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Always on the lookout for contrast, light and atmosphere, painters never choose an area by chance: they tend to be great places for holidays, places to wind down and relax… It's not only a few painters that fell in love with Normandy, but an entire movement! Between the grey and blue hues of the English Channel, the ever changing skies, the white chalk cliffs of Etretat, the traditional ochre cob of the houses and their abundant flower arrangements, the Côte d'Albâtre is far more colourful than one imagines. The impressionists had stumbled upon a never ending source of inspiration… Inspiration as well for our cycling tours in Normandy: a superb mix of quiet coastal backroads, interspersed with charming fishing ports and small villages, the cliffs of Etretat, but also the wonderful Fécamp and Veulettes sur Mer…
Itinerary start: France Bike Trips services begin on day 1 at 9:15am (10am if tour begins on a Saturday) at Fécamp SNCF railway station. A taxi will transfer your baggage to the first night's accommodation, leaving you free to take the train with your bike to Le Havre to begin the tour.
The transfer to Le Havre is by way of TER train, departure 9:40, arrival 10:28 (10:25/11:14 on Saturdays, Sundays: please contact us). Bicycles travel free of charge.
On request we can book the previous nights accommodation for you in Fécamp.
Beginning in the busy port of Le Havre, we head off on a cycle tour through the country of Caux and along the cliffs of the Côte d'Albâtre. We begin by following the coastline, with the fresh sea air and sound of the seagulls to accompany us. The vast horizon of "La Manche" is interspersed with the numerous boats and ships that sail the area… We gain a little altitude, before enjoying an impressive panoramic view from the cliffs of Saint-Adresse. Under the constant gaze of the areas many cows, we ride from village to village, from farm to farm, through some picture postcard scenery. We reach the pretty town of Etretat, popular during the summer months, and famous for its impressive cliffs. Today’s cycle route is fairly short, leaving plenty of time to explore the "Chemin des Douaniers", a superb path that follows the coastline. The walk is rewarded with great views of the Etretat rock arches. The walk can be adapted according to your energy and enthusiasm, with the full tour taking between 1h30 and 2h. Return to Etretat before settling into our accommodation.
We leave Etretat behind us and climb towards the chapel of Notre Dame de la Garde. The site offers a superb panorama of the beach, as well as the town and cliffs of Etretat. We now begin one of the prettiest sections of the tour: a clifftop track, offering numerous panoramic views of the coast and its white chalk cliffs that contrast superbly with the deep blue of the sea. After a ten-minute push (that's well worth the effort!), we set off again through the typical Norman countryside of cultivated fields, pastures strewn with cows, and pretty villages. During the afternoon we reach the town of Fécamp, distinctly orientated towards the sea. Fish and seafood take pride of place in Fécamp, and after a stroll along the seafront, there's the opportunity to taste the local delicacies in one of the many restaurants.
The departure from Fécamp this morning is particularly tonic: the town is set deep into the valley of Valmont, which means we have to climb up and onto the nearby headland that overlooks the town and the sea. We continue our discovery of the coastline and the Cauchois country, with its peaceful villages surrounded by lush meadows, reed beds, peat bogs and forests. The narrow country lanes that criss cross the local countryside offer an ideal terrain for cycling. The local architecture also offers plenty to admire with its traditional cottages of red brick and thatched roofs. We pass through Sassetot le Mauconduit, whose chateau served as a residence for the Empress Elisabeth of Austria, otherwise known as Empress Sisi. We head back to the coast to take a closer look at the pebble beaches and cliffs of Saint-Pierre-en-Port (as well as those of Les Petites-Dalles on the level 2 route). We then join the Valmont River, which flows into the sea at Fécamp. Our route takes us through more peaceful villages, each with their own charm and character. The traditional Norman houses of the early 20th century, made of Armorican sandstone with red brick at the angles, give a "belle époque" feel to the Cauchoie countryside. Return to the small port of Fécamp, end point of our tour of the Norman coastline.
Itinerary end: France Bike Trips services end on the last day in Fécamp at around 4pm. On request we can book the following nights accommodation for you in Fécamp.
Distances and altitude gain are an indication only and may vary.
Itinerary start: France Bike Trips services begin on day 1 at 9:15am (10am if tour begins on a Saturday) at Fécamp SNCF railway station. A taxi will transfer your baggage to the first night's accommodation, leaving you free to take the train with your bike to Le Havre to begin the tour.
The transfer to Le Havre is by way of TER train, departure 9:40, arrival 10:28 (10:25/11:14 on Saturdays, Sundays: please contact us). Bicycles travel free of charge.
On request we can book the previous nights accommodation for you in Fécamp.
Beginning in the busy port of Le Havre, we head off on a cycle tour through the country of Caux and along the cliffs of the Côte d'Albâtre. We begin by following the coastline, with the fresh sea air and sound of the seagulls to accompany us. The vast horizon of "La Manche" is interspersed with the numerous boats and ships that sail the area… We gain a little altitude, before enjoying an impressive panoramic view from the cliffs of Saint-Adresse. Under the constant gaze of the areas many cows, we ride from village to village, from farm to farm, through some picture postcard scenery. We reach the pretty town of Etretat, popular during the summer months, and famous for its impressive cliffs. Today’s cycle route is fairly short, leaving plenty of time to explore the "Chemin des Douaniers", a superb path that follows the coastline. The walk is rewarded with great views of the Etretat rock arches. The walk can be adapted according to your energy and enthusiasm, with the full tour taking between 1h30 and 2h. Return to Etretat before settling into our accommodation.
We leave Etretat behind us and climb towards the chapel of Notre Dame de la Garde. The site offers a superb panorama of the beach, as well as the town and cliffs of Etretat. We now begin one of the prettiest sections of the tour: a clifftop track, offering numerous panoramic views of the coast and its white chalk cliffs that contrast superbly with the deep blue of the sea. After a ten-minute push (that's well worth the effort!), we set off again through the typical Norman countryside of cultivated fields, pastures strewn with cows, and pretty villages. During the afternoon we reach the town of Fécamp, distinctly orientated towards the sea. Fish and seafood take pride of place in Fécamp, and after a stroll along the seafront, there's the opportunity to taste the local delicacies in one of the many restaurants.
The departure from Fécamp this morning is particularly tonic: the town is set deep into the valley of Valmont, which means we have to climb up and onto the nearby headland that overlooks the town and the sea. We continue our discovery of the coastline and the Cauchois country, with its peaceful villages surrounded by lush meadows, reed beds, peat bogs and forests. The narrow country lanes that criss cross the local countryside offer an ideal terrain for cycling. The local architecture also offers plenty to admire with its traditional cottages of red brick and thatched roofs. We pass through Sassetot le Mauconduit, whose chateau served as a residence for the Empress Elisabeth of Austria, otherwise known as Empress Sisi. On the level 2 route we head back to the coast to take a closer look at the pebble beaches and cliffs of Saint-Pierre-en-Port, Les Petites-Dalles and Les Grandes-Dalles. Our route takes us through the "valleuses", a term characteristic of the area which designates dips between the cliffs, offering natural access to the sea. The valleuses are also synonimous with descents... and climbs! A final descent at the end of the day leads us straight to our overnight stop, Veulettes- sur-Mer. Its long, broad, pebble beach offers a superb setting to watch the sun set over the high white cliffs and the Butte du Catelier. A great place to relax and unwind!
Today sees us return to Fécamp, but via a different route to the one taken the day before. This time we head inland to discover the Norman countryside, seeing our first fields of flax. Normandy is well known for its cream, its Camembert cheese and its Calvados, much less as a major producer of flax. Two thirds of France's production comes from the fields of the Caux country. Its long, frail stems almost appear to be dancing as they sway gently in the sea breeze. With its many ecological virtues (little need for fertilisers and pesticides, ease of transformation) flax has undergone somewhat of a revival in recent years. You can count yourselves lucky if you get a glimpse of its small, sky blue flowers, whose blossom is particularly short lived and discreet. Our route follows the Durdent, river that flows into the sea at Veulettes-sur-Mer. Then on a network of bucolic and quiet back lanes, we join the Valmont River, a little upstream from Fécamp, passing through more peaceful villages, each with their own charm. The traditional Norman houses of the early 20th century, made of Armorican sandstone with red brick at the angles, give a "Belle époque" feel to the Cauchoie countryside. Return to the small port of Fécamp, end point of our 4 days of cycling the Norman coastline.
Itinerary end: France Bike Trips services end on the last day in Fécamp at around 4pm. On request we can book the following nights accommodation for you in Fécamp.
Distances and altitude gain are an indication only and may vary.
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