Normandy's Orne departmant of France has cycle routes for all ages and abilities, and is especially suited to family cycling holidays.
In spring 2013, 11 new bicycle routes opened in the Orne department of Lower Normandy. The routes all follow greenways and byways (voies vertes), and form part of a 440km the Véloscénie network of cyleways (see www.veloscenie.com) linking Notre Dame in Paris to Mont St Michel. Around 140km of Véloscénie Paris-Le-Mont-Saint-Michel passes through the Orne, including 75km of dedicated traffic-free cycleways.
En route, cyclists pass through the Normandy-Maine National Park, and tourist highlights including Carrouges Castle, the spa town of Bagnoles, the Medieval town of Domfront, and the beautiful Andaines Forest.
Carrouges Castle in the Orne department – visit it by bike. Photo: Ed Fladung
Local tourist authorities can supply information on cycle friendly accommodation along the new routes. Dozens of other cycle routes criss-cross the Orne department, and range from 10km to 80km long. Local tourist offices have maps and printed guides, or call the Orne Tourism office (+33 (0)233 288 871) to request copies of your routes in advance.
Cycling accommodation in Normandy
Start by searching our cycle-friendly accommodation directory here. There is also more advice and plenty of links on our page on finding cycling accommodation in France.
Organised cycling tours in Normandy
For French cycling holidays in Normandy, see our organised tours section.