Cycling Collection by Vincent Reboul
From pink granite to the Opal Coast — cycle France’s la Vélomaritime
18 routes
105:32
1,642km
11,120m
This Collection covers the French section, which is 1,440 kilometres (895 mi) long.
Your adventure begins at Roscoff in Brittany, in the department of Finistère, and ends by the Belgian border at Bray-Dunes in the department of Pas-de-Calais.
The route allows you to discover the glorious beauty of Brittany’s north coast and also the Normandy bocage terrain, the Cotentin peninsula, the Normandy coast, the Seine Maritime and the Bay of the Somme.
Each section of the coastline has a beautiful name, either inspired by a gemstone or by its colour. You pass successively from the pink granite coast to the emerald coast, then from the alabaster coast (another name given to white marble) to the opal coast.
There are so many precious stones and so many sublime and diverse landscapes along this preserved coast. The Conservatoire du Littoral, an association for the protection of natural heritage, is working to preserve the coastline and river banks here. Important and well-known sites such as the D-Day landing beaches and Mont Saint-Michel are among the must-sees of this Collection.
If you ever fancy a detour, I suggest you take the side roads to discover unsuspected places. The Pays d'Auge in Normandy is a good example, with its orchards, old farms and half-timbered houses.
The route does not present any particular difficulty, with the exception of the Bocage Normand, which offers alternating steep valleys, meadows and rocky escarpments.
You will find plenty of accommodation options and food outlets along the way. Some places are quite busy, so book in advance, especially during the summer months. If you want to stay in good hotels you will be spoilt for choice, but you will also find wonderful campsites and gîtes.
The average daily distance over the 18 days is about 80 kilometres (50 mi) with an elevation gain of 500 metres (1,640 ft); a route that is suitable for all levels.
If this is your first cycling trip, the Vélomaritime is a perfectly suitable route. It offers as much variety as the Loire Valley, which is often recommended for novice cyclists who want to start with an easy ride.
As far as gastronomy is concerned, you’re in the right place: Brittany and Normandy are famous for their seafood and butter dishes, such as Breton galettes, their charcuterie or the delicious pastry cake, the famous kouign-amann.
All the towns and villages on each Tour are served by bus or train. This means that you’ll have no problem getting to the starting point of your choice and back home when you have finished your journey.
As far as the weather is concerned, remember to take waterproofs. The summer season and early autumn are the best times to enjoy this adventure. September seems to me to be an ideal time, as the sites are quieter.
Visibility:
Anyone
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La Vélomaritime
1,476km
10,250m
10,250m
Last updated: November 17, 2024
Do it yourself!
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Ready to get going? Create and customize your own version of this adventure using the full route below as a template.
Activities
79.5km
05:13
880m
840m
Hard bike ride. Very good fitness required. You may need to push your bike for some segments of this route.
115km
07:34
990m
990m
Hard bike ride. Very good fitness required. You may need to push your bike for some segments of this route.
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81.3km
05:01
650m
660m
Hard bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
106km
07:14
1,000m
960m
Hard bike ride. Very good fitness required. You may need to push your bike for some segments of this route.
73.8km
04:31
530m
590m
Hard bike ride. Very good fitness required. Some segments of this route may be unpaved and difficult to ride.
88.2km
05:36
310m
290m
Hard bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
90.3km
06:26
940m
780m
Hard bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
88.4km
06:55
600m
730m
Hard bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
103km
07:01
560m
600m
Hard bike ride. Very good fitness required. Some segments of this route may be unpaved and difficult to ride.
122km
07:23
500m
500m
Hard bike ride. Very good fitness required. You may need to push your bike for some segments of this route.
90.0km
05:44
480m
440m
Hard bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
140km
08:42
870m
910m
Hard bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
66.8km
04:03
520m
510m
Hard bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
81.8km
04:59
750m
760m
Hard bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
89.9km
05:27
470m
470m
Hard bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
101km
05:58
430m
380m
Hard bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
55.8km
03:41
560m
600m
Hard bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
69.3km
04:05
100m
100m
Moderate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
Collection Stats
Activities
18
Distance
1,642 km
Duration
105:32 h
Elevation
11,120 m
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