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
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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