On the final circular loop of the Sienne

Starts at the Pont de la Roque, on the D20 between Coutances and Montmartin-sur-Mer. Car parks on either side of the bridge, on the right-hand side of the road when heading towards Montmartin.

Green signposting (Carré Vert route)

(S/E) Follow the D20 towards Montmartin-sur-Mer.

(1) About 200m after the bridge over the Sienne, take the cycle path on the right-hand side of the road and head uphill.

(2) At the roundabout, take the first right onto the D156 towards Urville. Ride downhill, ignoring two turn-offs on the left.

(3) At the three-way junction in Urville, turn right onto the D156 towards Grimouville.

(4) Pass Urville church on your right, then drive through Incleville. At the junction, turn right onto the D249 towards Le Prey.

No signposts or markings

(5) After a few metres, at a Fork in the road, turn right and continue downhill.

Red and white + yellow markings

(6) Turn left and follow the^GR® 223 as it winds its way through the meadows.

Green signposting (Carré Vert route)

(7) At the junction after a wash house, turn right onto the Route du Prey. At the T-junction, turn left.

(8) At the fork in the road, turn right onto the C2 towards Regnéville. Immediately afterwards, turn right.

(9) After the “Grimouville” sign, turn left. At the small square, turn right onto the D156 towards Regnéville. Ignore all roads on the left and enter Regnéville.

(10) At the roundabout, follow the D49 to the left towards Montmartin-sur-Mer and drive alongside the Regnéville harbour.

(11) Turn left towards the church and the castle. At the foot of the church, ignore the signposting and turn round.

No signposting

(11) At the Stop sign, turn left and continue along the harbour. At the first Fork in the road, take the right-hand branch, the D49 towards Montmartin.

Green signposting (Carré Vert route)

(12) At the next Fork in the road, turn right onto the D156 towards Hauteville-sur-Mer.

No signposting

(13) At the ‘give way’ sign, turn right then cross a small canal.

(14) At the junction, carry on straight ahead until you reach a car park. Walk a few metres further up the dune for a lovely view. Then turn back.

(14) At the junction, turn left. After a left-hand bend and a right-hand bend, you’ll reach a car park. Walk up to a promontory on the left (stunning view).

(15) Turn back and return to the previous junction.

(14) Then turn left and return to the three-way junction.

Green signposts (Carré Vert route)

(13) Turn right and, at the first Fork in the road, turn left, heading up the D73 towards Montmartin.

(16) At the orientation table (on the left-hand side), continue uphill and then enter Montmartin. At the ‘give way’ sign, carry on straight ahead, and do the same at the following junctions.

(17) Pass the war memorial on your right. At the next junction, go straight on towards Coutances. At the junction immediately after that, continue straight on but towards Cerisy, and ride past the church.

(18) At the end of the 30 km/h zone, turn left onto the D356 towards Les Périers. Head downhill (with a view of Coutances on the left). Ignore one road on the left, then two on the right.

(19) At the T-junction, turn left onto the D356 towards Pont de la Roque, then immediately right, staying on the same road and continuing in the same direction.

(20) Take the first right. When you reach the houses (a place called Carouge), turn left. At Le Benset, carry on straight ahead and enter Montchaton.

(21) At the junction, turn left downhill. Take the first right towards the church.

(22) Pass the church on your right and continue downhill. At the junction, take the D72 on the right towards Agon-Coutainville. At the next junction, take the D20 on the right towards Agon-Coutainville.

(1) Continue straight on until you reach the Pont de la Roque (S/E).

A hybrid bike is well suited to this route, which follows only tarmac roads with a good surface, with three exceptions: (i) between (5) and (7), (ii) on the last few hundred metres before the viewpoint (15) and (iii) on the first few hundred metres after the church at Montchaton (22).

If you wish to avoid sections with poor road surfaces:
- At (5), turn left, continue to follow the green signposts and rejoin the route at (7).
- At the^second junction (14), skip the detour to the viewpoint (15).
- After the junction in Montchaton (21), do not turn right towards the church but continue on the D72, rejoining the route before the junction with the D20.

N.B. The D20 is a very busy road. On both the outward and return journeys, you’ll only be on it for a few hundred metres, but you should stilltake care. On the return journey, at the junction with the D20, it is not advisable to cross over to join the cycle path on the other side, as this path ends 200 metres further on and you will have to cross the D20 again to continue on the right.

Bars, restaurants and shops in Regnéville and Montmartin.

The time given does not include the numerous possible stops.

A detailed map is useful (at the very least, the one accompanying this description).

Route completed by the author on 11 August 2017.

- Between (6) and (16), superb views over the Sienne, Regnéville Harbour and Pointe d’Agon.
- Beautiful old churches in Urville (3), Regnéville (11), Montmartin (18) and Montchaton (22).
- Pont de la Roque (destroyed in June 1944) (S/E).
- Hamlets with beautiful houses.
- Wooded countryside.

Apart from sections without signposting or those marked as hiking trails, the route has been designed and signposted by Vélo-Route Pays de Coutances.