Who knows the north coast of France?

[Jamie]

Off to france in three weeks aboard the motorbike, me and a Pal are crossing at dover early saturday morning and travelling the full north coast towards Brest and then catching the return sleeper ferry at Roscoff on Tuesday night.

We intend visiting the beach where Dad had his D-day landing along the way, and sticking to the coast as much as possible.

Can I ask for suggections for locations that are a 'must see' whilst we are touring along that coast?

Also can anyone suggest what a B&B is called in france?!
Any suggestions of particularly biker friendly stop-overs?...we are going to take the tents too but we thought just in case it rains...we'd have some accomodation in reserve.

[majedm75]

Hi Jamie,

About the B&B, they are called "Chambre d'Hôtes" (do not pronounce the H and the S in Hôtes). I'm not much into camping and biking, so I'm sorry I can't help on this part :o.
From the looks of your post, you are more in the West than the north of France. In this case, the following locations might be interesting (in addition to Brest):
-Saint Malo
-Mont Saint Michel
By the way, our club fellow Geoffrey is in Rennes, which is not that far by the above :lol:
You could also visit Caen and the surrounding D-Day beaches, Deauville, Trouville, Fécamps, Etretat, Dieppe, Le Havre as well as Saint Malo and Mont Saint Michel as mentioned above... (check the map to plot your way through these locations as I wrote them in no particular order...)
Don't forget that Paris is a 3-hour drive from the above as well :lol:
If you need more info, please ask

[Bernard LPG]

Can't help with the bike friendly bit but if you are at all interested in the WW2 history then Pegasus bridge and cafe is a 'must see'. if you are following the coast you will go over the new bridge anyway.
The remains of the Mulberry harbour at Arromanche are worth seeing but I find the whole area fascinating and have returned to it many times now.
Worth going inland a bit to go back further in time to see the Bayeux Tapestry.

[Jamie]

Thanks Majed and Bernard...I have cut and pasted you suggestions into a word doocument to print off.

Thanks again. j

[Neil Coupland]

Hi Jamie

I can echo the comments above, we were in Normandy last year. Hornfleur is very pretty and plenty of cafes along the harbour. Trouville has a "faded glory" as a seaside resort, but still nice to enjoy your ice craem along the boardwalk.
The D Day sites are numerous and well signed. We went over Pegasus Bridge but didn't have time to visit the museum. Arromanche was busy but the whole stretch of that coast is littered with reminders of WW11.
Spend a day in Bayeux, it was spared the fighting so a lot of the old town still exists. The tapestry is worth seeing together with the exhibition that accompanies it. The tapestry is very long, but the narrative that you listen to moves a steady pace so you don't have time to linger.
We crossed to Calais then took the motorway south. If you follow the coast you will need to cross the Siene at Le Harve over the Pont de Normandie (The Normandy Bridge), its about 2 km across.
Enjoy the trip, its a pleasant part of the world.

[Geoffrey]

Your very tight schedule seems to have been filled three or four times over already by some very good suggestions. A pity you don't have more time to explore some of the Normandy countryside, but the D-day beaches obviously come high up on the list. If on your way back to Roscoff / Brest, there is not time to linger in Dinan or Morlaix, perhaps you might think of seeing at least one of the Breton 'enclos paroissiaux', for example Saint Thegonnec or Guimiliau, with their unique architecture and setting. The gigantic aquarium complex in Brest called 'Oceanopolis' is also something of a must, not only for children (and grown-up children) but also for scientists. It has to be seen to be believed, but you really need a couple of days to do it justice, and you're leaving on Tuesday ?

I do hope you manage to fit in some of the places members have suggested but be warned, Normandy and Brittany are both fascinating places, and provided the weather is kind, you will probably want to return!
Geoffrey.

[majedm75]

Now you all got me wanting to visit the great west of France :lol:

[Jamie]

Brilliant suggestions there...I have been putting little red dots on the map ready for the final itenery...but as you say...time is tight! unfortunately the wives will only allow us a few days away each year to explore on the bikes...the intention is to return with the family at a later stage.

I have to say...we go away on the bikes every year now...but this trip to france really has got me going...Im so excited about the adventure but trying not to let the good lady know! dont want her thinking Ive had too much of a good time!!

anyways...3 weeks and counting! :D

[majedm75]

Any updates Jamie :lol:

[Jamie]

Hi Yes...off on Thursday night and crossing into Calais first thing friday, then we head west along the coast. cant wait!

[majedm75]

Enjoy your trip and use lots of caution on the roads (at least 2 people are waiting for your return :lol:)

[Jamie]

Enjoy your trip and use lots of caution on the roads (at least 2 people are waiting for your return :lol:)

Good advice there...I will be carefull. :)

[majedm75]

Any updates Jamie :lol:

[Jamie]

Any updates Jamie :lol:

Ah yes! me and my pal had a wonderful time visiting the war memorials and museums along the north coast. we crossed at Calais and tootled over to Deuville then camped and visited as many places as we could up along the coast to Granville.

We saw St Andrews mount from a distance but sadly we had to get to Roscoff for the return ferry.

The french are so much more polite to bikers too, I was astonished at the way we were waved pass traffic jams by hundreds of polite french drivers! we only experienced one incident of agressive driving at it was british 4x4!

On landing back in the UK the stark contrast came home with a bump when my pal was cut up by a british Audi and I was forced onto the centre reservation by a lorry driver who arrogantly gave me the 'finger' as I swerved and beep my horns! from there home we both commented on the appaling standard of driving here in the UK...it really was an eye opener!

all in all its was abit of emtional trip too as I really wanted to see where my dad had landed in the D day effort, as it turns out he may have actually been part of the battle for Pegasus bridge but I need to write to the war office/REME to see if I can confirm this.

anyways a brilliant trip...going againg next year!

photos....near Armoranches, pegasus bridge, war graves and Roscoff Cathedral.

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Regards

Jamie

[majedm75]

Glad you enjoyed it Jamie and sorry about the little driving incidents you had. Nice pictures too!

...
anyways a brilliant trip...going againg next year!
...

Hopefully with the MG ;)?

[FROGGY]

Careful Jamie, France is very addictive.
You'll be returning a lot methinks.

Even retiring here !

Very pleased you enjoyed your trip.

Mick

[Jamie]

Hopefully with the MG ;)?

Well...Maybe...the MG has been to France a couple of times already...south coast though!

I think the photos have come out great...the blow ups look brilliant!

[Jamie]

Careful Jamie, France is very addictive.
You'll be returning a lot methinks.

Even retiring here !

Very pleased you enjoyed your trip.

Mick

I wouldnt need much persuading in the curreent climate....I love france, the wife and I have been 20 times or so to the south; its the place where we belong, Im sure of it!

Bonsoir mon amis. :D

[FROGGY]

You could always look at this Jamie ;)

Look (http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=42734)

Mick