Ouistreham / Caen
Start at Ouistreham, the Normandy ferry port north of Caen, its strand renowned as Sword Beach, its codename during the Allied liberation of France that began on D-Day, 6 June 1944. Take the towpath-turned-greenway beside the Canal de l’Orne; pay homage to the British airborne troops who took the vital crossing nicknamed Pegasus Bridge the night before D-Day. A cycle track leads on to the marina in central Caen. This city boasts splendid buildings dating back to William the Conqueror’s reign, while the Mémorial de Caen is a major war museum.
Gradients and elevation
Road types
Surface
The route
This stage is easy. Start out either from the ferry terminal itself, or from the wide esplanade in front of Ouistreham’s beach. Follow a cycle track to join the greenway that goes alongside the Canal de l’Orne and then continue as far as Caen’s marina.
Tourist Offices
SNCF Train Services
Caen train station
Trains on the major Intercités route linking Paris Saint-Lazare - Cherbourg
Trains on the major Intercités route linking Caen - Le Mans -Tours
Regional TER trains that allow you to carry your bike on board, serving Rennes, Rouen, Saint-Lô, Coutances, Lisieux, Alençon
www.ter.sncf.com/basse-normandie
Markets
Ouistreham: Tuesday and Saturday mornings, Place de la Grange aux Dîmes
Fish market: mornings, practically daily throughout the year, at the port
Caen: Sunday mornings, Place Courtonne;
Friday mornings, Place Saint-Sauveur
Don’t miss
Ouistreham: the promenade along Riva-Bella Beach; the fish market.
Caen: the medieval charm of the Le Vaugeux Quarter with its timber-frame houses; the views across town from the castle with its fine regional museums; the Mémorial de Caen, a museum dedicated to both war and peace.
