Pedaling into Bayeux, a medieval town in France's Normandy region with cobbled streets, half-timbered houses and an imposing Gothic cathedral, I could feel the emotional weight of the place.
Bayeux was the first town in France liberated after D-Day in 1944. Today, the area is filled with morning markets, boulangerie shops and sidewalk cafes. Still, echoes of the town's past remain.
As a fan of World War II historical fiction, I was drawn to a guided cycling trip through Normandy and Brittany with active tour operator Backroads, and invited my husband along with me.
A mid-ride stop for oysters in Cancale, the oyster capital of Brittany. Photo Credit: Backroads
Over six days, we pedaled along the wide seafront promenade in Saint-Malo, into Cancale for a mid-ride stop for oysters and up to the vast shoreline of Omaha Beach, where Allied soldiers once came onshore and now land sailboats skim across the sand.
For me, exploring beyond France's marquee cities like Paris, Lyon and Bordeaux was also part of the tour's appeal. In 2025, France welcomed more than 100 million visitors, but most concentrated their time in the country's most heavily visited cities. Normandy and Brittany, however, offer something different: smaller towns, regional cuisine and a slower approach to travel.
A growing demand for active travel
This guided bike tour meanders through France's normandy region, including Bayeux, the first town in France liberated after D-Day in 1944. Photo Credit: Erin Gifford
This was our second trip with Backroads, which, alongside companies like DuVine Cycling + Adventure Co. and VBT | Country Walkers, is benefitting from the growing demand for active travel and soft adventure experiences. According to the Adventure Travel Trade Association, 64% of North American outbound travelers are "open to adventure" and represent a market value of $185 billion.
And e-bikes, in particular, have expanded the appeal of guided cycling trips. Travelers who may have once viewed multi-day cycling itineraries as too physically demanding are now increasingly willing to consider them, particularly in destinations where scenery, culture and food are a significant draw. For travel advisors, that opens up opportunities beyond traditional cycling clients.
Pedaling along a wide seafront promenade in Saint-Malo in France's Brittany region.
According to Backroads, more than half of its clientele now choose e-bikes, and the company currently offers 20 dedicated e-bike tours in which all guests -- including trip leaders -- ride e-bikes. These models are available on all the company's biking and multi-adventure itineraries, with the exception of Unplugged trips, where all travelers use non-electric bikes.
On our departure, which was not a designated e-bike trip, every traveler in our 14-person group opted for an e-bike. Among the participants were two Gen X couples from Canada, a father traveling with his adult son and a solo senior female traveler from Los Angeles. None of us were especially serious cyclists; luckily, this trip was not about grit or endurance.
It's also worth noting that e-bikes still feel like bicycles. They were equipped with Bosch motors offering four assistance settings -- eco, tour, sport and turbo. Riders can pedal entirely without assistance or power up for hills, fatigue or headwinds. European regulations cap e-bike speeds at 15.5 miles per hour, so the experience never resembles riding a scooter or moped.
Two hotels, six days, 189 miles
The trip began in Caen, reached in just two hours by direct train from Paris, making the itinerary logistically straightforward for most travelers. From there, a short bus ride through the Normandy countryside led us to a plein air picnic and bike fitting before we pedaled away, passing cattle pastures and sprawling fruit orchards. That evening, the group gathered for aperitifs and dinner, sharing stories and getting to know one another.
A highlight of the trip is a guided tour of Mont-Saint-Michel in Normandy. Photo Credit: Backroads
Daily routes ranged from 15 to 49 miles, with shorter alternatives and support van transfers available each day. My husband and I clocked in 189 miles over the course of the trip, riding along country roads and breezy coastal paths.
Daily elevation gains ranged from 500 to 2,800 feet, with e-bike assistance making climbs manageable.
Over five nights, we stayed at two different properties: Chateau Saint Gilles in Normandy and Hotel La Villefromoy near Saint-Malo in Brittany. Both felt like natural extensions of the regions rather than simply places to sleep. Chateau Saint Gilles sat among gardens, while Hotel La Villefromoy reflected Brittany's maritime history and aristocratic heritage.
They were stays I likely would not have discovered on my own.
Backroads guide Nico Foubert leads the morning "route rap" to go over logistics for the day. Photo Credit: Erin Gifford
The Backroads trip leaders shaped much of the experience and our guides Nico and Henry balanced logistics, encouragement and local insight with ease. Each morning began with the "route rap," a casual overview of the day's mileage, elevation, coffee stops, lunch plans and optional routes. Wahoo navigation devices attached to our handlebars guided us turn-by-turn along the route, emitting an insistent beep whenever we drifted off course.
Riders can set off at their own pace each morning, regrouping later at a cafe for an americano or at a waterfront restaurant for lunch. Some guests pushed ahead while others hung back to take photos or pop into patisseries. After lunch, travelers could continue riding -- or call it a day -- and opt to take the support van back to the hotel. That flexibility may be one of the strongest selling points.
This year, we're setting off on another guided cycling trip with Backroads, this time along the coastlines and islands of Croatia. I can't wait to explore in much the same way -- slowly, intentionally and entirely on two wheels.