Not quite the Tour de France but close

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A bike ride through the Normandy Countryside 



What happened

Yesterday I went for a bike ride.  We have a Voie Verte nearby In Bagnoles- de- L'Orne which is a path for walking and cycling. It’s truly wonderful, totally flat, surrounded by shade (handy as it was very hot) and I passed only the occasional walker and cyclist.

I cycled to Bagnoles and had a well-earnt libation. I then got back on my bike and cycled back. All very lovely, except it was a good 10k just to pick up the path (well I did want to live in a rural area) and the way back seemed much steeper than the way out.

The French seem to be far more tolerant of cyclists than they are of other drivers, probably because they are the biggest country in Europe so they have the room for it (unlike cycling in Croydon – I tried it and it was a miracle I survived) and they do have the most famous cycling race in the world.

I remember many years ago, I was out for a run on a Sunday morning in South London and it happened to be the day of the London Marathon.  As a van went past, the driver shouted out  "hey love, the marathon’s that way!”.  

A Frenchman shouted something out to today me, I didn’t hear what he said but I’m sure it wasn’t  "hey love, Le Tour de France is that way!”

If you are planning a holiday to Normandy there are over 1,600km of cycle routes and the Voie Verte are suitable for all ages and a great way to see to see rural France. 

For more information visit: Tips for cycling holidays in Normandy – Normandy Tourism, France (normandie-tourisme.fr).



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