Day 1: from Rouen to Jumièges
As the author's capacities for this article on the little queen are limited to occasional use of the Parisian Vélib ', a departure from the capital would have been a bit ambitious for a first traveling adventure. We therefore decided to reach Rouen, by train, before getting in the saddle for the next three days. No time to be won over by any apprehension, the meeting point is fixed at the tourist office, accessible in 10 minutes on foot from the station. Our two-wheeled companion proudly stands in front of the majestic
Notre-Dame cathedral
, painted about thirty times by Monet and celebrated at length in Flaubert's work. Barely enough time to roll your eyes to admire its 151-meter cast iron spire (the highest in France!) Than Justin, passionate about bicycle journeys at the head of LocVelo, begins his instructions for a serene stay. Four electric assistance modes, a walking aid to handle the 23-kilo car, two saddlebags for storing things, a repair kit… Everything is in place.
The sun is at its zenith, no question of lingering. We leave the city center to set off along the Seine towards
La Bouille
, about twenty kilometers away. The bell towers of the Norman capital give way to the cranes of Europe's leading grain-exporting port, gigantic cargo ships and silos. When it comes to landscape, everything is a matter of taste… But the cycle path, shared with pedestrians, has the merit of being in perfect condition. A glance at the map is necessary on this portion where the markup is rather anecdotal. From
Val-de-la-Haye
, the signs are more visible on the towpath. The industrial atmosphere fades in favor of sumptuous manors, sandstone villages and half-timbered buildings so typical of Normandy. A stop is essential in the gardens of the
castle of Soquence
for a superb view of the river, before taking the ferry to reach La Bouille, the birthplace of the writer Hector Malot and an inexhaustible source of inspiration for the Impressionists.
If this picturesque town marks the end of the first stage of the itinerary, 35 kilometers still separate us from
Jumièges
, our destination of the day. After a brief passage on a secondary road with low traffic, heading for a greenway with an evocative name, the
“Route des fruits”
. Here we are in the heart of the Loops of the Norman Seine Regional Natural Park, surrounded by orchards. The opportunity to push open the door of one of the many producers and slip a bottle of farmhouse cider in your saddlebags. A choice that we do not fail to regret at the level of
Bardouville
: a very steep slope over a few hundred meters forces us to get off the bike and push it. Electric assistance is not everything, we now have proof of it… The road becomes quiet again until Duclair, where gourmets delight in the traditional duck au sang, before crossing the Seine once again.
The last ten kilometers seem like an eternity. Fortunately, the next and final stop, one of the oldest and most remarkable Benedictine abbeys in Normandy, is a big motivator. Faced with the one that Victor Hugo nicknamed "
the most beautiful ruin in France
", a reference to its destruction in the 19th century, we are overcome by emotion. It is 6 pm, the light is declining and tinting the park of the
Abbey of Jumièges
with a singular romanticism. A final pedal stroke to Clos des Fontaines, where the white towers of the abbey are revealed from the bedroom terrace. The jacuzzi in the bathroom, the meal served in the room and the quality bedding will undoubtedly be beneficial. Tomorrow is another day… which we are already impatient to discover.
To read also: The Seine by bike: our guide to properly prepare your trip
Day 2: from Jumièges to Honfleur
The route winds along green ways in the heart of the Normandy countryside.
David Darrault
Battery fully charged and the sun still shining bright, we left our accommodation in the direction of the
Marais Vernier
, 43 kilometers away. Slight aches were invited in the calves and buttocks this morning, but nothing bothersome. On dry land, after a final crossing of the river to reach the left bank, the markings indicate: "Honfleur, 60 km". This is where we will sleep tonight. For now, the route runs along the banks of the river, zigzagging on narrow roads between farms, with horses and cows for companions. While the air of Yves Montand resonates in the minds "
When we left early in the morning / When we left on the paths (...)
", we already arrive at the Relais des chaumières d '
Aizier
, a typical inn renowned for its generous portions. Lunch in the satchel, we branch off towards the Chapelle Saint-Thomas, a former leper colony in ruins in the
Brotonne forest
, which deserves a look despite a significant drop.
We return to the Seine à Vélo route combining traditional Norman architecture and a wealth of local fauna on the outskirts of the Marais-Vernier, a 4,500-hectare park with a unique ecosystem. Lovers of ornithology, the Grand-Mare observatory is a site where shoveler, coots, great cormorants, gray herons and wild geese come to recharge their batteries. After this contemplative stopover, we meet Christelle, curator at the Regional Natural Park, at the Cigognes bed and breakfast. “
We do not go to the Marais Vernier by chance, because we do not cross it. Either we live there, or we visit it. This is where the peculiarity of this little piece of
Scotland
lies
in Normandy, where Highland Cattle cows rub shoulders with their Norman cousins.
», Jokes the enthusiast who leads participatory projects in the reserve. In summer, passing cycle tourists can learn about the scientific monitoring of carnivorous plants, try their hand at wild basketry or even participate in meditation sessions in the heart of this protected site. Enough to make the Marais Vernier an ideal base, near the sometimes overcrowded coast.
The clock is ticking and it is already time to leave this vast wetland to reach the Normandy countryside to the picturesque village of
Berville-sur-Mer
, a former fishing port. The village of
Foulbec
does not spare cyclists, with slopes of more than 10%. Short of breath, we set off on the green lane along the Seine, with the Normandy bridge in our sights. The road, in excellent condition and without unevenness, allows you to enjoy the comings and goings of freighters on this cerulean water in peace. Once the concrete pylons of the span have been passed, the route leads us into a sad industrial area. Fortunately,
Honfleur
, its port and its picturesque alleys, is hidden behind.
It is in the old town that the private mansion of the painter Henri de Saint-Delis, transformed into a 5-star, is revealed.
The nine spacious rooms are imbued with the modesty and discretion of the artist, far from the crowds drained by the city of painters.
In this romantic and bohemian atmosphere of the artistic milieu of the first half of the 20th century, a grand luxury version, we dive into the arms of Morpheus, ready to do battle for the last stage.
Read also: Hotel Saint-Delis in Honfleur, the expert opinion of
Figaro
Day 3: from Honfleur to Deauville
The boards of Deauville, emblematic walk of the arrival city of the Seine à Vélo.
David Darrault
Fifty kilometers now separate us from the final objective. After a refined breakfast and a last glance at the port of Honfleur, we join the marked route. The start is tough: the road, shared with the cars, is in very bad condition and the drop is steep, although the body seems to have got used to it. After a few painful kilometers, we enter the green meadows of the Pays d'Auge, where racetrack cracks grow. The light is soft, the silence broken by the only mooing of the cows. We take advantage of these last moments on the side roads. In
Saint-André d'Hébertot
, a green way shared with horses guides us for 9 km to
Pont-l'Évêque
, ideal stopover for cheese lovers… But not only.
Between its “
happy prison
” preserved as it is, its art library which unveils a formidable exhibition on David Hockney and his Calvados Experience, a new kind of museum where the 5 senses are put to the test, this city of 4600 inhabitants deserves let us dwell on it.
Read also: In Normandy, weekend on the cheese route, from Livarot to Pont-l'Évêque
Like a final slender to reach the main beach of Deauville, a hedge of honor of apple trees and a greenway set up within the racecourse accompany the last strokes of the pedals.
The long-awaited boards and parasols stretch out their arms to us.
We let go of our faithful mount for a short walk to the water, before meeting Justin in front of the station to give him the bicycle.
It only took 5 stages and 190 km on the clock to be bitten by the roaming virus and make us forget a hidden daily life (not compulsory on the bike).
Each loop of the river has its history, its atmosphere, its rhythm, and gives all its flavor to this journey of a richness that one could not suspect.
To read also: Vélorution: the bicycle, new star of the holidays in France
