Tag Archives: Normandie

Day 4 – Carentan to Regneville

(80km)
Today was a very good day, which started with an early sunshine, no rain and a couple of croasants du chocolat. I left the campsite at 10:30 and started looking for that cycling path I had decided the day before. Unfortunately when I got there I realised it’s not tarmac but small gravel and since my bike has really thin tyres, I had to take the conventional roads. Thin tyres are good and fast, but not ideal at all for touring, as you miss out so many things and you always afraid that they will get a punchure.
Most of the day I cycled on midium size roads, so I had relativly many cars passing next to me. Thankfully the french drivers are very good and most of them would go completly to the opposite direction side of the road to overtake me.

About 30km of straight and flat road

About 30km of straight and flat road

My first stop at around midday was at La Haye Du Puit. I was hungry so went for hunting in the local butchers. I was planning to get some pate, some tomatoes and a bread, but when I went in I saw this ready to take away lasagne sand couldn’t resist the convenience. I couldn’t find anywhere appropriate to eat them, so I had them at the main square’s car park, pretending I am looking at the local map.
I was rather full, so I left the town, urgently looking for a siesta hideout. A couple of kilometers later, I saw a sideroad that led to a farm and snoozed on the crass for about half and hour.

Siesta spot

Siesta spot

After I recovered my energy, I started pedaling again to the next town Lessay and then Coutance which was my main destination. From there the coast wasn’t that far away and easy to locate a camping. I stayed in the town for a couple of hours for a soft drink and a little wonder around. Apart from the nice cathedral, it has an amazing garden, where two weddings were taking place at the time. As I was caring my bike and an old lady started dragging me to show me the flowers that formed cyclists. I think it was the towns theme, but didn’t understand why.

The cyclist

The cyclist

After I stretched my legs, I continued heading to the coast by the main road again. Just before my final destination though, I decided to take a little detour in order to see the full length of the beach where the river meets the sea. By accident I found a signed rout for bicycles, so I decided to follow it.
It took me through some amazing landscapes full of farms with stacks of compressed crass, cows and sheeps. Then some really nice little villages and the beautiful coast.

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Without really expecting it, I saw a municipal camp site in front of me. I stopped and started thinking whether to call it a day and stay there or continue cycing. But with such a view right in front of the water and an amazing sunset at the time the decision was easy to make.

The village behind my ten

The village behind my ten

My tent and the view

My tent and the view

I had a quick half shower, as I realised it needs money to operate and then started looking for something to eat, ideally big and cheap as I was very hungry. There seemed to be only one restaurant near by. I didnt expect it, but it was a rather posh place and felt a little strange on flipflops and a tShirt. In the end I had a 3 course meal and a wine at the cost of 23€, while watching the sun setting and the tyde rissing the waters. Not bad at all for a treat after a 80km ride!

Sunset by the restaurant

Sunset by the restaurant

Day 3 – Quineville to Carentan

(33km)

Once again I woke up under a cloudy sky and as I was preparing my stuff to depart it started raining. Not much, but just enough to get my tent wet. I packed it anyway, had my banana and started my daily ride, hoping to cover a good distance.
The coastal road was just amazing. The sea on the left, endless farms on the right and the clouds above slowly dissapearing to reveal a nice blue sky and the sun which would help dry my cloths on the bike.
Only a few kilometers on the way and I stoped at the first german bunker, overlooking the sea. It had a few holes on its wall, making it obvious that there was once a big fight there. Continuing down the coast, I saw more and more of similar structures, some deserted, others converted to something useful by locals.

German bunker, which is now been used by youths to consume alcohol!
German bunker, which is now been used by youths to consume alcohol!
Bunker wisely used!
Bunker wisely used!

The coastal road, as well as all the near by ones, were dedicated to all the dead soldiers that fought during D-day, so every half a kilometer there was a marking with a name and its rank. A few more kilometers to the south and I got to Utah beach, where the majority of the American troops landed. There was a big memorial, a few tanks, a museum and a very nice beach that French people were enjoying.

Sherman Tank
Sherman Tank

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One of the memorials at Utah Beach
One of the memorials at Utah Beach
That's where I started from.
That’s where I started from.

I was getting hungry and as I denied to pay for a sandwich at the tourist price, I moved on the the mainland. The first town I met was Ste-Marle Dumont, which was one of the first to be liberated after the invasion. It had a nice church where apparently the soldiers spent a night there and a couple of small museums, one of which I visited.

Alley in Ste Marie Du Mont
Alley in Ste Marie Du Mont
Happy German Soldier in the museum.
Happy German Soldier in the museum.

I then bought a buguette/sandwitch which I straped to the bike and left the town. A couple of kilometers down the road, I found an ideal place to consume it and also unpack the tent and let it dry properly. I tried to have a siesta but it was rather too hot.

After lunch dryout and siesta
After lunch dryout and siesta

The next city on the way was Carentan. By the time I got there, I had only done 30 kilometers and I was feeling like doing a lot more. But unfortunately I hadn’t thought about where to go next and I was debating whether to continue on the D-day beaches on the east or start making my way to the south. I visited the local tourist information office and I found out there aren’t many camp sites in the mainland. I went to the nearby cafe, which had wifi, to think and decide what to do next. I ended up spending three hours in there, which didn’t left me with any other option other than spending the night there. I decided to go south next day, via some dedicated cycle paths.
After I got my internet fix and updated the blog, I went to the local camp site which is the best I’ve been so far and for only 5€ it is a total bargain. As I was trying to choose a spot to pitch the tent, I noticed a couple that I saw earlier in the day on their bikes, preparing their dinner. Without much thinking the girl approached me and invited me to dine with them, which of course I couldn’t turn down. Christof and Stephane are German and started their cycle tour from the west edge of Brittany two weeks ago and they are planning to get to Caen by Sunday. We exchanged experiences over our maps and they gave me loads of tips and advices as they were more experience than me. After we had the noodles they cooked on the spot, we went into to town to have some desert. I already had an ice cream that day and I felt a little bad having that amazing chocolate cake as I only did 30km that day. But I guess I can burn these extra calories the day after.

Stephane , me and Christof at the camp site
Stephane , me and Christof at the camp site