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Route Rating Level 2 to Level 5

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Premiere Inns
  • $4,398 pp dbl. occ.
  • (+$1,070 for sgl. occ.)

Reserve early for the best available price. More Info

6 DAYS, 5 NIGHTS
ROLLOVER DATES BELOW FOR SPECIFIC PRICES
2009 DATES
CLASSIC TRIPS
ROLLOVER DATES ABOVE FOR SPECIFIC PRICES
TRIP NOTES

All meals included except 2 lunches and 1 dinner.

Cancellation Policy

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Meet / Depart

Caen, France/St-Malo, France

Special Interest

Culture & History, Fine Wine & Cuisine, Romance &/or Honeymoon

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or 510-527-1555
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Berkeley, CA 94710

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Brittany Normandy Biking

Brittany & Normandy Biking

From Tranquil Farms to Historic Coasts

On a windswept plateau above France’s northwest coast, prepare yourself for more than the sound of the crashing surf below. Memories of battles waged long ago remain as powerful as breathtaking views. This Backroads journey combines exhilarating bike rides through undulating pastureland and along picturesque coastline with moments of reflection at historic landmarks. Medieval fortresses and towns spirit you back to the days of William the Conqueror, while bunkers and gun posts at Omaha Beach and Pointe du Hoc offer a glimpse of Normandy’s more recent past. Seaside villages tempt you with friendly cafés and crêperies, and elegant inns underscore the region’s penchant for luxury.

View the Family Premiere Inns Itineraries.

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Days 1-2 port-en-bessin

Meet in Caen Warm up with a spin through the gently cultivated département of Calvados in Normandy Sample Kir Normand, an authentic aperitif Rugged cliffs and historic beaches provide the backdrop for the next day’s ride down the coast Tour Omaha Beach with a local historian and guide, visit the American Military Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer and walk amid the shattered bunkers of the old German stronghold, Pointe du Hoc.

Day 3 audrieu

Continue pedaling along the dramatic windswept coastline Explore Arromanches and the remains of one of the artificial ports constructed to aid in the D-Day Invasion Spend time with a World War II historian, who recounts his personal experiences as a resistance fighter In the beautifully preserved town of Bayeux, view the exquisite 11th-century Bayeux Tapestry The impressive Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Bayeux is worth a visit.

Days 4-6 cancale

Climb the narrow walkway to the majestic island monastery of Mont-St-Michel and roam within the hallowed walls of the iconic pilgrimage site Follow a challenging route past enchanting fishing villages and impressive sandstone cliffs along the Emerald Coast of Brittany A stop in a Breton crêperie is a must Visit Dinan, a walled medieval port town perched above the Rance River.

Route Rating What's this? Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. Each offers options for more or less activity, so you can decide exactly how much you want to do day by day.

Lodging What's this? Our lodgings are divided into three different categories.

Premiere Inns:These lodgings possess both elegance and authentic regional flair.

Casual Inns:These lodgings are comfortable and appropriate to the areawith such characteristics as authenticity, scenic settings and proximity to our activities.

Deluxe Camping:We set up the tents (and take them down), handle every camp chore and perform culinary magic.

Detailed Itinerary

Reserve This Trip!

Guest Trip Reviews

The itinerary was awesome and so meaningful and touching with all that we saw of the Normandy Invasion....It made history come alive for us, even though it was at times heart wrenching to think about all that happened there. The local guides were EXCELLENT! We wish we could have had more time with Andre Heinz! The Bayeaux Tapestry was another highlight!!!! Mont-St-Michel was awesome to see....Our family all had such a great time and can't wait to go on another Backroads trip.
Sue Brandt - Brawley, CA

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For 30 years, Backroads has been perfecting the art of active travel. We are the Brittany and Normandy tour experts. For biking tours in Europe France, trust our in-depth connections. To see all our Europe France biking tours click here. For our selection of award-winning Europe France walking and hiking tours click here. For our selection of award-winning Europe France multisport tours click here.

Brittany & Normandy Biking

CHATEAUX INDULGENCES: Premiere Inns

La Cheneviere

Port-en-Bessin (2 nights): Classically elegant, this four-star château, a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, is in a tranquil setting close to the beaches of Normandy.

Chateau d'Audrieu

Audrieu (1 night): Set amid exquisite gardens and parkland, this grand 18th-century estate, a Relais & Châteaux member, is enhanced by Michelin-starred cuisine, period furnishings and a pool.

Chateau Richeux

Cancale (2 nights): Quiet elegance reigns in this lovely Relais & Châteaux hotel, an 18th-century estate with gardens, an orchard and views of the Bay of Mont-St-Michel.

Brittany & Normandy Biking Brittany & Normandy Biking

La Cheneviere

View the Family Premiere Inns Itineraries.

Brittany & Normandy Biking

Route Rating

Daily Mileage Options & Cumulative Elevation Gain

Day 1
  • Level 1  1 Route Option Available
  • 18 miles
  • 300 feet elevation gain
Day 2
  • Levels 1 to 4 3 Route Options Available
  • 19, 36, 46 miles
  • 200 - 400 feet elevation gain
Day 3
  • Levels 1 to 4 3 Route Options Available
  • 19, 27, 43 miles
  • 250 - 350 feet elevation gain
Day 4
  • Levels 2 to 4 3 Route Options Available
  • 20, 27, 40 miles
  • 200 - 300 feet elevation gain
Day 5
  • Levels 1 to 5 3 Route Options Available
  • 17, 27, 55 miles
  • 350 - 400 feet elevation gain
Day 6
  • Level 1 1 Route Option Available
  • 18 miles
  • 200 feet elevation gain
Brittany & Normandy Biking Brittany & Normandy Biking

Trips For All Abilities

Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. We know your pace may vary from one day to the next-and your traveling companion's may differ somewhat from yours. So we present a range of mileage options, and each day you decide exactly what and how much you want to do.

Activity Level Average Time Average Distance
    Biking Walking
& Hiking
1 2-3
hours		 10-20
miles		 2-5
miles
2 2-4
hours		 21-30
miles		 5-7
miles
3 3-5
hours		 31-40
miles		 7-9
miles
4 4-6
hours		 41-55
miles		 9-11
miles
5 5-7+
hours		 56-75+
miles		 11-13+
miles