2025 Hayling Charity Cycle Ride

After 11 years the ride will be returning to Paris.

The ride started at the Portsmouth ferry terminal. We caught the 8.00am sailing on Saturday 5^th July to Ouistreham, arriving at 3.00pm local time after which we cycled c.32 miles to Lisieux.

The route:

• Sunday: We cycled from Lisieux to Evreux c.60 miles.
• Monday: We went Paris! c.67 miles. We stayed in the Rueil-Malmaison district, an elegant suburb of Paris on the Avenue Verte, making it easy and safe to get to. Some of us continued into the city centre.
• Tuesday: We cycled to the historic town of Rouen. c.88 miles.
• Wednesday: We moved on to the old port town of Honfleurs. c.55 miles
• Thursday: Fancy dress day, cycling to Caen c.40 miles. We had the last night party, with a meal and DJ.
• Friday: We cycled the short distance along a lovely cycle path to Ouistreham to catch the 8.30am sailing to Portsmouth arriving 1.30pm local time for a reception back on Hayling Island.

Pete McQuade writes:

We had a lot of fun, new friendships were made, old ones renewed, some great cycling experienced including the conquering of a few nasty hills and after a couple of soggy days we had some great weather. And of course, we raised a chunk of money for various good causes.

On the second day, cycling from Lisieux to Evreux we had a spot of rain, indeed, we had many spots. As we navigated through a Normandy monsoon it was essential to remind ourselves that this was not a mere summer holiday but rather a cycling challenge! Besides, that evening after a few beers and /or local ciders the grim pedal of earlier didn’t seem so bad!

The following day as the ride headed to Paris, we had some more rain but fortunately less than the previous one and by the afternoon the weather had definitely turned and would continue to improve until we finished in a heatwave. On approaching the western Paris suburb of Rueil Malmaison, we were able to use the Avenue Verte - the London to Paris cycle route although I am sure the French call it the Paris to London cycle route

Then came the really big challenge: 94 miles to Rouen! Here that the Le Tour de France met the Le Tour de Hayling. We started out from Paris at 7:30am whereas the other group covering nearly 110 miles from Amiens began at 13.35pm. Despite the late start they still reached Rouen before us, but I suspect they had less café stops. In particular like many others, I could not resist a stop in Muids at the edge of the Seine.

The earlier cyclists were close enough to Rouen to see “the other group” whose route crossed over ours at several points. When those of us who lingered in Muids arrived in the city a little later than the T de F, various vestiges of the famous race were still apparent. Plenty of roadside bunting remained in place and the last trickle of the crowds that had previous lined the side of the road gave us a cheer, probably more out of pity than admiration. We cycled down a steep incline which the other group had cycled up probably faster than we had descended! I doubt that anyone thought we were Tour cyclists, but we still found a way to cause a bit of confusion as two of our support vehicles accidentally got caught in the Carnival procession that traditionally proceeds the event. The following morning we headed for Honfleur and with its picturesque harbour and distinctive architecture it was well worth a stopover.

On the last day we rode along the “Cote de Fleurie” literally the flowery coast, experiencing a medley of delightful beaches and quaint villages of which Deauville is perhaps the best known. We had a familiar finish at Café Gondrée by the Pegasus Bridge where we were met by an old PTH friend Arlette Gondrée- Pritchard before concluding our French visit with the customary party and prize-giving .