La Manche by bike: a good idea?
Let's answer the question right away: yes, having a bike here is worth it! There is no need to put any pressure on yourself and tell you that getting around by bike is necessarily for long distances. Here, the little queen is easy to use, the local geography lends itself to it and the dedicated facilities are numerous - we will come back to this later. So you can pedal simply to go shopping, to go to the beach, to go for a ride with your family - even with children. Of course, there's also plenty of room for long-distance cycling for road warriors and occasional athletes. Finally, if you intend to come here with your bike, and use only it, the answer is the same: yes, it is possible!
Which bikes, and for which uses?
You are equipped, but are you properly equipped? Unless your bike is old and in disrepair, whatever type of equipment you have can be used here: Dutch bike, mountain bike or VTC, electric or folding equipment - sometimes both - you can easily discover the department with your bike. On the beach, the mountain bike is the most suitable. For long distances, the racing bike will swallow up the kilometers without hindrance. If you want to ride through the countryside, a mountain bike is ideal. In the city, there is no such thing as an adapted bike - and therefore none that is not recommended! There is no shortage of stores in the department: from large sports stores with well-known names to small independent shops, there are many, and many are listed in this guide. The usual precaution: if you intend to buy one here, check the availability beforehand: the requests are important, in the Manche as everywhere else!
Renting your bike: one option among others, but with precautions
There are more than fifty bicycle rental companies in the department. However, be careful: most of them offer rental for a few hours or half a day, but rarely more. So, if you intend to cross the Channel over several days, and therefore to rent for a longer period, find out beforehand!
Greenways
They are numerous, and often take the route of old disused railroads. There are hundreds of kilometers of greenways in La Manche, spread over the entire territory. Some examples: the link between Bricquebec / Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte / La Haye, the greenway of the Vire valley, from Pont-Farcy to Saint-Lô, the link from Mortain to Saint-Hilaire-du-Harcouët, in the south. And the list is getting longer and longer..
Urban bicycle paths
In cities, here as elsewhere, the trend is towards "soft" forms of transport, including cycling. In Saint-Lô, Granville and Cherbourg-en-Cotentin, for example, every urban redevelopment project now features lanes dedicated to cyclists. The latter has a long ribbon, over fifteen kilometers long, that runs along the sea from west to east, and work is underway to rapidly extend this network.
Famous cycling races
If you are a cycling fan, and you do not want to pedal but to encourage the athletes, note that the Manche region does not lack dedicated events. Thus, many small towns traditionally offer criteriums and other competitions: Saint-Martin-de-Landelles or Périers in February; Martinvast, Parigny or Sotteville in May; Avranches in June; Les Pieux or Torigny-les-Villes in July: the list is not exhaustive. The Tour de Normandie in March, the Polynormande (still in Saint-Martin-de-Landelles, a city of bicycles) in August or the 3 days of Cherbourg in September are aimed at professionals. And then, of course, the Tour de France, which has passed through the department dozens of times.
Prestigious itineraries
Many very long distance routes, linking different European countries, cross the Channel. Among these, the Vélomaritime is one of them. Over 1400 kilometers, it links Belgium to the northern coast of Brittany. In the department, it arrives from the east along the sea, crosses Carentan-les-Marais and then heads north to Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue, reaches Cherbourg and then, again, the capital of the marshes by a circuit in the bocage and the marshes. It then descends to the south, crosses Saint-Lô, makes a small detour through Vire, in Calvados, before returning to the Manche area by the escarpments of the southeast, passes in front of the majestic Mont-Saint-Michel and goes to Saint-Malo. If its route is marked (you will just have to follow the signs with a number "4" on a blue starry background), it is not completely on its own.
Another must-see in this area is the Véloscénie. This route links the capital to Mont-Saint-Michel by crossing the north of Beauce, then the south of Normandy, in the Orne. In the Manche, it arrives by Barenton, joins Mortain, Isigny-le-Buat, Ducey and then begins a sinuous course at the approach of the Mount. One cannot help but think that the reference to the term "scenic" comes from the very last part of your journey, when the silhouette of the Mont plays with the reliefs, and its majesty, which is finally offered to you, appears as a climax to your journey. Finally, another possibility: crossing the department from north to south via the west coast, from Cherbourg to Mont-Saint-Michel, passing through La Hague, Les Pieux, Barneville-Carteret, Agon-Coutainville and Granville.
A few tips
Don't go on an adventure: study your route beforehand if you don't know it. Of course, never leave without supplies, rain gear, and your Petit Futé guide in your bag. Take advantage of the places without hurrying, because no route lacks assets. Finally, if you want to come to La Manche with your own bike, note that almost all the trains have places for your bikes. You are now ready to set off on the roads and paths of the area!
