Caen - Cherbourg-en-Cotentin

A cycling tour with 10 stages, starting in Caen, Normandy, France.

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Caen - Cherbourg-en-Cotentin

Overview

About this tour

A cycle tour, on a Brompton folding bike, of Les Plages du Débarquement or D-Day Landing Beaches. The Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied France was known as Operation Overlord and the landing beaches were given the code names of Sword, Juno, Gold, Omaha.

Translated, show original (French)

10
Routes: 15:10 h
Duration: 239.4 km
Distance: 15.8 km/h
Avg. speed: 1,163 m
Ascent: 1,169 m
Descent

Michael Augustine Nolan

created this 2 years ago

Caen - Cherbourg-en-Cotentin

Stages of this tour

All 10 stages of this tour can be opened on the map or in the Bikemap App for more details, where you can adjust them in the route planner or download them as GPX or KML file. Use them as a template for planning your own tour, or let Bikemap navigate you along them directly.

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01 Day 1, Gare de Caen - B+B Hotel

Cycling route in Caen, Normandy, France

7.5 km
Distance: 64 m
Ascent: 11 m
Descent

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02 Day 2a, B+B Hotel - Gare de Caen

Cycling route in Saint-Contest, Normandy, France

A return to the centre of Caen allows time for a brief pause before setting out on the first day proper of the cycle tour itself.

7.5 km
Distance: 22 m
Ascent: 74 m
Descent

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02 Day 2b, Caen - Lion-sur-Mer

Cycling route in Caen, Normandy, France

A well-surfaced route along the Canal de Caen à La Mer to Ouistreham and on to an overnight stay in Lion-sur-Mer. There is plenty of time to stop on the way at Pegasus Bridge (Café Gondrée, Mémorial Pegasus etc.) and Sword Beach (Queen Red).

22.6 km
Distance: 53 m
Ascent: 59 m
Descent

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03 Day 3a, Lion-sur-Mer - Asnelles

Cycling route in Lion-sur-Mer, Normandy, France

The route continues on well-signposted bicycle paths; basically following the coast itself. Priority should aleways be given to pedestrians. The morning cycle is short and possible stops are too numerous to list but include Sword Beach and Juno Beach

25.7 km
Distance: 87 m
Ascent: 92 m
Descent

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03 Day 3b, Asnelles - Port-en-Bessin

Cycling route in Ver-sur-Mer, Normandy, France

The route continues by way of Arromanches-les-Bains and its very popular 360° Cinema. The famed Mulberry harbour and the remains of the pontoons can still be discerned out at sea. The town is always very busy with tourists. Climbing once more and the last section of the route is a mixture of tracks…

18 km
Distance: 137 m
Ascent: 120 m
Descent

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04,Day 4, Port-en-Bessin - Grandcamp-Maisy

Cycling route in Port-en-Bessin-Huppain, Normandy, France

A pleasant route on bicycle-friendly paths and quiet country roads. Care should be taken as sudden braking on the paths can cause skidding on the gravelly surfaces. There is also a very steep climb up Rue du Phare where a pause at the top reveals marvellous views, The highlight of the day is Americ…

32.4 km
Distance: 261 m
Ascent: 274 m
Descent

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05 Day 5, Grandcamp-Maisy - Carentan-les-Marais

Cycling route in Grandcamp-Maisy, Normandy, France

An easy cycle on quiet country roads by way of Géfosse-Fontenay (lovely Church), Osmanville and Isigny-sur-Mer (where Walt Disney's family came from). There are lots to see on the route before arriving in Le Port de Plaisance and Carentan-les-Marais.

29.3 km
Distance: 84 m
Ascent: 90 m
Descent

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06 Day 6, Carentan-les-Marais - Utah Beach

Cycling route in Carentan, Normandy, France

Much of all the routes have been following the EuroVelo 4, though sometimes one is better than the other. Today, at times, the EuroVelo follows rough tracks which are not ideal on a folding bike such as a Brompton (or any bike when fully-laden. Fortunately, those sections are relatively short (I ha…

26.6 km
Distance: 13 m
Ascent: 13 m
Descent

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07 Day 7, Utah Beach - Saint-Vaast-La-Hougue

Another easy route, though at times the surface can be made more difficult by wind-blown sand. Deviations may be necessary and it can be shortened by taking the D14 more directly to Quettehou. The D-Day beaches have now been left behind and a relaxing time can be had in the picturesque port of Sain…

24.8 km
Distance: 121 m
Ascent: 121 m
Descent

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08 Day 8, Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue to Cherbourg-en-Cotentin

A pleasant route by way of quiet undulating, country roads which gradually climb to near Digosville. Turning left at the little Bar / Tabac, Le Saint Michel, the descent is by way of a steep track until reaching the Chateau de Ravalet (the gardens are free). The last few kilometres are mainly by wa…

45 km
Distance: 320 m
Ascent: 315 m
Descent