Where is the Rest of France?

Fancy cycling a national route completely alone? Enjoying carefully considered signage, lovely open gravel tracks, endless coffee stops, and quiet roads all to yourself? Turns out, it’s actually quite possible!

In April, a friend and I decided to go on an impromptu, low-planning, low-logistics bikepacking trip. Our only criteria were no planes (couldn’t be bothered with bike boxes) and to keep it as local as possible (to save on costs). After a little research, we found the Tour de Manche, a 700-kilometre Anglo-French cycling loop connecting Normandy and Brittany in northern France with Devon and Dorset in southern England. “This could be really cool,” I thought, especially since I live in Dorset, the ferry being just 30 kilometres from my house!

• 
• 
• 

Digging deeper, we found a shorter version: the Petite Tour de Manche, a 428-kilometre loop translating as “the small tour of the Channel.” With just under a week to play with, it sounded like an easy win. Cycle to the ferry in Poole, hop on the four-hour crossing to Cherbourg, and voilà, France awaited.

The route begins right at the ferry port, with cycle lanes leading you straight out into the Normandy countryside. Within minutes, we were riding past old stone buildings, quaint bridges, and most notably, very, very quiet roads. “Where is the rest of France?” Sure, it was April, just after Easter, but we expected to see at least a few other tourists. A couple followed us off the ferry for the first few kilometres, then no one for the next 50 kilometres.

Riding a national cycle network has its perks: the comforting signage, proximity to amenities, and the sense that help is never too far away if you need it. Some might assume this makes things feel less adventurous—too tame or well-trodden—but the Petite Tour de Manche felt like a real adventure from the start.

We soon dropped into the Parc Naturel Régional des Marais du Cotentin et du Bessin, where we were met with over 50 kilometres of fast, flat, no-thinking-needed gravel. We blasted into Carentan and stopped for the night, fuelled by a big bowl of pesto pasta and a French baguette, ready for the biggest day ahead.

• 
• 

On day two (our first “proper” day), we rode 130 kilometres southeast to Vire. This ended up being the highlight of our four-day trip. The terrain was varied, the weather even more so, and the scenery along the Vire river, winding through picture-perfect villages and hamlets, was a dream. At around 100 kilometres, we even got treated to some punchy climbs. Still, where was the rest of France?

On day three, we found them by the thousands. Mont-Saint-Michel had been signposted since Cherbourg, and now we saw why. Hordes of walkers and coaches lined the approach roads to France’s famous tidal island. It was a sight to behold—both the castle and the crowds.

• 
• 
• 

We zipped along the access road (built in 2015), took in the castle’s staggering scale, then spun around. Bikes weren’t allowed further, and with more kilometres to cover, we weaved back through the growing crowds toward Beauvoir, hoping to be alone once more. 

Our final day took us toward Saint-Malo, but not before a surprise encounter with the Tour de Bretagne. The race was in full swing and made for excellent lunch-break spectatorship. We found a shaded bus stop and, within 10 minutes, the peloton and support cars whizzed by. Elite cycling is always humbling, especially when you’re on a steel Brother Kepler loaded with heavy bags.

• 
• 

After a scenic detour to Cancale (very worth it), we rolled along the Saint-Malo promenade. There, we treated ourselves to the most expensive ice cream of our lives, but every lick was worth it. Three days earlier, we’d gazed across the Channel from France to where we’d come from. Now we sat, satisfied, reflecting on a trip that had required almost no planning and delivered a proper adventure.

• 
• 
• 

No mechanicals, no punctures. Just quiet roads, a fun mix of gravel, and some early spring sunshine. Yes, national cycle routes have been ridden by thousands before us. But that doesn’t make the experience any less adventurous. Quiet trails and unexpected discoveries might just be waiting for you, too. It’s not about being first. It’s about getting outside and having fun. And that, thankfully, requires very little.

Further Reading

Make sure to dig into these related articles for more info...