Cycling Normandy, France
Normandy bicycle tour in October 2017 was a surprise trip to France. Garry had intended to go to the Isle of Wight. But after cycling to Portsmouth, to catch the ferry to the Isle of Wight. He found out that he had just missed a crossing. And would have to wait another hour for the next ferry. Instead of waiting, Garry cycled around the corner to the international ferry terminal. And booked a ferry to Le Havre instead. Ironically, now having to wait three hours and a whole night before he would arrive at his destination.
Now, Where To Cycle
As Garry hadn’t intended to go to France, he didn’t know where to cycle to. His initial thought was to cycle along the Seine to Paris. But not having the time for that, he headed towards Dieppe instead. The last time Garry had cycled that way was back in 2008, on his first long-distance ride. Garry had forgotten just how nice it was along the Normandy coast, with its impressive white cliffs and historic towns.
Garry hadn’t intended but arrived in Dieppe the same day. He only had another day or so left to cycle before he had to be home. He could have cycled back to Le Havre, but that didn’t appeal to him. And cycling somewhere, only to have to return to Dieppe to catch the ferry that was out. Unable to decide where to go, Garry decided to get the early crossing back to England the following morning.
After deciding he was going home, Garry went to check into a campsite. Only to find it had just closed for the winter season! Garry tried to find a hotel, but that never worked out either. In the end, after finding somewhere to eat, Garry went and waited in the ferry terminal.
Arriving back in England at Newhaven the following morning, Garry had a short ride along the coast back to Bognor Regis.
A pleasant weekend ride with 200 miles cycled.
Bicycle Tour Photos
Click on the picture to view Garry’s photos on his Flickr page.
Garry’s Cycle Route
Follow & Support
If you’re enjoying the ride and want to fuel Garry’s next mile, you can always support him by buying him a beer. Or subscribe to his blog and follow him as he travels around on his bike. As a subscriber, you’ll be among the first to receive news and updates on future tours. And, of course, you can always follow Garry on social media: Facebook, Bluesky, Threads, X, Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest. Garry’s also on Flickr, where you’ll find pictures from all his tours, along with regular photo updates that he generally publishes each month.
If you want to find out if Garry’s away touring at the moment and check his location, visit the Where’s Garry page. And after thousands of miles on the road, Garry’s condensed everything he’s learned into one place. So if you’re planning your own cycling adventure, read his reality check on long-distance touring.
Garry McGivern is a solo, self-supported bicycle tourist and the creator of Travelsonabike2. Having cycled over 70,000 miles worldwide on his trusty bike, Passepartout, Garry documents the reality of long-distance travel. Follow along for updates, gear insights, and the daily highs and lows of bicycle touring, whether he’s camped beside the road or in the luxury of a hotel. Join Garry on the road, and be inspired to start your own adventure. Read more.