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Mont Saint Michel self guided cycling tours in Normandy & Brittany

country:France
location:Brittany, Normandy 
trip type:Self guided, moderate cycling holidays
departures:This trip can depart any day April - October
price:From €775 (6 days) excluding flights and bike hire. Price based on double occupancy. Includes accommodation in 3- and 2-star properties, breakfasts and 5 dinners, route notes, luggage transfers and assistance if necessary
vouchers:Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday
 
the amazing things you'll be doing
This 5-night/6-day tour takes you from Granville to Pontorson, bringing around the beautiful bay of Mont-Saint-Michel, and finishing up in the lovely and picturesque countryside of Brittany and Normandy. Granville is a Norman coastal town, located a stone's throw away from the Anglo-Norman island of Jersey, and is conveniently serviced by train from Paris, Caen, and Rennes.

From beginning to end, the mesmerizing Mont-Saint-Michel and its towering abbey will be within sight, except for those memorable gastronomic gaps and other spectacular sites that dot your route, such as the fishing port of Cancale and medieval Saint-Malo. We have kept the mileage to a minimum to better enable you to visit and savour this tour's extraordinary sites and soak up the relaxing and refreshing rural life of this part of France. This tour can be done on a 4-night/5-day basis and can be combined with our other Norman tours.

Highlights include:
  • Cycling along the coastal road with Mont-Saint-Michel as backdrop and through the quaint countryside with picturesque small villages and hamlets.
  • Visit of Majestic and imposing Mont-Saint-Michel, a world-renown and car-free island village.
  • Visit of the beautiful walled town of Saint-Malo and the walled city of Granville, located a stone's throw away from the Anglo-Norman island of Jersey.
  • Cycling to the coast's northernmost rocky point, the breathtaking Pointe du Grouin.
Optional activities:
  • Omelette-based lunch at the world-famous "La Mere Poulard" restaurant in Mont-Saint-Michel.
day-by-day itinerary
Day 1:Arrive in Granville. Arrive in Granville at the time of your choice. An early arrival will allow you to visit the ancient fortifications of this walled city, sometimes referred to as the "Monaco of the North." If time allows, you can even take a ferry and spend the day on the island of Jersey! Later in the day, our local representative will furnish you with detailed tour information and answer all your questions. Dinner and overnight at your hotel located in the small town of Breville-sur-Mer.
Day 2:Granville to Courtils (approx. 42 km or 26 miles). After a leisurely breakfast, you'll head south following a country road that takes you to the Abbey of La Lucerne, before catching your first glimpse of breathtaking Mont-Saint-Michel. From that point on, you won't lose sight of this majestic and imposing structure until your departure. On today's ride, the abbey will guide you all the way to your place of stay, located on polder lands facing Mont-Saint-Michel.
Day 3:Courtils to Cancale/Saint-Meloir (42 km or 26 miles). Your first stop is Mont-Saint-Michel. Today's low mileage gives you the opportunity to spend most of your day exploring this unique and special place, if you so desire. Arriving early will allow you to visit the car-free island village (72 inhabitants) of world-renown before enjoying an omelette-based lunch at the world-famous "La Mere Poulard." The rest of the day is no less memorable as the magnificent coastal road and views of Mont-Saint-Michel will fill your eyes and camera memory card, no doubts there! Your home for the next two nights is the hamlet of Saint-Meloir, south of Cancale.
Day 4:Cancale/Saint-Meloir to Cancale/Saint-Meloir (approx. 42km or 26 miles). Today's loop brings you along the coast all the way up to its northernmost rocky point, Pointe du Grouin, a breathtaking site that ranks high on our list of not-to-miss stops! From there, you'll keep riding along the coast until you reach the beautiful walled town of Saint-Malo, another do-not-miss stop, which offers a wide variety of delicious fare, perfect for lunch, whether you crave a quick crepe at a street-side vendor or a leisurely lunch of oysters, mussels, or other local delicacies. Overnight in Saint-Meloir.
Day 5:Cancale/Saint-Meloir to Pontorson (approx. 45 km or 28 miles). Your last cycling day will take you away from the crowds through picturesque small villages and hamlets, such as medieval Dol-de-Bretagne, one of the most remarkable. The ride allows you to enjoy the quaint countryside and soak up the character of rural Brittany and Normandy. Your final destination is Pontorson, south of Mont-Saint-Michel.
Day 6:Departure. After breakfast depart Pontorson at the time of your choice.
how this holiday makes a difference
We offer you a unique way to offset your carbon by using pollution-free bicycles. Travelling by bike, you are no longer an observer you are a peaceful and friendly actor of local people, environment and culture. This trip takes a fresh look at the region’s exceptional resources, away from its well-known tourist attractions and puts the spotlight on the multi-faceted Norman character.

With your bike you have a unique way to approach the Mont Saint Michel, through salt meadows and magnificent polders (lands that have been reclaimed from the sea) where traffic is restricted. What is more, following the coast and passing by small harbours, you will be served freshly fished fish and seafood of superior quality.

Relying on local guides and family-owned hotels, you will be ensured a warm, personalized welcome. All properties are run by people who have a passion for their region and its cultural, gastronomic, and historical heritage. We use genuine places with local charm, blending harmoniously into the environment. Our hotels offer guests a pleasant, nice-sized environment. Some of them have as few as two rooms, while others are small human-sized hotels.

We have teamed up with some local renters throughout France. We value their expert work and most of our clients are renting bikes directly through them instead of bringing their own. This, of course, also benefits the local economy.

We are based in France. This is where we live and work. Our office is located in the French Alps, just a stones throw from the Swiss border, and we ride the very same roads we recommend to you for your cycling vacations. As firm believers of sustainable development, we have established a friendly network of professionals, comprised mainly of local tour guides, small operators, and family-run agencies. Most of our people have created their own jobs/enterprises in order to live their passion for the region and cultural heritage. All have extensive travel experience and have lived in various places before falling in love with the area they now call home.

Traveling with us guarantees that you will be taken care of by caring professionals who chose to build their lives here. Forget the non-descript and indistinguishable big chain hotels; we use genuine places with local charm. All the properties we use are run by people who have a passion for their region and its cultural, gastronomic, and historical heritage.'

We recommend travel by train, a much more eco-friendly solution. To travel within Europe, we recommend taking trains over renting cars, or air transports. Trains are more energy-efficient and will minimize the CO2 emission by capita. When flying is required, prefer an airline that contributes to funds aimed at offsetting carbon emissions.

In cities, we recommend clients to use public transportations, or to walk or bike. City bike rentals are more and more widely available in big and medium-sized cities across Europe they are the best way to get around congested cities. Our travel tips include a list of renters.

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