Stage 1: Ouistreham to Caen (9 miles)


The start of this trip couldn't be simpler - a well-marked cycleway along the estuary/river from the sea to Caen.  Most of it is pretty picturesque, especially first thing in the morning after coming off the ferry.  There is one short semi-industrial stretch, but nothing unpleasant. On the way you pass the famous Pegasus Bridge, which played a key role in the Normandy landings (modern version of the bridge not particularly scenic, but historic spot).

Route directions:

Very simply pick up cycleway signs to Caen immediately after coming off the ferry, following the right bank of the river. The route (all the way to Clecy) is part of a very long distance cycleway (to La Rochelle) called the Velo Francette, whose website has pages on each section.

The Velo Francette symbol is this

And the cycle signs tend to look like this.

(To make navigation really easy, especially through Caen, you can use the GPX tracker on the Velo Francette site which will show your position relative to the route.)

On arrival in Caen, you arrive in a quayside area. To continue straight through the city follow the route signs.  But if you're spending a bit of time in Caen, which is worthwhile, you should divert, as shown on map, to a lovely restored old quarter, featuring the "Abbaye des Hommes", which contains William the Conqueror's tomb and is worth a visit, and the castle, where there's a splendid walk along the ramparts. To get there, turn right when you reach a canal perpendicular to your route, and follow your nose (or Google) initially to the castle.  This old part of the town has plenty of nice places for lunch. To continue, don't retrace your steps but head for Avenue Albert Sorel, to join the oval park shown on the map, then double back to the right onto the cycleway.

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