suggestions for good roads/places to bike in Northern France - SV650.org

30-06-05, 04:20 PM

We have 1 day to get from Le mans to abbeville (near Amiens) and then onto Calais the next day for 4pm.

Any tips? Thanks in advance.

01-07-05, 10:22 PM

A lot of the roads are very straight around there so if you're looking for twisties you won't find that much. If you have time, be sure to visit Amiens - it's a vibrant, cosmopolitan town, and if you've read Birdsong you can see the house, in the St Leu quarter. And then go on round the battlefields of the Somme. Very, very moving. Every field is a cemetery. The Canadian memorial at Caribou Park had me go weak at the knees and I was so deep in thought that I reversed the car into a wall. There's a caribou on a small hill, facing the German lines. Why?? because a caribou never turns its back on the enemy.

embee · 02-07-05, 10:02 AM

Sorry if this is a bit late, you don't say when you're off there.

Get the larger scale Michelin maps and use the yellows, they are very often pretty much up to what would pass for a rural A-road in the UK.

I know the area of "Suisse Normande" fairly well, and there are superb roads of all descriptions. While it's not quite on a straight line from L-M to Abb if you have a full day there's plenty of time for a scenic route.

An example of a super little road is the D22 from Domfront to Tinchebray. Good surface, up and down and lots of varied bends.

In fact how about D304 from just north of L-M to Sille, take D16 to Villaines, on to Javron, left/right onto D218 up to Mehoudin is a truly excellent, well surfaced, open sweepers, safe scratching road.

Left to Domfront, then up to Tinchebray. D911 to Conde gets you into Suisse Normande, look at the Roche d'Oetre near Pont d'Ouilly.

D562 up to Thury Harcouet, up to the Caen ring-road (try to avoid at rush hour, it's the training ground for the Paris Peripherique

), pick up the autoroute A13 (peage=toll but only a few euros for a bike) and go over the Pont de Normandie. The pont is superb, well worth crossing if you haven't already. Bikes go free, you need to get over to the extreme right side of the toll booths and there's a very small (not well signed) filter lane for bikes. The other roads from Caen to Le Havre are a bit manky. Take in Honfleur if you have a half hour to spare.

Autoroute takes you to Abbeville if you're tight for time, otherwise back onto reds/yellows.

30-06-05, 04:20 PM	#1
thor Guest Posts: n/a	suggestions for good roads/places to bike in Northern France We have 1 day to get from Le mans to abbeville (near Amiens) and then onto Calais the next day for 4pm. Any tips? Thanks in advance.

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01-07-05, 10:22 PM	#2
Ed Guest Posts: n/a	A lot of the roads are very straight around there so if you're looking for twisties you won't find that much. If you have time, be sure to visit Amiens - it's a vibrant, cosmopolitan town, and if you've read Birdsong you can see the house, in the St Leu quarter. And then go on round the battlefields of the Somme. Very, very moving. Every field is a cemetery. The Canadian memorial at Caribou Park had me go weak at the knees and I was so deep in thought that I reversed the car into a wall. There's a caribou on a small hill, facing the German lines. Why?? because a caribou never turns its back on the enemy.

02-07-05, 10:02 AM	#3
embee Member Mega Poster Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Warwickshire Posts: 2,801	Sorry if this is a bit late, you don't say when you're off there. Get the larger scale Michelin maps and use the yellows, they are very often pretty much up to what would pass for a rural A-road in the UK. I know the area of "Suisse Normande" fairly well, and there are superb roads of all descriptions. While it's not quite on a straight line from L-M to Abb if you have a full day there's plenty of time for a scenic route. An example of a super little road is the D22 from Domfront to Tinchebray. Good surface, up and down and lots of varied bends. In fact how about D304 from just north of L-M to Sille, take D16 to Villaines, on to Javron, left/right onto D218 up to Mehoudin is a truly excellent, well surfaced, open sweepers, safe scratching road. Left to Domfront, then up to Tinchebray. D911 to Conde gets you into Suisse Normande, look at the Roche d'Oetre near Pont d'Ouilly. D562 up to Thury Harcouet, up to the Caen ring-road (try to avoid at rush hour, it's the training ground for the Paris Peripherique ), pick up the autoroute A13 (peage=toll but only a few euros for a bike) and go over the Pont de Normandie. The pont is superb, well worth crossing if you haven't already. Bikes go free, you need to get over to the extreme right side of the toll booths and there's a very small (not well signed) filter lane for bikes. The other roads from Caen to Le Havre are a bit manky. Take in Honfleur if you have a half hour to spare. Autoroute takes you to Abbeville if you're tight for time, otherwise back onto reds/yellows.