Published by Andrew on 25 September 2018
Detailed guidebooks for the Tour de Manche bike route linking the UK to France are available from French publishers Iterance Velo.
The Tour de Manche bike route links Devon and Dorset in the south west of England to Brittany and Normandy in France and provides cyclists with lots of fun options to explore the varied coastlines of the two countries, using the English Channel ferry services to hop between the two.
In addition the Tour de Manche route also links with the European Cyclists Federation's EuroVelo (EV) network of cycleways with the route on the English side linking Plymouth to Roscoff, and continuing down the Atlantic Coast of France as part of the EuroVelo 1 bike route, La Velodyssey. Across the top of France, the section of the Tour de Manche from Roscoff to Carentan forms part of the EuroVelo 4 cycling route that eventually leads to Ukraine.
If you fancy riding all or part of the route then these guidebooks published by Iterance Velo could be worth the investment. Please note that at the moment all of the text is in French only, but if you are cycling the route the maps will be invaluable, as will be the other guidance, especially if you have a basic understanding French. We will update this blog if an English version is released.
The guide comes in two volumes so you can select the most appropriate for you.
The first volume covers 505km from north-western Normandy to the Channel Islands and southern Dorset in a 104-page A5 spiral-bound format.
There are over 50 detailed map panels at a scale of 1:100,000 based on Philips and IGN maps and there are also the usual sections on accommodation, repair shops and general tips.
The second volume covers a circular route starting and ending in St-Malo. This guide covers a distance of 580km crossing the Channel from St-Malo along the northern coast of Brittany to Roscoff, then back across the Channel to Plymouth, inland around Dartmoor National Park to Exeter and westwards to Weymouth, and from there back to St-Malo via Guernsey and Jersey.
There are detailed maps and profiles and some nice extras such as QR codes for local tourist offices and a diagram showing railway connections within Brittany, plus bus routes within the region covered by it.
Again please note that at the moment all of the text is in French only.
You can buy the books here for volume 1 and here for volume 2.
- More information on the Tour de Manche route
- Download a GPX file of the Tour de Manche route
Find accommodation on this route
