A total of 1,200km of quiet cycle routes linking countryside in south-west England and France was formerly opened this weekend. The £6.8m Cycle West Tour de Manche project was inaugurated with a series of celebrations on both sides of the Channel on Saturday. The aim is to capitalise on the wave of popularity of bike holidays.
The network of clearly marked routes follows quiet lanes on both sides of the Channel, and links four ferry ports at Plymouth (Devon), Roscoff (Brittany), Cherbourg (Normandy) and Poole (Dorset).
Route highlights include Brittany's Bay of Morlaix, Pink Granite Coast and World Heritage Site Mont-Saint-Michel, as well as the Jurassic Coast (Dorset and Devon) and Dartmoor National Park (Devon), also marked out by UNESCO.
Fiona Clampin of Cycle West said she hopes the new routes will capitalise on the popularity of cycle holidays in France and south-west England: “The new cycle route will potentially bring a new wave of tourists to our region – quite possibly from all around Europe – who will be here to enjoy the quiet pleasures of our countryside and coastline.”
For more information visit Cycle West.
