Cycling from Cherbourg to Paris this weekend - need accommodation advice

doyler442

Two friends and I are cycling from Cherbourg to Paris this weekend and are badly in need of some suggestions as to where we could stay on Friday night in Valognes, Sainte-Mère-Église, or Sainte-Marie-du-Mont (or anywhere somewhere along this route).

Or if anyone has advice on just what kind of accommodation is available, i.e. are there many B&Bs in the region, where we can just stop off for a night?

I know its a long shot but any help at all would be great.

dave_o_brien

My friend went down the other side of the peninsula, stopping in Portbail and Granville on shortened cycling days due to torrential rain. Both places were amazingly hospitable, no problems with finding accommodation. For the rest of France, it didn't rain, and pitching a tent in a campsite was cheap and hassle free without any need for pre-booking.

doyler442

dave_o_brien wrote: »

My friend went down the other side of the peninsula, stopping in Portbail and Granville on shortened cycling days due to torrential rain. Both places were amazingly hospitable, no problems with finding accommodation. For the rest of France, it didn't rain, and pitching a tent in a campsite was cheap and hassle free without any need for pre-booking.

Thanks for the reply - that has made me a little more at ease now. Only thing that could catch us is the fact its a bank holiday weekend.

MB Lacey

It was a UK bank hol yesterday/ wknd just gone, only ROI bank hol this wknd/ Monday (30 May-Jun 2).
Don't think you have to worry about French bank hol next week either, so that's another worry off your list

doyler442

MB Lacey wrote: »

It was a UK bank hol yesterday/ wknd just gone, only ROI bank hol this wknd/ Monday (30 May-Jun 2).
Don't think you have to worry about French bank hol next week either, so that's another worry off your list

Yeah thats more good news alright - still hasn't stopped all the camp sites being booked out for the whole weekend. Will probably cycle away and when we get to somewhere with available accommodation take it ha

Captain Havoc

I did it a few years ago, I stayed in F1 hotels along the way. The first day I stayed in Cherbourg and then I cycled to Caen on the first day, after that I took a not so direct route as I was seeing a bit of the tour and I was heading to south of Paris so I went to Alencon, Orleans and finally Moret. Anyway, F1 or Etape (I think Etape might be called Ibis budget now) are grand €30 - €50 per night, the rooms all have two beds, clean but they are pretty basic.

Paul Kiernan

doyler442 wrote: »

(or anywhere somewhere along this route).

I'm pretty sure most of that route is vehicular traffic only! I'm not 100% though, maybe someone else can confirm?

dave_o_brien

Paul Kiernan wrote: »

I'm pretty sure most of that route is vehicular traffic only! I'm not 100% though, maybe someone else can confirm?

I'm presuming he's planning on travelling on the regional roads parallel to the main roads? If not, OP, avoid the busiest of the roads, they're not pleasant. The other thing to bear in mind is that getting into and out of the cities is stressful in comparison to negotiating towns and villages. Get a good set of (recent) maps!

Captain Havoc

Paul Kiernan wrote: »

I'm pretty sure most of that route is vehicular traffic only! I'm not 100% though, maybe someone else can confirm?

It's not, blorg cycled it, I wouldn't recommend it though as it's got heavy HGV traffic. I'd go towards Saint Pierre Église head then for Quetthou, follow the coast down to turn off for Sainte Mère Église and Carentan.

Paul Kiernan

Captain Havoc wrote: »

It's not, blorg cycled it, I wouldn't recommend it though as it's got heavy HGV traffic. I'd go towards Saint Pierre Église head then for Quetthou, follow the coast down to turn off for Sainte Mère Église and Carentan.

That's the way I'd go too. I've cycled it a few times. I know a very nice place to stay in Quettehou, La Chaumiere. Fabulous food and very good value though slightly dearer at weekends!

doyler442

The plan was very much to travel on this kind of route but I'll look into some of the places that ye have mentioned above now.

Also cheers for the hotel suggestions, just been looking at a few of them there and we might get something sorted yet before we take off.

doyler442

Thanks to everyone for their help, this is the new route I have come up with:

Cherbourg - stay at F1 Cherbourg (€31 Total) (this may change depending on what the hotel at Quettehou say back to me as suggested by Captain Havoc)

Cherbourg to Bayeux 110km - stay at IBIS Budget (€64 Total)

Bayeux through Lisieux to Evreaux 161km - stay at F1 Evreaux (€24 Total)

Evreaux to Paris 105km

By the way, for the people who have stayed at the IBIS or F1 hotels, do you know if they provide towels?

QueensGael

doyler442 wrote: »

Cherbourg to Bayeux 110km - stay at IBIS Budget (€64 Total)

If you're planning to use the N13 main road from Cherbourg, I strongly recommend changing your mind. That road is not good for cycling at all. Think of the N11 in Wicklow (or any other Irish dual carriageway) without the hard shoulder - it's terrifying. It may be legal to cycle there, but I would avoid it like the plague. I'd recommend taking the minor D roads, much quieter and much more scenic. You could try this route, which takes in a lot of the D-Day historical sites.
http://goo.gl/GhwBWH

Also, recommend using the Booking.com app on your phone - if you end up getting delayed or caught out, you can see the local accommodation options available.

Finally, the weather in that part of France can be unpredictable, so bring a rain cape and something to cover the panniers

Enjoy it!

Captain Havoc

The F1 and Ibis budget do ptovide towels, they're small but adequate.

bcmf

Just be careful if you include a Sunday in your trip. Although it's getting better France tends to be closed on a Sunday.
Also plus 1 on the weather. It can get very wet and cold.

Captain Havoc

bcmf wrote: »

Just be careful if you include a Sunday in your trip. Although it's getting better France tends to be closed on a Sunday.
Also plus 1 on the weather. It can get very wet and cold.

and no food in the afternoon between 2 and 6 plus it seems impossible to get anything without chips. I used to stop for food in the first place I saw once midday passed.

bcmf

Captain Havoc wrote: »

and no food in the afternoon between 2 and 6 plus it seems impossible to get anything without chips. I used to stop for food in the first place I saw once midday passed.

Yep for sure. I was literally escorted down an aisle to the checkout in a lidl at 2pm (or was it 12). No more shopping. just pay for what I had and get out.