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.

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)