Brittany & Normandy – Two Jewels of France September 2023
Before David passed away last year we had planned a big trip with some of our dearest friends in Charlotte and Charleston: a two-part trip to France. After a three-day stay in Paris to revisit some of our favorite places and explore some new ones, we would head to St. Malo on the western coast of France to meet the rest of our friends and enjoy a 7-day Backroads bike adventure through Brittany and Normandy. Following that, we would enjoy a 6-day Uniworld riverboat excursion on several rivers in the Bordeaux region of France.
Both parts were huge dreams of David. His dad had been in the Army and close to Normandy during the invasion in WWII. Always fascinated with this pivotal event, he really wanted to venture there and see for himself the land, the sea, and the history so he could better visualize that time in history that impacted his father’s life. As for Bordeaux, well, because David was a lifelong wine lover, this was just a place he’d always wanted to travel to taste the region’s wines and learn about the culture.
When David passed away in late July, I had only a few months to decide what to do. Do I cancel the whole trip? Do I go alone? Or do I try to find someone to join?
I opted for the third choice because I knew in my heart and from our 52+ years together that David would not have wanted me to cancel the trip, nor would he have wanted me to go without someone. So I was fortunate to find two dear people to go with me: Zoe on the Backroads bike trip and Catherine Diehl, a long-time friend, chef, and wine connoisseur, to accompany me to Bordeaux. That will be my next Travelogue.
On Sunday, September 24th, after three wonderful days in Paris, Zoe, Coco, Ray (two of our Charlotte besties), and I made our way to Gare Montparnasse to catch the St. Malo train and found another couple on our trip, Molly and Chris, waiting, too. After several hours’ delay, our train was announced, and we made a mad dash to our platform. Following a scenic three-hour ride, we arrived at St. Malo, a historic coastal city in Brittany known for its rich maritime heritage, impressive medieval architecture, and beautiful English Channel setting. Our hotel was just a short ride away in Dinard, a charming seaside town.
We arrived the day before our trip was to begin so we could settle into our gorgeous 19th-century hotel, Grand Hôtel Barrière, and get comfortable there. The view from our balcony was the mesmerizing waters of the English Channel and a dozen red, white, and blue French tricolores draping from the stately front of the hotel. In the evening, we got to discover our home for three nights: Dinard, a medieval port town with cute shops and cafes on cobblestone streets and iconic half-timbered houses.
Backroads always starts with an introduction of the guests (24 of us on this trip) and the trip leaders (3 of them), but we don’t learn a lot about each other until we’re on the trip. Before starting the first leg of our first day, we had to get fitted to our bikes, make sure we understood the Wahoo (GPS system), and have a fun, fairly detailed description of our rides and optional routes, terrain, elevation, difficulty, etc. A little overwhelming for a Backroads newbie, but those who’d been on others before seemed to have it all memorized and didn’t seem fazed by any of the information.
With our whole gang now here – there were 10 of us–we cycled into the French countryside, following the marked route on our pre-loaded Wahoo. Mostly, we cycled along the La Rance River for about 20 miles to a delicious and bountiful lunch at a cute restaurant, Les Rossignols, under the shade trees near the water. After lunch, most of us leisurely biked the 18 miles through farmland with grazing cattle and baled hay back to our gorgeous hotel in Dinard to relax and clean up for the welcome cocktail hour and dinner.
The next morning, after a hearty French breakfast and several cappuccinos, we loaded our bike bags with trail mix, fruit, and water, turned on our Wahoos, and set off for the 17-mile ride to Canale, a beautiful little seaside town known for its delectable oysters, which were enjoyed for centuries by the European royalties – and us commoners, too. The Backroads van was already there, and a fantastic array of oysters, lemons, and hot sauce was already set out for us to enjoy with wine.
We spent an hour or more there, inhaling the salty air and sea aromas emanating from the outdoor market stalls selling all manner of fresh and cooked seafood, as well as farm-fresh cheeses and crêpes–a visual and olfactory delight! While watching the huge flatbed trucks roll along the coast gathering the mollusks, we learned about oyster farming. Rather than being dredged from the sea, oysters are now raised this way. We were also told that the particular plankton in the Mont Saint-Michel Bay gives these prize-winning oysters their distinctive taste.
After our coastal stop in Cancale, we rode inland on small roads past stone farms, orchards, and rolling green farmland and forests. We cycled along little streams and through historic stone towns with traditional Breton architecture. It was all quiet and pastoral, with few vehicles – only a few tractors or trucks – and even fewer people.
We all met for lunch at Elevage de la Tortue, a highland cattle ranch in Saint-Méloir-des-Ondes. The land was filled with short-legged furry highland cattle and horses and was also the site of a beautiful stone estate where General George S. Patton and his troops are known to have briefly been housed during the liberation of France in World War II.
We had a beautiful picnic lunch on the grounds: an array of local cheeses and meats, salads, fruit, breads, and desserts.
When sated and loaded with more snacks and water, we set off on the afternoon ride back to the harbor, where we left our bikes with the Backroads folks and boarded the ferry for St. Malo, with its iconic fortified walls and granite buildings. During World War II, St. Malo was heavily bombed in 1944, leaving much of the city in ruins. After the war, it underwent an extensive rebuilding process that restored it to its former appearance, preserving its medieval charm and making it an example of historical preservation.
We spent several hours walking its ramparts, the majority built in the 12th century and expanded later. They overlooked charming cobblestoned streets bustling with shops and cafes on one side and breathtaking views of the English Channel on the other. We excitedly looked for (and found) the door with #4 above it, the residence of Marie-Laura, the protagonist in Anthony Doerr’s All the Light We Cannot See.
That night Zoe and I dined alone in Dinard – the only dinner we had without our friends. Zoe had researched crêperies and found Crêperie du Roy, a little unassuming local place with great reviews. We enjoyed a classic savory Breton crêpe (galette), a simple green salad, some red wine, and a sweet banana and honey crêpe for dessert. Afterwards we Googled “best sunset in Dinard” and headed straight for Sunset Bar to enjoy a glass of wine and an incredible sunset and a view of the bathing pools at the beach while chatting with locals. A lovely end to a lovely day.
After breakfast each morning, we met outside our hotel and found our bikes waiting for us–cleaned, batteries charged, and GPS-loaded. The guides vividly described our day’s riding options: 2 to 3 different routes based on activity levels from easygoing (1) to challenging (5), with many choices in between. The routes generally ranged from 30 to 60 miles each day–but you could cut them shorter or go a lot further if you wanted.
Our trip’s terrain varied from mostly flat inland countryside to rolling hills along the striking Atlantic coast. And, of course, we had 4 levels of power to get the boost we needed, depending on the terrain: Eco, Tour, Sport, Turbo. In Brittany, rides featured several short, steep climbs, generally under half a mile long. Most of our routes used quiet roads or bike paths, although some coastal sections were narrow, with occasional cars or delivery vans to contend with. And the Backroads van was always there to scoop up weary cyclists, load the bikes, and shuttle them back to town or to the hotel. There was never any pressure to keep up with the hard-core cyclists.
Each day we had something unique and fun to look forward to. And on our last day before cycling to our adjacent exploration area, Normandy, we boarded the vans and were driven to the outskirts of Mont Saint-Michel, a medieval abbey perched on a rocky island. One of the most iconic, picturesque landmarks in the country and known for its dramatic setting, Mont Saint-Michel becomes an island at high tide as it is surrounded by water. It is connected to the mainland only by a thin causeway.
The adjective “awesome” could and should be appropriately used with this island and its stunning Benedictine abbey, an architectural marvel with Gothic spires and cloisters. We were met by a very knowledgeable French guide, who escorted us on a revealing and detailed exploration of the abbey. I can certainly understand why the abbey became a major pilgrimage site during the Middle Ages, as thousands of people journeyed to venerate Saint Michael, making the pilgrimage, known as "Le Chemin de Paradis" ("The Way to Paradise").
You could spend hours roaming the rooms, halls, chapels, and nooks inside the Abbey, but one of the most striking was La Merveille ("The Marvel"). Built in the early 13th century, this part of the abbey is an architectural triumph consisting of three levels: the storeroom, the refectory, and the cloisters. Each level was meticulously designed to blend in with and accommodate the challenging rocky terrain.
But outside the Abbey, the charming medieval village, with its winding streets, shops, and panoramic views, is a tourist’s ideal destination for strolling and absorbing the culture and beauty.
We cycled to lunch at a charming and rustic farm-to-table restaurant, La Ferme de Billy. There were cow hides on the floor, cushions behind us on chic wood-hewn chairs and banquettes, and a ten-foot-long table laden with delectable hot and cold items: meats, stews, soups, terrines, vegetable dishes, fruits, cheeses, desserts, coffees, ciders, and teas. We needed the sustenance for the 16-mile ride to our new home: La Ferme de la Rançonnière. A 700-year-old farmhouse and its outbuildings comprise this architectural beauty – every room unique but all with preserved wooden ceiling beams, weathered brick walls, cozy textiles, and lovely art – with many other luxurious features and products. After sunset cocktails outdoors, we enjoyed a gourmand Normandy dinner with fresh meats and locally sourced vegetables.
Finally…the beaches of Normandy. Along with our usual bike-packing and route-guiding, we got a history overview of the storming of the beaches of Normandy. We all mounted our bikes and started riding amid apple orchards, open grazing pastures, and peaceful woodlands. Then we reached the seashore at Batterie Allemande de Longues-sur-Mer, a World War II German coastal artillery battery with lots of bunkers, ammunition storage, and big guns dotting the green hills facing the sea. We continued inland along narrow roads and tree-lined streams to Bayeux for lunch at a town cafe and a visit to the Museum to view the incredible Bayeux Tapestry, a famous 11th-century embroidered cloth, almost 230 feet long, that vividly depicts the events leading up to and including the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. The vibrant, colorful tapestry was created shortly after the Battle of Hastings and narrates the story from the perspective of the Normans, led by William the Conqueror, as they clashed with the Anglo-Saxon forces under King Harold II. Slowly we walked in awe, following the glass-encased tapestry as it stretched around the museum room and listening to the narrated history on our headsets.
Afterward, we spent an hour or so wandering the quaint town of Bayeaux, the first town in France to be liberated by the Allies after the D-Day landings on June 6, 1944. We enjoyed its churches, picturesque streets and canals, half-timbered houses, and medieval charms before cycling to Omaha Beach.
The Normandy countryside has rolling green fields, gentle hills, and bucolic farmlands dotted with stone farmhouses, orchards, and grazing cattle. The landscape is lush, tranquil, and pastoral, with meadows and hedgerows. We seldom saw any traffic as we pedaled through this idyllic landscape. As we approached the sea, a salty sea breeze picked up, and coastal grasses and low shrubby plants lined our bike route. The English Channel suddenly appeared before us.
After walking down the sand dunes and onto the beach, a local historian led us back up on a private tour to view the war monuments of Omaha Beach and the American Military Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer. It honors the nearly 10,000 American soldiers who lost their lives during the D-Day invasion and subsequent Battle of Normandy in World War II. The cemetery is located on a cliff above Omaha Beach, one of the five main landing sites for the Allied invasion on June 6, 1944. Each headstone (with either a cross or a Star of David) bears the name, rank, and home state of a fallen soldier–the sea of white makes a solemn and powerful sight. Walking next to the graves was a very moving experience, the visitors there showing much respect and reverence, especially during the lowering of the American flag ceremony one hour before it closes each day.
Our return trip from Omaha took us to Cabourg, a charming seaside town located along the Côte Fleurie (Flowery Coast). It is well-known for its Belle Époque architecture, sandy beaches, and picturesque promenade. The whole town has an elegant, nostalgic atmosphere that feels preserved in time. Our last night with the Backroads group was spent in The Grand Hôtel, a looming, iconic hotel on the beach. It was frequented by the writer Marcel Proust, who based his fictional seaside town of "Balbec" in In Search of Lost Time on Cabourg.
On the last full day of our Normandy visit, we spent the entire day riding up the coast, mostly along bike paths and narrow roads and along the wide cement promenades of each of the four tiny beaches: Utah, Gold, Juno, and Sword. Each beach held distinct challenges, defenses, and outcomes, but together they served as the foundation of Operation Overlord — the successful invasion that ultimately liberated Nazi-occupied France and Western Europe.
This coastal ride was my favorite part of the Normandy experience because of the closeness to the English Channel. Waves of salty spray splashed in front of us as we traversed the wide promenades. We zigged and zagged among dog walkers and joggers, elderly men reading newspapers on wooden benches, and women pushing baby carriages. In the Channel, we could see partly submerged metal structures that we learned were remnants of Mulberry harbors, artificial harbors built by the Allies during World War II to facilitate the D-Day landing. We skirted bunkers and caissons, all part of the Normandy Invasion effort of D-Day, June 6, 1944.
When we returned to Cabourg and the Grand Hôtel that late afternoon, we had a little time to relax and dress for our final dinner, preceded by a cocktail farewell on the hotel’s terrace on the promenade. It was bittersweet with toasts and jokes and stories from our amazing guides and friends. Dinner was a more formal affair that would please any gourmet appetite – a delicious menu with local seafood, beef, and lamb choices, accompanied by fresh salads, vegetables, and regional desserts. A wonderful way to end our Brittany & Normandy Backroads trip.
For about half of the group, that was the end of the trip. But for our ten friends, we were in no hurry to leave Chabourg, so we decided to enjoy a half-day cycle ride on Saturday, September 30, venturing out to the Cabourg harbor and a neighboring town, Dives-sur-Mer, with its charming cobblestone streets and Normand half-timbered houses.
This was a Backroads trip of a lifetime, and Zoe, our friends, and I rode with David the whole way. We spread his ashes discreetly here and there and felt his fervor for the history, culture, and cuisine of this area. It was off to Bordeaux next, and I’ll write that one for you soon. — Allie
