Trip
Overview
Lodging
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All meals included except 2 lunch and 1 dinner.
Rennes, France/Caen, France
Culture & History, Fine Wine & Cuisine
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or 510-527-1555
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Berkeley, CA 94710
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Ideal for inquisitive travelers of all ages, this biking trip combines exhilarating bike rides along picturesque coastline with moments of reflection at historic landmarks. Medieval fortresses and towns spirit you back to the days of William the Conqueror. An exploration of the spectacular island monastery and cathedral of Mont-St-Michel reveals architectural wonders that have inspired the faithful since antiquity, and bunkers and gun posts at Omaha Beach and Pointe du Hoc offer you and your family a glimpse of Normandy’s more recent history.
View the Classic Casual Inns Itineraries.
View other trips in Europe France
Meet in Rennes 
We start our adventure with a typical Breton lunch As you pedal over rolling terrain to the Côte d’Émeraude (Emerald Coast), seaside villages that tempt you with friendly cafés and crêperies Taste a Kir Breton (apple cider and cassis), an authentic Brittany aperitif Dine in Dinan, a fortified medieval port town with half-timbered houses and narrow cobblestone streets Catch the sunset on our private guided tour of the Old Town.
Explore Mont-St-Michel, a fairy-tale-like island monastery and cathedral - built out of the rocks and towering above the bay - that’s sure to impress everyone in the family 
Say adieu to the Breton coast and shuttle into Normandy and the département of Calvados, known for its excellent cider and flavorful cheeses Ride down quiet country roads to the 13th-century Abbaye de Mondaye, which is still an active monastery Visit D-Day landmarks and memorials such as Omaha Beach and the American Military Cemetery Kids can try their hand at the art of glass blowing.
In medieval Bayeux, check out the 11th-century Bayeux Tapestry, a 230-foot-long embroidered "storybook" depicting the Norman invasion of England Savor views of desolate beaches and rugged shoreline as you ride to the coast Kids enjoy a tour of a local mohair farm At the award-winning Caen Memorial, spend time with a World War II historian and hear his experiences as a resistance fighter.
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.
I thoroughly enjoyed this Backroads trip. The region, leaders and mix of families on the trip were all wonderful. It was an excellent mix of physical activity, historical and cultural learning and fun. My entire family had a great experience. We're ready to do it again somewhere new!- Long Beach, CA
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.
Le Tronchet (2 nights): Ideally located in the heart of Brittany and offering easy access to the region’s best sights.
(1 night):
* With 1 night
Colleville-sur-Mer (1 night): A charming hotel situated next to the American Cemetery and landing beaches.
Bayeux (2 nights): Located in the old city, just steps from the famous Bayeux Tapestry.
1 Route Option Available
3 Route Options Available
3 Route Options Available
3 Route Options Available
3 Route Options Available
On this Family Trip, our routes follow gentle terrain with no significant gain or loss in elevation. Liberal van shuttling is incorporated into the itinerary to facilitate our activities and mileage is kept moderate to enable you to spend more time exploring on your own.
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 |
