D-Day Cycling Holiday : St Malo to Caen
Three days, about 100 km a day, from the walls of St Malo to the landing beaches and Pegasus Bridge. A long weekend in late May, or on dates that suit you, with hotels, half board and van support all the way.
Running trips on these roads since 2008.
The Trip
This D-Day cycling holiday in Normandy rides from St Malo to Caen over a long weekend in late May. You arrive on Friday, ride Saturday, Sunday and Monday, and head home on Monday night. Around 100 km a day, on quiet lanes and coast roads. Late May doesn’t work for you? Custom dates are available for your own group.
The ride starts in Brittany, follows the coast round the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel to Granville, then heads inland across the Cotentin peninsula to Sainte-Mère-Église. The final day is back on the coast, taking in Utah Beach, Pointe du Hoc, Omaha, Arromanches, the British Normandy Memorial at Ver-sur-Mer, Juno and Sword, and finishes at Pegasus Bridge, a few kilometres from the Caen ferry port.
You ride. I’ll handle the rest: the van, your luggage, a scheduled lunchtime stop for a picnic, full GPX files for every day, and a hotel and dinner waiting each evening. Small group, maximum 8 riders.
At a Glance
- Trip: St Malo to Caen, point to point. Coast on days 1 and 3, inland across the Cotentin peninsula on day 2
- When: a long weekend in late May. Arrive Friday, ride Saturday to Monday, depart Monday night. Custom dates available on request
- Distance: 3 riding days, around 100 km a day (about 325 km in total)
- Stay: 3 nights in hotels along the route, a different one each night
- Group size: maximum 8 riders
- Meals: half board, with breakfast every day, a picnic lunch on each riding day, and dinner on Friday, Saturday and Sunday
- Support: van support on every riding day with a scheduled lunchtime picnic stop, luggage moved between hotels, full GPX files for every day
- D-Day sites: Sainte-Mère-Église, Utah Beach, Pointe du Hoc, Omaha Beach, Arromanches, British Normandy Memorial, Juno, Sword, Pegasus Bridge
- Price: €749 per person based on two sharing a room
- Single room: €200 supplement
- Deposit: €150, balance due 10 weeks before departure
- Getting home: drop-off at Caen-Ouistreham ferry port or Caen station included. Lift back to St Malo €50 per person. Flying in from the USA or further afield: pick-up and drop-off at Caen station
Day by Day
Friday — Arrive in St Malo
Arrive through the day: off the overnight ferry from Portsmouth in the morning, or by train or plane. Flying in from the USA or further afield? I’ll pick you up at Caen station and drive you to St Malo. Check in, and I’ll go over the bikes and the GPX routes with you. Dinner together in the evening.
Saturday — St Malo to Granville
Out of the walled town and along the coast to the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel, with the abbey on the horizon for much of the morning. On through Avranches, where the Patton memorial marks the American breakout from Normandy in summer 1944, to the seaside town of Granville.
Sunday — Granville to Sainte-Mère-Église
Inland past Coutances cathedral and across the flat Cotentin marshes to Carentan, then on to Sainte-Mère-Église, one of the first towns liberated on D-Day. A shorter day, with time to look round the town and the Airborne Museum. Tonight’s hotel is in Sainte-Mère-Église.
Monday — Sainte-Mère-Église to Pegasus Bridge
The big day: all five landing beaches. Out to Utah Beach, then Pointe du Hoc, Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery at Colleville, the Mulberry harbour at Arromanches, the British Normandy Memorial at Ver-sur-Mer, Juno at Courseulles and Sword at Ouistreham, finishing at Pegasus Bridge. In the evening I drop you at the Caen-Ouistreham ferry for the overnight sailing to Portsmouth, at Caen station, or drive you back to St Malo.
Included
- 3 nights in hotels along the route: Friday in St Malo, Saturday in the Granville area, Sunday in Sainte-Mère-Église
- Breakfast every day
- Picnic lunch on each riding day, at a scheduled lunchtime stop with the van
- Dinner on Friday, Saturday and Sunday
- Van support on all three riding days
- Luggage moved between hotels every day, with full access to your bags each evening
- Full GPX files for every day
- Bike check on arrival
- Drop-off at the Caen-Ouistreham ferry port or Caen station on Monday evening
Not Included
- Ferry, flights or trains to St Malo and home from Caen
- Lift back to St Malo on Monday evening: €[X] per person
- Bike hire: see Bike Rental
- Single room supplement: €200
- Extra nights in St Malo or Caen: €120 per room per night
- Museum entry fees, such as the Utah Beach Museum and the Juno Beach Centre (the British Normandy Memorial and the American Cemetery are free)
- Dinner (drinks not included)
- Travel insurance
- Pick-up at Caen station on Friday and transfer to St Malo: €50 per person
Accommodation
You stay in a different hotel each night, chosen for where it sits on the route as much as for comfort: an easy walk to dinner in St Malo, close to the sea in Granville, and in Sainte-Mère-Église on the Sunday night.
Rooms are en suite with secure overnight storage for bikes . Breakfast is at the hotel, and dinner is at the hotel or a restaurant close by.
You never carry your bags. The van moves your luggage each morning, and it’s waiting at the next hotel when you roll in.
Full hotel details are shared once your deposit is confirmed.
Bike Rental
Rather not bring your bike on the ferry or the plane? Hire a road bike and it’ll be set up and waiting for you in St Malo.
- Bike: carbon road bike
- Gearing: compact chainset with a wide-range cassette [confirm], plenty for the short climbs out of the river valleys and up from the beaches
- Sizes: Small – X Large
- Delivery and set-up: waiting at the St Malo hotel on Friday, collected in Caen on Monday
- Price: €200 for the three riding days
What to bring: your own pedals and shoes, and your saddle if you have a favourite. When you book, send your height, inseam and your current bike measurements so I can set the bike up before you arrive.
Bikes are limited, so reserve yours when you book your place.
Additional Info
How to Get There
Getting to St Malo:
- Overnight Brittany Ferries sailing from Portsmouth to St Malo, arriving Friday morning
- Train to St Malo via Rennes (TGV from Paris)
- Flights to Dinard Bretagne, the closest airport to St Malo or to Rennes
Getting home from Caen:
- Overnight Brittany Ferries sailing from Caen-Ouistreham to Portsmouth on Monday night [confirm sailing time]
- Trains from Caen station to Paris
- Flights from Caen-Carpiquet [confirm routes]
Flying in from the USA or further afield:
- Fly into Paris (Charles de Gaulle or Orly), then take the train to Caen, about 2 hours from Paris Saint-Lazare
- I’ll pick you up at Caen station on Friday and drive you to St Malo
- On Monday evening I drop you back at Caen station
Transfers:
- Drop-off at Caen-Ouistreham ferry port or Caen station on Monday evening: included
- Lift back to St Malo on Monday evening: €[X] per person
- Pick-up at Caen station on Friday and transfer to St Malo: €[X] per person
Driving? Leave your car in St Malo and take the lift back on Monday evening.
Bike Rental
You don’t need to travel with your bike. Road bikes are available to hire, set up and waiting in St Malo on Friday and collected in Caen on Monday. See the Bike Rental section for details.
Custom Groups from 1 to 99 Riders
Riding solo, with a few friends, or bringing your whole club? I can build this trip around any group from 1 to 99 riders, on dates that suit you, with accommodation, transfers and support scaled to fit. Contact me below for more information.
Booking and Payment
A deposit of €150 per person secures your place, with the balance due 10 weeks before departure. Places are limited to 8 riders, and late May fills early. Want different dates? Custom dates are available, so just ask. Contact me to book.
Non-Riding Partners
Non-riding partners are welcome . The price for a non-rider is the same per person and they will travel in the van
FAQ
What Is the St Malo to Caen D-Day Cycling Route?
It’s a three-day, point-to-point ride of about 300 km from St Malo in Brittany to Caen in Normandy. Day 1 follows the coast round the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel to Granville. Day 2 heads inland across the Cotentin peninsula via Coutances and Carentan. Day 3 runs along all five D-Day landing beaches, Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword, before finishing over Pegasus Bridge.
Which D-Day Sites Do You See by Bike?
The route passes Sainte-Mère-Église, Utah Beach, Pointe du Hoc, Omaha Beach and the Normandy American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer, the Mulberry harbour remains at Arromanches, the British Normandy Memorial at Ver-sur-Mer, the Juno Beach Centre at Courseulles-sur-Mer, Sword Beach at Ouistreham and Pegasus Bridge at Bénouville. How long you stop at each is up to you.
How Hard Is Cycling 100 km a Day in Normandy?
Riding 100 km a day in Normandy is a steady challenge for regular club riders, with no mountain climbs. The terrain is rolling coast and farmland, with short climbs out of river valleys and up from the beaches, such as at Pointe du Hoc. Total climbing is around 1500 metres vertical
How Many Days Do You Need to Cycle the D-Day Beaches?
One full day covers all five landing beaches by bike, from Utah to Sword, if you ride 100 to 125 km and keep stops short. This trip adds two days from St Malo, so the beaches are the finale. If you want long museum visits, add an extra night in Caen or Bayeux.
Why Ride the D-Day Coast in Late May?
Late May gives long days, mild weather and quieter roads than early June. Around the 6 June anniversary the coast fills with ceremonies, road closures and fully booked hotels. In late May the sites are open, sunset is close to 22:00, and you ride without the anniversary crowds.
What Is the Weather Like in Normandy at the End of May?
Normandy at the end of May is usually mild, with daytime highs of around 17 to 20°C and cooler mornings on the coast. Showers are possible and the coast can be windy, often from the west, which helps on the ride east to Caen. Pack a rain jacket, arm warmers and a light gilet.
How Do I Get to St Malo and Home From Caen?
From the UK, the easiest way is the overnight Brittany Ferries sailing from Portsmouth to St Malo, arriving Friday morning, and the overnight sailing home from Caen-Ouistreham to Portsmouth on Monday night. From the USA, fly into Paris and take the train to Caen: I pick you up at the station on Friday and drop you back there on Monday.
Can I Hire a Bike for This Trip?
Yes. Carbon Road bikes are available to hire and are waiting, set up, at the St Malo hotel on Friday. They’re collected in Caen on Monday, so you can travel light by ferry, plane or train. Send your height, inseam and current bike measurements when you book so the fit is right from the first kilometre.
Is This a Guided D-Day Cycling Tour?
No, it’s a supported trip, not a guided tour. You ride at your own pace with full GPX files on your bike computer, and I drive the support van, meeting the group at a scheduled lunchtime stop with a picnic, water and spares. Your luggage moves between hotels for you, and dinner is booked each evening.
Do I Need to Know the History of D-Day Before I Go?
You don’t need to know the history, but a little reading makes the beaches mean more. Most sites have information panels in English, and the Utah Beach Museum and the Juno Beach Centre explain the landings clearly. The guide page and videos on this page are a good place to start.
Watch This Videos Now
See the roads and the beaches before you book.
Need more information please contact me below
Got a question about the route, the distances or getting there? Drop me a line and I’ll come back to you personally.