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Am really keen to do the Velo Francette next May. Am already thinking about how you get back from La Rochelle to Ouisterham without going via Paris - any suggestions? Also my husband and I are not in the first flush of youth and don't know if we will manage more than 30 miles a day so am wondering if it is essential that you pre-book accommodation or whether you can get it on an ad hoc basis?
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Sue, presuming you're in the UK you might get a bigger audience on a couple of the UK cycling fora. CycleChat is friendly and there is also the Cycling UK forum.
The Man in Seat 61 is a good resource for figuring out train travel.
As for pre-booking accommodation you don't say what kind of accommodation. I presume you're not camping? Also, pre-booking for some can mean months in advance and the day before for others.
Personally, I much prefer the freedom of no bookings, but I tend to camp.
Usually it comes down to personal preferences. Some people don't enjoy the stress of looking for a place to sleep in a strange town, others thrive on it. Rolling up can be both more expensive and a lot cheaper, and there's always the risk (excitement?) of having to roll on to the next place.
If taking a more casual approach it's a good idea to check out holidays (national and local) in advance.
Good luck!
The Facebook group ‘Cycling in France’ (run by the Freewheeling France website) is also really helpful.
I find this PDF map useful for trying to figure out French regional trains: https://www.sncf-reseau.com/en/carte/carte-reseau-ferre-en-france
I think your best bet for avoiding Paris would be to take a train from La Rochelle to Nantes – these run six times a day. You can then take local trains across Brittany to either Caen or Saint Malo, changing again at Rennes or possibly Le Mans.
When I rode the Velo Francette I booked on the day and had no problems.
Thank you for much for the info - that is really helpful. Def not camping - we are both mid 70s and spending our children's inheritance so will stay in hotels! Will check out trains that you have suggested.