Published by Andrew on 23 November 2016
Richard Peace stayed at the Hotel de Normandie in Gournay-en-Bray while cycling the Avenue Verte, the London to Paris bike route. Here's his review.
Hotel de Normandie
21 place Nationale, 76220 Gournay-en-Bray (Seine-Maritime, Normandy)
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Hotel Le Normandie is located in the centre of Gournay-en-Bray, an attractive market town that is a popular first day's resting post for those cycling the Avenue Verte and coming from Dieppe, some 51 miles (82km) to the north.
5 things we liked
1. The Location.
Le Normandie is in Gournay's main square, so you simply couldn't get a handier location. Place Nationale itself is an attractive little square crammed with useful shops, including a distinctive looking cinema, and the Avenue Verte skirts the top end of the square, so just get on your bike next morning and you are back on the route.
2. The prices.
This is a budget hotel and you won't find too many prices like this along the Avenue Verte that include a town centre location and a spacious room and ensuite with decent wifi. When I stayed (November 2016), it was €53 for the room and €6.60 euros for breakfast – that's great value.
3. Bike storage
The hotel is a bit a like the tardis. The minimal frontage on the main square opens out at the back into a large courtyard across from which is a large garage, securely locked, that will take a large quantity of bikes. The hotel is accueil vélo registered too, so should be able to provide basic tools and spares. The yard looked ideal space for washing, repairing and tinkering with your bike.
4. Friendly breakfast call
Breakfast was served in the room at a time of your choice and was an ample tray of the usual continental breakfast ingredients: a hot drink of your choice, fresh, bread, jam, yoghurt and confectionary. On checking out, I had a good chat with the owner about cycling in the area and discovered that the new secure cycle storage in the town also had a recharge point for electric bikes.
5. The market
Tuesday is the main market day in Gournay (there are smaller markets on Friday and Sunday mornings) and I was delighted to find traders setting up stall when I opened the bedroom windows in the morning. It stretches across several streets and after a bird's eye view from my room. I left my luggage at reception and went to stock up on a few snacks for the day's riding to the Vexin.
In summary, super location, super price!
Hotel de Normandie
21 place Nationale, 76220 Gournay-en-Bray (Seine-Maritime, Normandy)
Book online
ABOUT OUR REVIEWER
Richard Peace is co-author of the the official guidebook to the Avenue Verte. He is author of Cycling Southern France (UK, US) and Cycling Northern France (UK, US), which includes parts of the Avenue Verte and other bike routes that link into it. See Richard's article here for more on the Avenue Verte.
Bike-friendly places to stay on the Avenue Verte
More B&B and hotel reviews here!