Cycling Tour of Normandy, France
Normandy makes a great destination for a cycling holiday.
You can decide for yourself whether you want to take your own bikes or hire them locally - there are plenty of hire shops around or tour operators around.
There are also plenty of maps and guides available to help you plan your route.
Recommended maps are the Cartes de Promenade from the Institut Geographique National with a scale of 1:100 000 (1cm = 1 mile).
Using a larger scale map can make the navigation a bit more difficult but they do cover a larger area and they show all the GR routes (Grande Randonnée routes - the registered hiking trials).
If you are happy with a smaller area then the larger scaled IGN Serie Bleue maps 1:25000 are worth taking a look at.
They are useful for cycling in all areas of France.
Don't forget to take your passport with you if you're planning to hire bikes as they are often the only acceptable form of identification that you will have available.
Remember to cycle on the right!Bike helmets are strongly recommended for children and adults alike, and often will be needed to ensure your travel insurance is not invalidated.
Once you hit the route on your Normandy cycling tour, there are many local pleasures to seek out and enjoy.
There have also been so many world-altering moments that have taken place in Normandy.
In Rouen, along the River Seine, the Place du Vieux-Marche designates where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake.
William the Conqueror also used these shores to set off for the Battle of Hastings.
Just north of Caen, lie the beaches of Normandy where the allied invasion poured forth during World War II and there is much to see and remember here from that time.
All of these historic places can be visited on a cycling tour, with many offering museums and visitor attractions to help you learn more about the history.
When planning your route, make sure you leave enough time at each to enjoy the attraction, and soak up the history.
Artistic history is also extensive.
Mont-St-Michel towers upon an island of rock and enjoys superstar status as one of the greatest architectural achievements in all of Europe.
The port village of Honfleur gave birth to Impressionism, and just outside of Giverny is where Monet derived inspiration for painting water lilies.
If you are inclined to be artistic, Normandy offers wonderful coastline, woodlands and countryside which make great subject matter for photographers, sketchers or painters.
Some of Normandy's residents realized that its combination of fertile farmlands and coastline is also good for making food - lobster, oysters, Camembert cheese, Cider and Calvados brandy are a few of the regional specialties.
Many have described Normandy as one very large bakery, so there is always an excuse to pause in a town or village patisserie to try out their own specialties.
You are certain to enjoy this countryside as you bicycle through the green pastures and seaside towns, discovering the history that has made this area so famous.
Towns to explore include Caen, the regional capital and Bayeaux with its famous tapestry depicting William the Conqueror's success at the Battle of Hastings in 1066.
There is also the coastal village of Carentan with fabulous beaches nearby, and the town of St Lo.
There are a number of tour operators available that offer a selection of self-guided, circular cycling holidays in Normandy, thus allowing you to enjoy the cycling and the experience instead of having to worry about routes and equipment.
They are usually available and designed for people of any fitness level.
It can be seen as an eco-friendly pursuit offering a healthy holiday in the fresh air and with only a tiny carbon footprint.
You don't have to be a Tour de France cyclist to enjoy Normandy by bike.
The landscape if fairly flat, lush and green.
It boasts forests, beaches, golf courses and many attractions including more than forty gardens open to the public, including the beautiful water gardens at Giverny made famous by Monet.
His home is now open as a museum dedicated to his work and the gardens, the source of inspiration for many of his paintings, have been restored to their original state.
The delights of Normandy are a world away from the hassle of home, yet it's just a short hop by ferry and an easy drive away from England.
There are also regular flights from Ireland and the UK.
You can decide for yourself whether you want to take your own bikes or hire them locally - there are plenty of hire shops around or tour operators around.
There are also plenty of maps and guides available to help you plan your route.
Recommended maps are the Cartes de Promenade from the Institut Geographique National with a scale of 1:100 000 (1cm = 1 mile).
Using a larger scale map can make the navigation a bit more difficult but they do cover a larger area and they show all the GR routes (Grande Randonnée routes - the registered hiking trials).
If you are happy with a smaller area then the larger scaled IGN Serie Bleue maps 1:25000 are worth taking a look at.
They are useful for cycling in all areas of France.
Don't forget to take your passport with you if you're planning to hire bikes as they are often the only acceptable form of identification that you will have available.
Remember to cycle on the right!Bike helmets are strongly recommended for children and adults alike, and often will be needed to ensure your travel insurance is not invalidated.
Once you hit the route on your Normandy cycling tour, there are many local pleasures to seek out and enjoy.
There have also been so many world-altering moments that have taken place in Normandy.
In Rouen, along the River Seine, the Place du Vieux-Marche designates where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake.
William the Conqueror also used these shores to set off for the Battle of Hastings.
Just north of Caen, lie the beaches of Normandy where the allied invasion poured forth during World War II and there is much to see and remember here from that time.
All of these historic places can be visited on a cycling tour, with many offering museums and visitor attractions to help you learn more about the history.
When planning your route, make sure you leave enough time at each to enjoy the attraction, and soak up the history.
Artistic history is also extensive.
Mont-St-Michel towers upon an island of rock and enjoys superstar status as one of the greatest architectural achievements in all of Europe.
The port village of Honfleur gave birth to Impressionism, and just outside of Giverny is where Monet derived inspiration for painting water lilies.
If you are inclined to be artistic, Normandy offers wonderful coastline, woodlands and countryside which make great subject matter for photographers, sketchers or painters.
Some of Normandy's residents realized that its combination of fertile farmlands and coastline is also good for making food - lobster, oysters, Camembert cheese, Cider and Calvados brandy are a few of the regional specialties.
Many have described Normandy as one very large bakery, so there is always an excuse to pause in a town or village patisserie to try out their own specialties.
You are certain to enjoy this countryside as you bicycle through the green pastures and seaside towns, discovering the history that has made this area so famous.
Towns to explore include Caen, the regional capital and Bayeaux with its famous tapestry depicting William the Conqueror's success at the Battle of Hastings in 1066.
There is also the coastal village of Carentan with fabulous beaches nearby, and the town of St Lo.
There are a number of tour operators available that offer a selection of self-guided, circular cycling holidays in Normandy, thus allowing you to enjoy the cycling and the experience instead of having to worry about routes and equipment.
They are usually available and designed for people of any fitness level.
It can be seen as an eco-friendly pursuit offering a healthy holiday in the fresh air and with only a tiny carbon footprint.
You don't have to be a Tour de France cyclist to enjoy Normandy by bike.
The landscape if fairly flat, lush and green.
It boasts forests, beaches, golf courses and many attractions including more than forty gardens open to the public, including the beautiful water gardens at Giverny made famous by Monet.
His home is now open as a museum dedicated to his work and the gardens, the source of inspiration for many of his paintings, have been restored to their original state.
The delights of Normandy are a world away from the hassle of home, yet it's just a short hop by ferry and an easy drive away from England.
There are also regular flights from Ireland and the UK.
