Le Mêle-sur-Sarthe / Alençon Veloscenic : Paris to Mont-Saint-Michel cycle route

🚲 Stage description and details:

For some 15km, the greenway leads you in a straight line towards Alençon. It notably takes you through Bourse Forest, close to which you’ll find a very well-equipped service area for cyclists, at La Vente-aux-Bourses, with running water, dry toilets, a shelter, bike parking and picnic tables.

The stage ends with a few short stretches on roads, taking you to the attractive centre of the historic town of Alençon.

⭐ Don’t miss:

• The Base de Loisirs du Mêle-sur-Sarthe: its 16-hectare lake with outdoor leisure centre has made this village a respected Station Verte, offering green holidays in a country setting. Cycling tourists can make the most of a dedicated area that provides cycling facilities.  
• The Musée du Vélo La Belle Échappée allows visitors to relive the history of and major moments in cycling and cycle races from 1868 to the present. To reach it from the Veloscenic cycle route, follow the purple link marked on the map (6km). As an alternative way onwards from here, you can follow signposting for La Sarthe à Vélo, this cycle route guiding you along small roads for 22km, mainly downhill, to reach Alençon.
• La Forêt de Bourse: a pedestrian discovery trail 2.5km in length allows visitors to learn about the natural specificities and history of Bourse Forest. 🔒 Secure bike lock-up and picnic area at the starting point.
• Alençon: 
  • The Musée des Beaux-arts et de la Dentelle: the major attraction among this museum’s collections is the exceptional presentation of needle-point lace, in particular the prestigious local Point d’Alençon, the skill involved in its intricate craft recognized by UNESCO as a part of the world’s intangible heritage since 2010. 
  • Notre-Dame Basilica: its 15th-century nave, the magnificent Flamboyant Gothic entrance and the remarkable 16th-century stained-glass windows.
  • The Maison Natale de Sainte-Thérèse: birthplace in 1873 of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, daughter of the Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin, her parents also canonized in 2015. Thérèse’s early childhood home has been transformed into a museum with set pieces recreating an authentic period atmosphere reflecting the life of the Martin family here.
  • Walk around the historic centre of town taking in the circular Halle aux Blés, the Parc des Promenades public garden and the historic Maison d'Ozé...
  • The Château des Ducs d’Alençon: admire the impressive vestiges of this castle in the centre of town.
     

🍴 Food and drink en route:

• Le Mêle-sur-Sarthe: food and drink stores and a market on Wednesday mornings on Place de Gaulle.
• Alençon: with many food and drink stores and markets on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday mornings. 

💡 Bring up Accueil Velo accredited restaurants by clicking on the 🍴 icon on the map. De-select "only show accueil velo accredited services" to view further possibilities.

🚆 Train stations nearby:

Gare d'Alençon (take care on the link when crossing the D112 road)

💡 Also see our section on reaching the veloscenic cycle route, including conditions for taking a bicycle on board trains.