Cherbourg-en-Cotentin / Saint-Vaast-La-Hougue
Along this Vélomaritime stage, you exchange the coast for the bucolic Saire Valley for a short time. Stop at Le Vast to explore this picturesque village and the surrounding countryside, with its wooded slopes, river and waterfalls. For a culinary treat, indulge in a piece of lovely Le Vast brioche, made here since 1900. You then rejoin the coast to descend to Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue, guarded by its 17th-century Vauban Tower, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site dedicated to works inspired by Louis XIV's great military engineer. If you have the time, take a mini-trip to nearby Tatihou Island, to discover its fortifications, gardens and museum.
Gradients and elevation
Road types
Surface
The route
Mainly on very quiet roads shared with motorized traffic. After leaving Cherbourg, with its cycling facilities, you cross the countryside of the Saire Valley, before arriving back at the coast. Do note that outside Cherbourg, the hedge-row-divided slopes along the Saire are steep in parts.
Link
From Montfarville, a signposted link takes you to Barfleur, classified among “The Most Beautiful Villages of France” (2 km).
SNCF
- Nearby station Cherbourg : direct TER to Paris (3h) / Caen (1h15)
