or the 1st day of the programme5% 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

     

    Between 29 and 10 days before departure or on the 1st day of the programme30% 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 programme45% du montant total du Voyage (options incluses)
    Between 9 and 7 days before departure or on the 1st day of the programme75% of the total cost of the trip (including options)
    Less than 3 days to the day of departure or the 1st day of the programme100% of the total cost of the trip (including options)
    No show on day of departure or 1st day of programme

    Starting from 1145€

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