NORMANDY
Epic coastal roads and a wealth of river valleys make Normandy a haven for walkers and cyclists. Beautiful traffic free lanes, lined by hedgerows and with highly maintained country road surfaces are perfect for the occasional to seriously enthusiastic rider.
En route you can take in ancient Norman churches, historic Chateaux in rural villages alongside War Memorials, German gun batteries and bunkers and beautiful beaches. The landscape in this rural region of France is a hidden gem and notable for its lack of heavy traffic.
There is local fishing on the river Mederet and kayaking on the river Douve and good golf courses 15 km away. As the area around La Chevalerie is relatively underdeveloped it is a joy for nature lovers and birdwatchers; we have barn owls nesting in the yard and in October/November the surrounding fields are a sea of butterflies, with 160 species native to Normandy.
For travel from the UK, Brittany Ferries operates a regular crossing throughout the year to Caen and Cherbourg, taking between 2 and a half and 5 and a half hours (off season). The house is a short 40 minute drive from Cherbourg (1 hr and 15 from Caen).
From Paris, it’s a 3 and a half hour drive if you plan on getting the Eurostar. Some guests choose to travel via the Eurotunnel in Dover, which has regular crossings on the hour and is roughly a four and half hour drive from Calais to La Chevalerie (291 km). One of the bonuses of getting to this region is the lack of air travel - you can throw your bags in the car or get on a train, without too many checks and safety measures.
Picauville is a commune in the Manche department of Normandy, in north western France. The inhabitants are called Picauvillais and are very friendly and accommodating if you need help with translation in the boulangerie queue. The regional capital Cherbourg is 40 minutes away, Bayeux and it’s famous tapestry is 45 minutes and if you want to go slightly further afield, Mont St Michel is a very popular destination (150km) as is the picturesque fishing port of Barfleur (39km).
