Cherbourg to Le Mans back road route experience
Discussion
Not done the back roads from Cherbourg but have from both Le Havre and Calais (well Abbeville at least - the Pays du Calais is just to dull to spend more time than absolutly necessary in) and from that I'd say just go for it. French A and B roads are generally kept in very good condition and empty.
Try one of:
a) Look at Google maps and pick a few waypoints then set your satnav to take you to each in turn, forcing it to go the route YOU want, not the one IT wants.
b) Switch off toll roads and motorways.
c) Tell your satnav you're cycling. This normally results in more interesting routes and, outside cities at least, doesn't normally put you on cycle paths.
A quick look at the Cherbourg/Le Mans route and having done some of it driving from Le Havre I'd work down through Saint-Lo and Flers, across to La Ferte-Mace and towards Sees, but hooking a right a few miles short and in the middle of the Foret D'Ecouves on to the D26, down to Alencon. From there you can just drop down the old N138 to Le Mans or cut back to the west, cross country to Sille-le-Guillaume and enjoy a bit of roman road through Conlie, Domfront-en-Champagne and Saint-Saturnin to Le Mans.
Try one of:
a) Look at Google maps and pick a few waypoints then set your satnav to take you to each in turn, forcing it to go the route YOU want, not the one IT wants.
b) Switch off toll roads and motorways.
c) Tell your satnav you're cycling. This normally results in more interesting routes and, outside cities at least, doesn't normally put you on cycle paths.
A quick look at the Cherbourg/Le Mans route and having done some of it driving from Le Havre I'd work down through Saint-Lo and Flers, across to La Ferte-Mace and towards Sees, but hooking a right a few miles short and in the middle of the Foret D'Ecouves on to the D26, down to Alencon. From there you can just drop down the old N138 to Le Mans or cut back to the west, cross country to Sille-le-Guillaume and enjoy a bit of roman road through Conlie, Domfront-en-Champagne and Saint-Saturnin to Le Mans.
Hi, We've done the Cherbourg route on numberous occasions. It's very good, but don't get hung up on road numbers. Plan your route from town to town.
So, Cherbourg, turn left towards Caen, then St'Lo, Vire, Flers, Domfront, Alencon, LeMans.
The roads are lovely and it doesn't matter if you go a bit off piste. One very good thing about this route is that it's not arterial, so not so attractive to the local law enforcement. Just in case you accidently drift above the speed limits. Just keep away from the Autoroutes.
So, Cherbourg, turn left towards Caen, then St'Lo, Vire, Flers, Domfront, Alencon, LeMans.
The roads are lovely and it doesn't matter if you go a bit off piste. One very good thing about this route is that it's not arterial, so not so attractive to the local law enforcement. Just in case you accidently drift above the speed limits. Just keep away from the Autoroutes.
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