Day 1 – Caen – Bagnoles de l’Orne 68 miles
Elevation Gain: 1285m Garmin file: http://connect.garmin.com/course/8051208
Overview
We begin our epic journey at the port of Ouistreham and continue south through the historic town of Caen. The first 20 mile is on a perfectly smooth, flat, traffic free cycle path called the Suisse-Normande route alongside the River Orne which will take you through some lovely scenery. After a late morning of rolling French countryside we pick up the river again and lunch is at a scenic spot at Clecy. After lunch the route gets much more demanding and there is a hilly end to the day as we head towards the Andaines Forest and our first nights accommodation in the spa town of Bagnoles de l’Orne.
Practical Notes
First brew stop is at 18 miles
Take care on the cycle path south of Caen as the path runs alongside a disused rail track and crosses over it a number of times. This can be slippery when wet.
For anyone not staying at the Ibis Hotel please meet at the Ibis Hotel at 8.30 ready to go. Once everyone is ready we will cycle a short distance to take the group photo before setting off.
Those staying at Ibis Hotel or who have come off the morning ferry and breakfasted at Ibis Hotel need to cross over the road in front of the hotel, walk up and join the cycle path and go R, this will take you round to just past the fish market where you will see the morning brief point on your L.
Watch out for tree roots in the cycle paths today.
At 10.3 there is a dangerous junction that we cannot go straight across so we need to do a very short detour which involves you walking for a few metres, faffy but safe!
The morning is flat and easy but the hills start just before lunch and the afternoon is hilly.
MAP
Start point
At the Ibis Hotel (at the entrance to the ferry port) at 8.30.
Elevation Profile
Lunch
After 34 miles at Clecy. Restaurant Aux Roches (02 31 69 72 94 Rue de la Cambronnerie, 14570 Clecy).
Evening meal
At the Hotel at 19.00(in the bar on the 1st floor. The meal will have been pre ordered and is 22 Euro’s per person for a 3 course meal. Peak Tours will provide about 10 bottles of wine as a first night treat!
Route Notes
Miles Route
0 From the brief point continue along the cycle path for a few hundred metres and then you will come to a crossing, you can use the cycle path to the R or L here but it is perhaps best to just join the road (taking care for traffic) and continue on with the river on your L.
0.6 After about ½ mile the road bends to the R. You need to go L here to Caen 13 following the cycle path. Follow the blue cycle path to Caen. You will be following a cycle path by the canal all the way into Caen.
3.0 Cross straight over the road at Pegasus Bridge through the barriers along the cycle path on the RHS of the river. The building in front of you at this point was the first house to be liberated when the allies landed at the end of WW2.
6.2 Cross over another road which can be quite busy.
7.7 Continue under a large road bridge keeping the canal on your L.
8.0 You will meet with a road. Keep straight on continuing on the cycle path. A bit further along continue past a Lidl supermarket.
8.7 The cycle path comes to an end and you will join the road. You will see a small blue bridge over the canal. Go L here on the road over the bridge You will now have a canal on your R.
8.9 At the small r-bout go R over the canal and then use the cycle crossing to your L.
This will take you round to another crossing, go straight over here continuing along the cycle path with the river on your L
9.2 Continue over another road with tram tracks. Keep straight on with the canal on your L. A bit further and you’ll pass a racing track on your R.
10.1 Towards the end of the racing track you will come to some barriers. Go L here over a bridge over the river. On the other side of the bridge you will come to a rail track, go R here and follow the path down under the rail track.
On the other side of the rail track follow the road up to the L and out to a road and go R up a small hill.
10.3 At the top of the hill the path meets a road.
To cross we need to follow the cycle path to the L up to the pedestrian crossing, dismount from your bike and use the crossing on your R. On the other side of the crossing go R on the footpath down to the road we need to be on. Looking out for traffic join this road and go L to Fleury s’Orne along Chemin d’ Fluery s’Orne.
You will now be cycling along a narrow road. Keep straight on for a couple of miles, there are a couple of Give Way junctions along here so take care.
12.4 Keep a close eye out for a road which drops off to your R which says Lile enchantee and also St Andre sur Orne. Turn off to the R here which takes you down towards the river.
At the bottom of the hill follow the road round to the L at Auberge de Li’lle enchantee. This road is the D233 (Rue de Saint Andre).
13.0 Pass under a road bridge. Immediately after you have passed under the bridge you will notice a cycle path to your R. Go quick R, L and join this cycle path at the sign Foret de Grinbasq 11, Thury Harcourt 21, Clecy 33.
18.0 Look out for the brew van for refreshments. At time of writing there was a portaloo here.
Stay on this cycle path with the rail track on your L and the river to your R.
26.1 Just before you come to Thury-Harcourt you will come to a tunnel.
26.3 On the other side of the tunnel you will continue for approx 200m and then meet a road. Go R here, come to a T-junction and then go R over the train tracks and over the bridge.
26.5 On the other side of the bridge take the first L to Pont de la Mousse, St Martin de Sallen, La Suisse Normand and La roc qui beu along the D166.
27.0 Further along the road forks round to the R but you need to keep L here and continue along the D166 to PT de la Mousse 4. There are a few short ups and downs here.
29.7 You will cycle by the river for a short spell and then keep a close eye out and go L over the bridge at the sign for Pont de la Mousse and Vers RD 562 for the D133
(be careful not to miss this turn).
Shortly after cross a railroad and the road climbs to a junction. Go R for St. Remy sur Orme 2.5, Clecy 5 and Conde s Noireau along the D562. This is a busier road but still not very busy.
31.0 Continue through St. Remy. The village has a shop, boulangerie, bar, pharmacy and a butchers.
31.6 After about half a mile out of St. Remy you need to turn L along a road which has a small sign for St. Remy sur Orme along the D133 (just before some rail tracks).
Follow this road up which climbs. At the top of the hill follow the road round to the R at the sign La Suisse Normande route des cretes a few hundred metres on keep R and follow the road down, stay on this road as it winds through the village.
33.1 Towards the bottom of the descent you will go over some train tracks and about a hundred metres after that follow the road round to the R to Clecy 1 along the D133c and then cross over the bridge.
33.3 A few hundred metres after the bridge you go past a timbered house on your L. Straight after this you need to turn L but the road is concealed by a bush. There are some recycling bins here. Go L here up the narrow, steep lane. Follow this scenic road round.
33.8 At the end of the narrow road you will approach some houses, fork R here. This will take you to meet with a road. Go L down the road here.
34.1 As the road bends round to the L to go over a bridge, you need to keep straight on here (R) keeping the river on your L along the D168.
A bit further along is a place on the R called Restaurant Aux Roches (02 31 69 72 94 Rue de la Cambronnerie, 14570 Clecy). This is the first lunch stop. Lunch is included but please pay the restaurant for your drinks
34.8 Continue under a viaduct and follow the road round to the R.
35.6 Follow the road round to the L over some train tracks and then at a small junction go L to Le Bo 1.5 along the D168.
Further along continue through Le Bo. The road here is generally ‘undulating’,
Stay on the D168 towards Pont d’Ouilly.
39.5 After a while the drops down and you meet with the D23 road. Go R to Pont d’Ouilly 3 at a sharp right turn. Stay on this road.
41.1 At the top of a climb come to a R-bout and go R to Pont d’Ouilly.
There are a few restaurants & a small supermarket in Pont d’Ouilly.
41.8 The road drops down, slow down towards the bottom, go over a pedestrian crossing and at a small petrol station just before the bridge go L. Continue on with the river on your R.
Pass La Bateau.
43.8 Come into Pont Des Vers and further on you will come to a T-junction. Go L here along the D18E to Les Mesnil-Villement 1.5, Falaise 16.
44.0 A few hundred metres along you will see a sign for a picnic spot, just after this go sharp R under an old scenic bridge to St Philbert 1.5 along the D18a
You will go over a few bridges and then have a fairly long climb which flattens out and then rises again
45.9 At the top of the climb come to a junction with the D301 & the D329 after Roche d’Oetre and go L to Breel along the D301.
46.0 Continue for a few hundred metres and then go R along the D329 to Breel. Not too long after this turning, on your L are some toilets.
47.3 Come to a T-junction and go R to Breel 0.8 along the D229.
47.6 Continue through Breel.
49.1 When you come to a crossroads go straight over along the D805 to ND du Rocher 0.2.
51.0 When you meet the junction with the D43 go L to La Carneille 1.
51.5 Part way into La Carnielle and go sharp L to Briouze & Ste Opportune along the D20.
53.0 You will go up a long steady climb, part way up the climb, keep an eye out and go R along the D53 to Bellou-en-Houlme 8 and Durcet 1.
54.0 At Durcet go straight over the crossroad along the D53 to Bellou-en-Houlme.
55.3 You will come to a junction with the D924. Go L to Briouze. After about 80m take the next R along the D53 to Bellou-en-Houlme 4.5.
58.2 When you come into Bellou-en-Houlme you will see Le Grand Turk bar/hotel/restaurant. Do a quick R then L (remembering to be on the R side of the road). There are some public toilets here and a small shop.
There are straight flat sections and then some long steady rises along this section, the traffic is light but cars can go fairly quickly so please take care
63.2 Take care over the cobbled section and come into La Sauvagere. At the junction go sharp L then R to St Michel des A and Bagnoles De l’O.
66.5 When you come to St Michel des Andaines you will come to a tricky junction with a church in front of you, taking great care for traffic from all sides go L to Bagnoles along the D908 then immediately R to Bagnoles d’Orne along the D386.
67.9 Come to a junction in Bagnoles and keep straight on (L) past the Bois Joli Hotel and continue into town past all the restaurants.
68.1 At the r-bout in the centre of Bagnoles go R and you will drop down to the lake and see the Hotel Du Beryl on your L. Go into the main entrance underneath the sign and one of the guides will be there to help you. The garage for the bikes is to the left of the main entrance.
Julie Lebreton
Hotel Du Beryl, 1 Rue de Casinos, 61140 Bagnoles de l’Orne
0033 (0)2 3338 4444