Cycling the Calvados Cider Route: A Scenic Ride Through Normandy’s Apple Country

Normandy’s delightdul Cider Route is best discovered on two wheels – and in moderation of course!

I have heard it said that cider has fewer calories than wine. If it’s true, it’s great news, because I seem to be consuming rather more of it than usual. I am on a cycling trip in Normandy – Calvados, to be precise, a region renowned for the apple brandy of the same name. But of course, the whole of Normandy is famous for its apples, ciders and calvados, so I am merely embracing the local culture – after all, when in Normandy…

Not that I need to worry. I’ve come here to do some cycling and whatever calories are consumed are burned off on the road each day. Also, in Norse mythology, apples were believed to grant eternal youth, so I guess drinking cider could be considered good for me. Normandy is, after all, named after the ‘Northmen’, Vikings from Scandinavia who began raiding and settling here in the 9th century.

The first written mention of cider-making in Normandy appears in the 11th century. It is thought sailors brought tannin-rich apple varieties from the Biscay region of northern Spain, which thrived in Normandy’s temperate climate and clay and flint soils, a combination which keeps the tree roots shallow, resulting in smaller, intensely-flavoured apples. In the 16th century, Charles IX ordered the uprooting of many Norman vineyards, further accelerating the shift towards cider.

I am told the crème de la crème of apples are from Terre d’Auge, a prized area within the Pays d’Auge, renowned for producing the finest cider. In my search for a great tipple, I hop on my bike and set about exploring.

My adventure begins in the coastal town of Ouistreham, where I’ve spent the night, having arrived on a late-night ferry from Portsmouth. I have a long day ahead of me, so I leave the hotel straight after breakfast to find Maxime, of bicycle hire shop Juno Vélo, who is waiting for me in the hotel car park with a bike mounted with panniers for my belongings.

This bike rental delivery service makes cycling in Normandy easy, saving me the hassle of bringing my own. From Ouistreham, I take an easy riverside cycle path, part of the long-distance La Vélo Francette route which links the English Channel to the Atlantic. A little past the town’s morning fish market, I find myself crossing Pegasus memorial bridge towards cider country. It is the first of several war memorials I am to pass during my journey, as this part of France saw heavy action in both world wars. It is particularly poignant as this year marks 80 years since the end of the Second World War.

The Cider Route

Before arriving in Terre d’Auge, I have a fair distance to cover on the bike. It seems that I’m in good hands, though, as to the east there is the Cider Route, a 25-mile signposted touring loop with picturesque country lanes that criss-cross in and out of pretty villages with half-timber housing, mansions and orchards. Leading through Beuvron-en-Auge, Cambremer, Bonnebosq and Beaufour-Druval, the route links almost 20 producers of cider and calvados, allowing for plenty of tour and tasting opportunities. You’ll spot the distinctive ‘Cru de Cambremer signs along the way, indicating distilleries and cider farms.

I join the Cider Route at Beuvron-en-Auge, one of France’s Plus Beaux Villages, which is well known for its Norman heritage as well as arts and crafts. Stopping for a break, I washed down a crêpe with a glass of local cider (from just down the road, the waiter informed me) at La Colomb’auge Crêperie on Place Michel Vermughen. It’s delicious but I turn down the offer of a second glass: being on the Cider Route, I suspect more will be coming my way and I have a couple of producers I want to visit. So I turn the GPS back on and get spinning. One of the joys of cycling through this part of Normandy, especially in spring, is the awakening countryside, the scent of blossoms filling the soft breeze as I pedal my way away from Beuvron-en-Auge towards Cambremer and two of the producers I’m keen to see.

Alas, thanks to poor research and a lack of planning on my part (take heed, dear reader!), I find that many of the producers are not open this early in the season or, if they are, they require advance booking. Having turned around in front of two locked gates, I decide to try my ciders elsewhere, giving up the search and simply enjoying the ride.

I’ll be honest. The route is hilly and my legs are getting tired fast. On reaching the village of Cambremer, I stop again, this time for a spot of sightseeing. This is a village known for its gardens, which I find bursting in kaleidoscopic colours. It is also home to the Cambremer AOC of agricultural products as well as its own mini Cider Route. It sounds like a place I should linger, but it is midday when I arrive and the town centre is devoid of people. I’m tempted to find somewhere for another refreshment, but I still have a few miles to go before I reach my final destination for the day, so I push on. I stay the night in Bonnebosq at the homely Chambre d’hôtes Les Malis, run by Christiane and Guy Moch, a couple who swapped city life in Paris for the lush Normandy countryside.

I ask to have cider with our dinner, and Guy laughs. “We actually prefer wine, but, you are a tourist in Normandy, I guess it’s only appropriate we have cider with you,” he says. I am treated to a bottle of traditional, honey-coloured Cambremer cider, which is perfect with the simple dinner of prawn salad and scrambled eggs with bread,

The Calvados and cheese of Terre d’Auge

Having slept soundly and feeling rested after my exertions of the previous day, I say farewell to my hosts and cycle on. Bonnebosq overlaps the Cider Route and the Terre d’Auge area, which is nestled within the broader Pays d’Auge region of Normandy where, less than an hour’s bike ride away is the town of Pont-l’Évêque, famous for its namesake delicious, soft creamy cheese. I make a note to come back for the cheese later and head straight to Distillerie Père Magloire to find out more about Terre d’Auge, cider and calvados. “Ah! You came to visit on your bike!” exclaims Steve, an Englishman from Bristol who has been working at the museum since its inception in 2018. “You know we give cyclists a discount on the entry!” With this welcome bit of news, I find I love cycling here even more.

Through a fantastic and inclusive multi-format and media presentation – featuring physical displays, large screens with projected animations, and sensory elements of sound, smell and movement – I am swept back in time, all the way back to the Viking conquest through to more recent history, following the story of how cider and calvados came about in Normandy.

Steve is delighted to hear that I have enjoyed the experience. “It’s not your ordinary museum is it?” he says. “Now how about some tasting?” Four nips of calvados later, I hop back in the saddle in search of cheese and Pont-l’Évêque does not disappoint. Following local recommendations, I head to La Dégusterie, part deli-part restaurant, where owner David Raguet prepares a best-of-Normandy platter for my very hungry post-cycling stomach. On it are the four major cheeses of the area – Camembert, Livarot, Neufchâtel and, of course, Pont-l’Évêque – as well as the region’s famous tripe sausages, andouille de Vire. “You like it?” he asks. I nod, as I chew on a slice, then cut myself a slab of Pont-l’Evêque. “I like the cheese more!”

Caen, gateway to the cider route and terre d’Auge

Having ended my Cider Route adventure at Pont-l’Évêque, I take the train back to Caen and spend a day exploring this gateway city. Having a bike is a great way to explore, and I head off to visit the extremely moving Caen Memorial Museum, whose immersive exhibitions trace 20th-century conflict, especially D-Day and the Second World War.

Then I return to the city centre for a stroll in the grounds of Caen Castle, where I enjoy a cultural hour in the excellent Fine Arts Museum. I spend my last hours before I need to catch my midnight ferry home having a long al fresco lunch at Gustave Brasserie under a brilliant Normandy sun (which is very rare, everyone tells me). “… and what would madame like to drink with her meal?” the waiter asks. “A local cider, please!”

CYCLING IN CALVADOS ESSENTIALS

GETTING THERE

BY FERRY

Brittany Ferries has regular sailings from Portsmouth to Quistreham/Caen

BY TRAIN

The calvados and cider cycling routes can be attempted from Caen or from Rouen. Both cities have regular train services from Paris. Regional train services have dedicated bike carriages for easy transport of bicycles.

RENT YOUR BIKE

Juno Vélo has a bike and accessories rental and delivery service in most coastal areas of Normandy, including the ferry terminal at Quistreham/Caen.

www.junovelo.fr

VISITS

• Distillerie Père Magloire has an excellent museum that explains how cider and calvados came to Normandy and how the industry developed. The tour is followed by a tasting session. Cyclists receive a discount on the entry fee. distillerieperemagloire.com
• Caen Memorial Museum is a war memorial and museum commemorating World War II and the Battle for Caen. www.memorial-caen.fr.
• Caen Castle is a multi-museum site, including the ramparts museum, the museum of fine arts and temporary exhibition spaces that rotate exhibitions through the year. musee-de-normandie.caen.fr

WHERE TO STAY

• Villa Victoria Hôtel et Spa in Quistreham is a comfortable seaside hotel perfect for pre- and post-ferry nights. Rooms from €168 a night. villavictoria-ouistreham.fr
• Best Western Royal Hotel is conveniently located in Caen city centre and has secure parking for bicycles. From €113 a night. www.hotel-caen-centre.com
• Chambre d’hôtes Les Malis in Bonnebosq is a lovely guesthouse on the Cider Route. From €85 per night. www.lesmalis.fr

WHERE TO EAT

• La Dégusterie in Pont-l’Évêque is a deli and restaurant specialising in the very best regional produce. It’s a great place to try the four signature cheeses of Normandy. www.ladegusterie.com
• Gustave Brasserie in Caen serves an excellent menu of modern regional cuisine. www.gustavebrasserie.com

FOR MORE INFORMATION

• The Cider Route: routeducidre.com Terre d’Auge Tourism: www.terredauge-tourisme.fr
• Cycling in Calvados: www.calvados-tourisme.co.uk/take-to-your-cycles Normandy Tourism: en.normandie-tourisme.fr.

From France Today Magazine