Updated on 29 June 2020
Reading time: 3 minutes
Normandy is a well-known mountain biking destination for the variety of its landscapes and great trails options. Whether it’s family-friendly rides on flat terrain or more challenging mountain biking on rugged terrain you’re after, all five of Normandy’s départements offer stunning cycle routes and mountain biking trails to suit all abilities.
The Calvados département is one of the ‘must ride’ areas for mountain biking. It features several mountain bike sites, some of which are labelled by the French Cyclotourism Federation, such as in the bocage virois or the valleys of the Suisse Normande for more challenging riding. Mountain biking trails can also be found around Lisieux and around Falaise. For inspiration, check out the cycle guide for itineraries in Calvados by selecting them in ‘targets’ – ‘mountain bike’.
Whether you’re an adrenaline-seeking speed addict, a cross country fanatic craving a leg-stretching long ride, or simply want to experience off-road biking in a beautiful and inspiring environment — the Eure département has got the mountain biking trails for you, such as the Chemin des sources bleues trail in Aizier or the Chemin du Rossignol in Saint-Philbert-sur-Risle. Find more information here.
The Manche département offers a striking collection of cycling and mountain biking opportunities, with more than 100 mountain bike trails that showcase the area’s diverse landscapes from Tatihou to the Mont-Saint-Michel, via Saint-Lô or Villedieu-Les-Poêles. From advanced competitors to beginners and families, you can also discover trails to suit your skill level on the mountain bike website labeled by the French Cyclist Federation in the Vallée de la Sée.
Discover more than 80 dedicated mountain bike trails in the Seine-Maritime département around Auffay, Bacqueville-en-Caux, Longueville-sur-Scie, Mesnières-en-Bray, Neufchatel-en-Bray or in the Val-de-Saane. So, grab your helmet and head out for a beautiful mountain bike ride from the selection here. The mountain bike federation VTT-FFC website in Caux Vallée de Seine also features some itineraries here.
Explore kilometres of mountain biking trails in the Orne département, from gentle family friendly off-road routes in the forest to bike skills areas or adrenaline-fueled downhill MTB. The area boasts four mountain bike sites acknowledged by the cycling federation: the Andaines and Donfrontais site, the Alpes Mancelles site, the Pays d’Auge site and the Suisse-Normande mountain biking website. Find all more useful information here.
MOUNTAIN bike trails in normandy
Autour de Sword Beach
Further information
Services
Green way, Shared lane
AERIAL PHOTOS / IGN
OPEN STREET MAP
Starting point
Le bois du Caprice
Located between Colleville Montgomery, Ouistreham and St Aubin d'Arquenay, and stretching over 75 hectares, the great wealth of the Bois du Caprice resides in the many natural environments it comprises. The "pilgrims' path" that meanders through the wood offers a step-by-step discovery of this wooded area (car park near the stadium of Ouistreham).
Pegasus Bridge
The bridges of Ranville and Bénouville were recaptured in the early hours of the night of the 5th to the 6th of June 1944 by the British 5th Parachute Brigade, whose emblem was Pegasus. The bridge over the canal was renamed Pegasus Bridge in memory of this great military feat. Free access to the site, visit free of charge.
Musée Mémorial Pegasus
The Pegasus Memorial Museum, located between Caen and the sea, tells the story of when the very first liberators from the British 6th Airborne Division landed on Norman soil on the night of the 5th to the 6th of June 1944. Period documents, films and objects. Guided tours of the museum, of Pegasus Bridge and of the reproduction of a WWII glider. Guided tour in French or English lasts: 1h30.
Novelty: you can now access all museum information on your smartphone via QR Codes on the panels inside the museum grounds.
Available in 10 languages: French, English, German, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Swedish, Danish and Czech.
Musée du Mur de l'Atlantique - Le Grand Bunker
Established inside a former Atlantic Wall firing command post, this museum presents a reproduction of what the post looked like back in 1944. On the top level, the telemetry post overlooks the entire Orne estuary. Unaccompanied tour time: 1h15.
Le Phare de Ouistreham
Set off and conquer the town’s red and white guardian: Ouistreham lighthouse! Take a deep breath and defy the 171 steps of its spiral staircase. Your efforts will be duly rewarded. From a height of 38 metres, marvel in the 360° panorama over the town and the horizon - as far as the eye can see. Make sure you take home a panoramic picture. And don’t forget, you can see them, but the boats out at sea can also see you, from 16 nautical miles away! You’ll probably see the Mont Saint-Michel or the Normandy - the Brittany Ferries car ferries that link Ouistreham Riva-Bella with Portsmouth - pass by.
Open on Saturdays and Sundays from 2.30 to 6pm in July and August.
Unaccompanied tour: €3
