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Saturday 22 June 2013

Cycling: Tour de Manche launch

Tourism is clearly a key industry in Devon.

This is the latest news from the Mirror Tour de Manche: New cycle route takes in 700-miles of South West England and Northern France - Mirror Online and the BBC:


Cycle route linking Devon and Dorset with France opens

22 June 2013 
A cycle route which includes parts of Devon and Dorset as well as areas of Brittany and Normandy in France has been launched.
The Tour de Manche, which is 745 miles (1,200km) long, is aimed at "promoting sustainable tourism", organisers said.
It is one of three routes based around ferry services.
The routes, which have cost a total £6.8m, have been paid for primarily with EU funding with local authorities contributing smaller amounts.
Victoria Stonex, of Cycle West - the EU funded initiative behind the project - said: "It's about promoting cycle tourism in both countries and getting people to visit attractions and experience a different culture."
William Cann, mayor of West Devon Borough Council, said: "The Tour de Manche route will put West Devon on the European map."
In England, the route passes through Poole, Dorchester, Exeter and Plymouth.





Three new cycling routes connecting Brittany, Normandy and the South West of England

Tour de Manche, a cycling adventure! — Tour de Manche

Baguette takes a journey for Dorset launch of 1200km cross-Channel cycle route | Dorset Newsroom

CYCLE West - Cross Channel Cycle Tourism - dorsetforyou.com

Futures Forum: Cycling: in Sidmouth

Vision Group for Sidmouth - Tour de Manche


And from the Devon County newsroom: Devon County Council (DevonCC) on Twitter


Baguettes at the ready for Devon launch of 1200km cycle route

Cycle West
Cycle West
Posted on: 21 June 2013
Tavistock is gearing up to host an Anglo-French Cycling Festival to mark the official launch of the new cross-Channel cycle route, the Tour de Manche, taking in 1200km (more than 700 miles) of some of the most beautiful countryside in South West England and Northern France. 
The Tour de Manche is the last and longest of three new, varied routes to be completed as part of the £6.8m ‘CYCLE WEST’ project.  The three itineraries have been created with the help of European funding to promote sustainable tourism and capitalise upon the huge rise in popularity of two-wheeled holidays
The free event, taking place on Saturday 22nd June, will see the town taken over for a day of attractions and festivities including Tavistock Farmers’ Market, a French continental market, stalls, cookery demonstrations and a host of entertainment.  Tavistock’s most famous son and Drake’s Trail namesake, Sir Francis Drake, will also be putting in an appearance.
Councillor Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Highways, said: “We are proud that Devon forms an integral part of the Cycle West project and the launch of The Tour de Manche is another exciting development which could potentially attract thousands of visitors to the county. All three Cycle West routes are a great way to discover some of the most stunning scenery that Devon has to offer, and the Tour de Manche takes in the Jurassic Coast World Heritage site, Exeter and Dartmoor National Park. It really highlights why we are a premier destination for cycling. Devon County Council has helped play its part through the development of Drake’s Trail, which includes the landmark Gem Bridge, and Cycle West is a great example of how the County Council is working with its partners in the South West and in France to establish closer links to benefit the economy. Connecting our cycle and tourism networks is a great opportunity for local businesses and I’m sure it will prove very popular.”
Fiona Clampin, Cycle West UK Marketing Manager said, “The whole day will be a celebration not only of the new route being opened, and of the ‘entente cordiale’ it represents between France and England, but of the huge opportunities it will offers for sustainable tourism for local businesses.
“Cycle tourism is a multi-million euro business on the Continent – and this is our opportunity to win a slice of that.”
“The new cycle route will potentially bring a new wave of tourists to Devon – quite possibly from all around Europe – and who will be here to enjoy the quiet pleasures of our countryside and coastline. The opening event is a huge opportunity for us to ‘wave the flag’ and say ‘come and see what we have to offer.”
Most of the Tour de Manche route is on quiet roads, and it has been carefully marked out and divided into convenient bite-sized sections so that even those who prefer a more leisurely cycle ride can comfortably take part in the adventure. It takes in a host of reknowned, attractive tourist sites along the coast, as well as lesser known ones ‘off the beaten track’, and gives cyclists of all levels of fitness the opportunity to sample local cuisine and culture.
The route passes along quiet lanes, ‘greenways’ and paths from Poole to Dorchester, Exeter and Okehampton, taking in some of the South West’s most attractive landscapes.  Cyclists then take the ferry from Plymouth to Roscoff, travelling through Brittany and Normandy to Cherbourg and then back to Poole. Highlights include the Bay of Morlaix, the Pink Granite Coast, the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Mont St-Michel and the Jurassic Coast, as well as Dartmoor National Park.
As of 22nd June, the route planning website www.tourdemanche.com will offer a wealth of route section information, GPS trackers, places to see and stay, as well as details of bike repair and hire for each local area.


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