Utah Beach / Carentan-les-Marais
Leaving Utah Beach behind, the Vélomaritime allows you to cycle smoothly through the wetlands of the Parc Naturel Régional du Cotentin et du Bessin. Leading you into the heart of the Baie des Veys, the route runs alongside Beauguillot Nature Reserve, where land and sea merge. You then reach Carentan, a pretty town with a medieval past and a charming modern yachting marina.
Gradients and elevation
Slope breakdown
Road types
- Cycle path
- Routes reserved for cyclists and pedestrians (greenways, cycle tracks, towpaths), separated from cars for maximum safety.
- Shared road
- Quiet minor roads with little traffic (unless otherwise stated in the stage details). Shared with cars (stay alert).
- Not specified
- Data unavailable or being assessed. Please refer to the detailed stage description.
- Provisional
- Section on a road or cycle path awaiting better-quality facilities (see stage details).
Surface
- Smooth
- Asphalt, tarmac or smooth concrete. Optimal comfort.
- Rough
- Fine gravel, compacted stabilised surface or worn tarmac. Less comfortable, vibrations possible.
- Natural
- Dirt, grass, roots or stones. Under 5%: short sections with little impact. Higher percentage: route suited to mountain or gravel bikes only.
- Not specified
- Data unavailable or being assessed. Please refer to the detailed stage description.
The route
There are no major difficulties along this stage. The first part is along paths and minor roads through wetlands, then you follow a greenway alongside the canal leading to Carentan. After Le Grand Vey, the path can sometimes be muddy. You can easily avoid this by sticking to Curry Road, then taking a right towards Pouppeville. In Carentan, you need to dismount to cross the Pont de la Barquette, an historic bridge built to adapt to the tides, its stone surface slippery when wet. The ingenious way this bridge doubles as a dam is worth pausing to observe.
SNCF
- Nearby station Carentan station: Intercity and TER trains to Paris (2h40), Caen (40 min) and Cherbourg (30 min)
