Tour de Manche, a unique cycling adventure that links France and England

Two cross-border routes are described on this site: Tour de Manche (blue line on the map) and Petit Tour de Manche (red line).

Tour de Manche is a 1200km long itinerary; following the coastline of Brittany through the famous Pink Granite Coast and Cap Fréhel. It links up Brittany and Normandy to Dorset and Devon, two counties of South-West England boasting some of the most glorious seaviews and countryside.

Petit Tour de Manche, 450km, is an epic journey along part of the Dorset Jurassic Coast and across the Channel to the Mont St-Michel, both sites classified as world heritage by UNESCO. Offering a visit of the Emerald Coast, the Vire Valley and one of France’s Regional Parks, you can stopover in beautiful Jersey or go on to discover the D-Day Beaches of Normandy.

An adventure to share with friends or family !

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Corbiere lighthouse

For more than 100 years Corbiere lighthouse has warned approaching ships to steer clear of Jersey’s treacherous western coast. Its light can be seen up to 28 kms away.

Abbotsbury

Few Dorset villages can be more photogenic than Abbotsbury, with its thatched cottages, abbey barn, chapel, world-famous swannery and sub-tropical gardens.

Corfe Castle

The jewel in Purbeck’s crown, visitors flock to see this imposing hilltop fortification. Commissioned by William the Conqueror in the 11th century, it’s one of England’s most magnificent stone castles

Mont St-Michel bay

Mont St Michel is a World Heritage site, rightly described as ‘The Wonder of the West’ and an ‘artistic tour de force’ as it soars out of the sea towards the heavens.

Saint-Malo

St Malo has had to defend itself many times over the centuries, and the massive granite walls contain an inner city (La Ville Intra-Muros) that – despite being 90% destroyed during the war, has been faithfully restored.

Grouin point in Cancale

The westernmost tip of the Bay is a ragged, jagged headland with superb views out to the scattered handful of islands making up the Îles Chausey and a closer island that is a haven for seabirds.

Mortain waterfalls

At the hillside town of Mortain, the River Cance slices through rocky gorges down to the wooded basin of the Sélune river, creating the two spectacular sets of waterfalls with scenic walks and picnic spots alongside.

Ham rocks

Just south of Saint Lo, the rocks form a near 100 metre precipitous wall above the river.

Mont St Michel

Millions of years of erosion have left a massive granite outcrop, upon which stands the ancient citadel and abbey of Mont St Michel.

Cherbourg harbour

Work commenced on what is now the world’s largest artificial harbour in 1783, and it has steadily grown since - serving first merchant ships then acting as a strategic naval stronghold.

St-Lô national stud farm

Normandy is home to two French National Studs, and the one just outside Saint-Lô, built in 1806 on the orders of Napoleon to support his campaigns, is dedicated to breeding Selle Francais (the French warmblood horse), Percheron and the Norman Cob.

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All places not to be missed

Stage : St-Jean-de-Daye / St-Lo

Follow the pretty, winding Vire Canal through lush countryside all the way to St Lo. Heavily destroyed in 1944, “The Capital of Ruins” has risen ...

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Discovering Green Lanes

"Last March we set off to discover Jersey for a week-end on our bikes. We left a very rainy Saint-Malo early on Saturday morning and disembarked at the sunlit port of Saint-Helier an hour and a half later! "

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