Vélo sur Omaha Beach
EV4 - Emmanuel Berthier
Découverte de Domfront à vélo
La Véloscénie - J. Damase

Boucle vélo au cœur de la Normandie

Une boucle de 400 km à travers la campagne normande

Découvrez les merveilles normandes en empruntant 3 grandes véloroutes. Au départ de Caen, cap vers le grand bleu pour rejoindre La Vélomaritime - EuroVelo 4 et découvrir, via des petites routes côtières, les plages mythiques du débarquement de 44. Aux abords de Carentan, vous ralliez la vallée de la Vire pour la côtoyer au fil d'une voie verte jusque Mortain. Bifurcation vers l'est par La Véloscénie pour rejoindre Domfront-en-Poiraie, avant de prendre la tangente vers la Suisse Normande par La Vélo Francette. Vous regagnez finalement votre lieu de départ en longeant l'Orne pour raccorder la boucle à Caen !

L'Abbaye aux Hommes à Caen - La Vélo Francette
Calvados Tourisme - J. Damase

Prendre le temps d'explorer Caen

Caen, à la fois cité portuaire et ville de Guillaume le Conquérant, mérite bien qu'on s'y attarde quelques temps !

Avec son dense patrimoine médiéval lié aux Ducs de Normandie - du château de Caen aux abbayes aux Hommes et aux Dames -, faîtes un voyage historique jusqu'au XIème siècle ! 

Sans oublier la gastronomie normande et locale, évidemment : teurgoule, moules et tripes à la Caennaise !

Cimetière du débarquement à Bayeux
G. Wait - Calvados Tourisme

Sur les traces du débarquement

Les plages de Normandie, lieux mythiques témoins d'un bouleversement majeur dans l'histoire de la Seconde Guerre Mondiale : le "D-Day" ou débarquement des alliés en France. 

Partez pour une épopée de mémoire pour découvrir, se souvenir et rendre hommage à ces événements marquants sur la Côte de la Nâcre, le long des falaises Bessin, entre Sword Beach et Omaha beach en passant par Juno beach.

Vue aérienne de la Vallée de la Vire à vélo
M. Lerouge

Au rythme de la vallée de la Vire

La Vallée de la Vire, ancrée dans le bocage normand, est votre terrain de jeux et fil conducteur entre Carentan et Vire, ville éponyme au fleuve.

De vallons en vallées, en canal ou sauvage, la Vire vous offrira une escapade nature au fil de l'eau. Un chemin de halage tentant d'en suivre ses multiples méandres fera office de fil conducteur, marqué par les différents ports fluviaux qui le ponctue.

Cascades de Mortain
J. Damase

Entre cascades et patrimoine sur La Véloscénie

L'apparition du petit village de Mortain signe la jonction entre La Vélomaritime et La Véloscénie tout en dévoilant son charmant oasis de nature : il est temps de mettre pieds à terre pour découvrir, après une courte flânerie au travers de passerelles boisées et d'échelles, ses splendides chutes d'eau !

S'ensuit un trajet entièrement sur voie verte, abordant la Sélune par moment, jusqu'à la cité médiévale de Domfront perchée sur son promontoire.

Suisse Normande à vélo au milieu de pommiers en fleurs
Calvados Tourisme - J. Damase

Épopée en Suisse Normande

C'est maintenant La Vélo Francette qui mène la barque ! Après avoir atteint Flers en flirtant avec les méandres de la Varenne, vous y êtes : bienvenue en Suisse Normande !

Un parcours qui vous hissera à quelques reprises, par ses belles grimpettes, sur les toits du bocage normand pour dominer et se délecter de sa nature verdoyante, à l'image de l'emblématique Roche d'Oëtre que vous regreteriez de manquer !

La vallée de l'Orne y sera votre fil conducteur essentiel pour ces étapes champêtres se déployant sur voies vertes et petites routes. 

Tailor-made itineraries

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Tailor-made itineraries

Ouistreham / Caen

1 Ouistreham / Caen

16 km
1 h 02 min
I begin
Start at Ouistreham, the Normandy ferry port north of Caen, its strand renowned as Sword Beach, its codename during the Allied liberation of France that began on D-Day, 6 June 1944. Take the towpath-turned-greenway beside the Canal de l’Orne; pay homage to the British airborne troops who took the vital crossing nicknamed Pegasus Bridge the night before D-Day. A cycle track leads on to the marina in central Caen. This city boasts splendid buildings dating back to William the Conqueror’s reign, while the Mémorial de Caen is a major war museum.
Arromanches-les-Bains / Ouistreham

35 Arromanches-les-Bains / Ouistreham

35 km
2 h 19 min
I begin
Cycling beside the beaches along this stage, you can't help but think of the soldiers who landed in these parts during D-Day and beyond in summer 1944. British and French soldiers came ashore at Sword Beach, Canadians at Juno Beach. The Vélomaritime leaves Arromanches via minor roads that offer 360° views of the sea and the oyster parks below. Take a break at the fishing port of Courseulles-sur-Mer, where a daily fish market takes place on the quays. This stage also allows you to admire Normandy's Côte de Nacre seaside villas, recalling the earliest days of tourist sea-bathing, along with the iconic beach huts.
Port-en-Bessin-Huppain / Arromanches-les-Bains

34 Port-en-Bessin-Huppain / Arromanches-les-Bains

22 km
1 h 28 min
I cycle often
At the start of this stage stands Port-en-Bessin, its port always lively when the fishing boats return, particularly during the scallop season. Head on to discover pretty villages, their lanes lined with long stone walls, and manor-style farms dotted along narrow country lanes. You then reach Arromanches and its famed artificial Mulberry Harbour, towed over from England following the D-Day landings of 6 June 1944 as part of the greater Operation Overlord to win back Normandy.
Grandcamp-Maisy / Port-en-Bessin-Huppain

33 Grandcamp-Maisy / Port-en-Bessin-Huppain

33 km
2 h 13 min
I cycle often
Here, you cycle in the tracks of the Allies' D-Day landings of 6 June 1944. Shortly after Grandcamp-Maisy, stop at the Pointe du Hoc, the German artillery battery on this steep headland fiercely fought over, as is movingly recalled. Then this stage, still being laid out at time of writing, leads you via a provisional route behind the coast. Midway along, a link takes you to Omaha Beach, where the majority of American troops landed on D-Day, under terrible enemy fire. Finally, at Port-en-Bessin, reward yourself with a fine seafood platter at a quay-side restaurant.
Carentan-les-Marais / Grandcamp-Maisy

32 Carentan-les-Marais / Grandcamp-Maisy

30 km
1 h 58 min
I cycle often
You start off along the Vélomaritime from Carentan taking a rather unusual bridge-canal, on which boats and cyclists cross at a higher level than the cars! The route then takes you around the Baie des Veys, an estuary where four rivers converge, offering a peaceful haven for birds and common seals who appreciate the plentiful food supply. You then reach Isigny-sur-Mer, synonymous for human gastronomes with fine butter, cream and cheese! After enjoying a wander through the marshes and alongside the Aure River, you arrive back at the coast at Grandcamp-Maisy.
Saint-Jean-de-Daye / Carentan-les-Marais

24 Saint-Jean-de-Daye / Carentan-les-Marais

19 km
1 h 16 min
I begin
You leave behind the typical Normandy hedge-divided fields to enter wetlands boasting an impressive network of channels and canals. The Vélomaritime here also leads you into the heart of one of France's main horse-breeding areas. Keep your eyes peeled for signs indicating the way to local racecourses. Reaching Carentan, nestled in the Baie des Veys, its yachting harbour immediately takes you back to a coastal atmosphere on your cycling adventure.
Saint-Lô / Saint-Jean-de-Daye

23 Saint-Lô / Saint-Jean-de-Daye

23 km
1 h 30 min
I begin
The dynamic town of Saint-Lô, despite being heavily bombed in 1944 as World War II was reaching a climax in France, has preserved an exceptional heritage, notably the national stud farm, the Haras National, which you can visit, and the town's medieval ramparts. The Vélomaritime cycle route then continues beside the Vire Canal, meandering along up to St-Jean-de-Daye, through picture-postcard countryside.
Pont-Farcy / Saint-Lô

22 Pont-Farcy / Saint-Lô

32 km
2 h 06 min
I begin
5 / 5
Your cycling trip continues gently along the picture-postcard Vire towpath, with peaceful meadows where sheep and horses graze, wild hedges full of flowers in season, and enchanting villages, including lively little Tessy-sur-Vire. Along the way, don't miss the detour to Les Roches de Ham, providing spectacular views over the Vire Valley and the Pays Saint-Lois area. The Vire's waters long attracted numerous craftspeople, including weavers, tanners and washerwomen, while many barges, houseboats and gabarres, traditional boats, are still to be seen along this picturesque valley.
Vire Normandie / Pont-Farcy

21 Vire Normandie / Pont-Farcy

36 km
2 h 10 min
I cycle often
The Vire Valley acts as the thread along this Vélomaritime stage. After a stretch of greenway, you ride along minor roads through Normandy hedge-row-divided fields and valleys. With its ups and downs, this stage provides splendid views over the Vire's meanders and leads to La Ferrière-Harang, followed by the peaceful village of Pont-Farcy, nestled in a green corner beside the river. Highlight of the day is perhaps cycling under the grand Souleuvre Viaduct.
Mortain-Bocage / Vire Normandie

20 Mortain-Bocage / Vire Normandie

43 km
2 h 50 min
I begin
The sound of the largest waterfalls in northwest France still ringing in your ears, continue riding along a greenway through the hedge-divided fields of the Normandy bocage. Here, green dominates the scene and the typical Normandy countryside imparts a feeling of well-being. Once past Sourdeval, the Vélomaritime route leads on to Vire, a town rebuilt after the 1944 Allied bombings. The place has preserved its lively traditional market and is reputed for its culinary and craft heritage.
Barenton / Mortain

22 Barenton / Mortain

10 km
41 min
I begin
The village of Mortain stands out on its hillside at the heart of the green Bocage Normand area. It also stands at the crossroads of La Véloscénie and Le Tour de Manche cycle routes. This stage of La Véloscénie is almost entirely on greenways, except for the unavoidable link to Mortain.
Domfront / Barenton

21 Domfront / Barenton

17 km
1 h 07 min
I begin
The exit from Domfront isn't easy, with a steep slope and a lot of traffic. However, La Véloscénie then joins a greenway, allowing you to enjoy the beautiful, typical Bocage Normand countryside, particularly beside the Sélune River.
Flers / Domfront

6 Flers / Domfront

23 km
1 h 30 min
I begin
You change cycle track after Flers station. Crossing the outskirts of town, near La Selle-la-Forge, at the place named Fumeçon, a greenway’s compact track takes you down a gentle slope to the Varenne River, which you’ll get close to many times along this stage. The local heritage recalls the area’s mining past as well as its agricultural past. Take it all in on what is a peaceful stretch for cyclists.
Pont d'Ouilly / La Roche d'Oëtre / Flers

5 Pont d'Ouilly / La Roche d'Oëtre / Flers

31 km
2 h 05 min
I cycle a lot
This demanding but grandiose alternative stage is worth the effort involved in cycling up La Roche d’Oëtre. From its 118m-high summit, enjoy grand views of the Rouvre’s wooded gorges, listed as an Espace Naturel Sensible (an environmentally protected area), set in the heart of Europe’s oldest mountain range. To reach the château and station at Flers, continue along pleasant, quiet, but steep roads through traditional Norman farmlands.
Thury-Harcourt / Pont d'Ouilly

3 Thury-Harcourt / Pont d'Ouilly

23 km
1 h 37 min
I cycle often
La Vélo Francette’s stage through the heart of La Suisse Normande’s hills is very nature-friendly. Cyclists follow the meanders and dramatic granite forms of the gorges of the Orne Valley, in part on a greenway, while canoeists appreciate the river itself. The waterside villages, such as Thury-Harcourt, Clécy and Pont-d’Ouilly, provide delightful stops and riverside terraces along the way.
Caen / Thury-Harcourt

2 Caen / Thury-Harcourt

28 km
1 h 52 min
I begin
Once you’ve gone round Caen’s marina, explore the city via its ‘green lungs’, notably the racecourse and a special Espace Naturel Sensible, an environmentally protected area. Continue south beside the Orne River, taking the greenway into La Suisse Normande’s hills. This portion runs along a former railway line, offering an exceptionally peaceful route, a delight for nature lovers.

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