2025 Tour Day 12 - Stage 3 - Normandy

Three trains - we are getting good at this. 

Marc described the overnight couchette as "like sleeping in your friend's couch, in the back of a van, driving fast on a winding road.". Bonne Nuit 

We arrived at Gare d' Austerlitz at 6:40 am and found our way across Paris on the bike paths, crossing the Siene, heading to Gare de St Larzare.

Thinking of a classic french cafe with a cafe au lait for breakfast, what we found at the train station was...

Dunkin Donuts 

Starbucks 

McDonalds. 

Not kidding. 

So we went to the French cafe "Paul" and were told the coffee machine was out of order 🥺. Alas I did find a cafe au lait at a french cafe and my mood improved dramatically. 

Train #2 - Paris to Caen - a little hectic on the platform as everyone had an assigned car and seat, but the train that arrived did not have the same car numbers as the tickets.. so there was a little confusion. 

We didn't worry about our numbered seats, and sat on the jump seats beside our bike hooks and we were happy to keep our eye on them. 

Train #3 - Caen to Granville

And we did it! We made it to Granville Normandy to start Stage 3. We are just east along the coast from where we left last year at Mont St Michel.

As we left the station we immediately found the beauty of cycling in France again. Old stone buildings, with rose bushes like hedges, at almost every turn. 

We made our way up the coast about 20k to a friendly little campground and the Normandy historical journey has begun. 

We are just on the other side of the dunes from the beach. The weather held for an evening walk.

Looking south. 

 

Looking north. 

Our entire campground is fenced by these amazingly kept hedges. 

We are preparing for overnight rain, but with such a long day behind us, I don't think it will interfere with a good night's sleep. 

These birds are singing us to sleep...