Motorcycle Touring from Caen: Riding in Normandy — The Complete 2026 Guide for UK Riders

Motorcycle touring from Caen puts you at the starting line of some of the most rewarding riding in northern France, minutes from the port gate. The D-Day coast runs west from Ouistreham along roads that are as quiet as they are historic. The Suisse Normande drops south into river gorges that bear absolutely no resemblance to the flat chalk plains most people picture when they think of Normandy. The Pays d’Auge rolls east through cider country and half-timbered villages. And if you’re heading further — Honfleur, Étretat, Rouen, Paris — the A13 puts them all within reach. Whether you are planning a self-guided motorcycle tour of a few days or a longer fortnight through Normandy, the route options from Caen reward any timescale. This guide covers everything UK riders need to know: French rules specific to motorcyclists, mandatory equipment, the lane filtering rules made permanent across France in January 2025, the December 2025 speed law change, and six verified routes to ride straight from Ouistreham.

Last updated: June 2026 | Rules verified from official French government (service-public.gouv.fr), FEMA and Bennetts Insurance sources. French law changes regularly — verify before travel.

🏍️ Riding in France — Fast Facts for UK Motorcyclists

130 kph

Motorway limit (80 mph)

80 kph

Rural roads (50 mph)

0.05%

BAC drink-ride limit

A13

Tolled — bikes at Class 5

✅ Hi-viz vest mandatory — within arm’s reach from the saddle at all times
✅ CE-certified gloves mandatory since 2017 — for rider and pillion. Fine: €68 flat rate, up to €450
✅ Dipped headlights at all times — daytime included. Required by French law
⚠️ 50kph+ over the limit = criminal offence from December 2025 — fines up to €3,750, possible imprisonment
✅ Lane filtering permanently legal since 9 January 2025 — nationwide, on motorways and dual carriageways under specific conditions
✅ Crit’Air sticker required for Caen city centre ZFE — order from certificat-air.gouv.fr

Book Motorbike Crossing with Brittany Ferries

Your First Miles from Ouistreham

The port exit at Ouistreham leads directly to a roundabout on the D514 — the coast road. Turn left and Sword Beach is two minutes away. Turn right and you’re heading back toward Ouistreham town. Head south and you’re on the route down the Canal de Caen à la Mer into Caen city. None of these first moves are difficult, but there are a few things worth doing before you open the throttle.

Check your tyres before you ride off the ramp. Tyre pressure drops during a cold crossing in a sealed hold. The loading ramp at Ouistreham can be wet and algae-covered at any time of year. A sluggish rear or a vague front will announce itself here if you’re not expecting it. Get off the ramp, check pressures, then ride. Thirty seconds at the port exit saves a slide you didn’t see coming.

Make sure your instruments are showing kph, not mph. The D514 has a 50kph limit through coastal villages and camera enforcement between Ouistreham and Lion-sur-Mer. If your dashboard is displaying mph and you’re reading a speed sign, the two numbers are not interchangeable. Switch in the port car park, not on the move. Conversions to keep in your head: 50 kph ≈ 31 mph, 80 kph ≈ 50 mph, 110 kph ≈ 68 mph, 130 kph ≈ 80 mph.

Drive on the right from the first metre. Not when you’re settled in, not after the first junction — from the first metre off the ramp. The high-risk moments are always the familiar-feeling ones: exiting a petrol station, pulling out of a village lay-by, emerging from a narrow lane. Saying “stay right” quietly at each junction for the first twenty minutes costs nothing and matters a great deal.

Allow time for French border control at the port exit. French officials check passports as you leave the port. Have your passport accessible — not inside a locked top box. Queues move quickly on most sailings but can slow on busy summer mornings. On overnight sailings arriving at 06:45 or 07:30 French time, the early hour means clearing the border quickly and having clear roads for the first hour of riding.

Speed Limits in France for Motorcyclists — 2026

Speed limits for motorcycles are the same as for cars in France — the only difference applies to riders who have held their full licence for fewer than three years. Enforcement is active across Normandy: fixed cameras on the D514, mobile units on rural D-roads, and unmarked gendarmerie vehicles on all road types including quiet country lanes. Fines are on the spot and payable immediately in euros.

Road Type	Dry	Wet / Rain	New rider (under 3 yrs)
Motorway (A13 etc.)	130 kph	110 kph	110 kph
Dual carriageway	110 kph	100 kph	100 kph
Rural roads	80 kph	80 kph	80 kph
Urban / built-up	50 kph	50 kph	50 kph
Schools / some centres	20–30 kph	20–30 kph	20–30 kph

⚠️ Village Name Signs ARE the Speed Limit

There is no separate 50 kph sign when you enter a French village — the settlement name board is the limit. It takes effect the instant you pass it. Normandy’s network of D-roads passes through dozens of small villages, many approached at speed with no advance warning. The crossed-out name at the far end is your release. Watch for name signs at all times on rural roads.

🚨 December 2025: Criminal Offence for Extreme Speeding

From December 2025, exceeding the speed limit by 50 kph or more became a criminal offence in France — not merely a civil one. The maximum fine rises from €1,500 to €3,750, with possible imprisonment of up to 3 months, licence suspension of up to 3 years, and seizure of the bike. As a UK rider your licence cannot be permanently confiscated, but you can be barred from riding in France for the duration of proceedings. This is not a change to ignore.

🚫 Radar Detectors and GPS Camera Alerts — Illegal

Any device that can detect speed cameras is banned in France — including radar detectors sitting switched off in your panniers. GPS camera alert features on sat navs and phones must also be disabled before entering France. Fine up to €1,500; bike can be confiscated. Turn off every “speed camera,” “safety camera” or “danger zone” alert feature on every device before you leave the ship.

Mandatory Equipment for Motorcyclists in France

The following are legally required on French roads. Fines are from the official service-public.gouv.fr — several are higher than commonly stated on other UK motorcycle guides.

🦺 Hi-Viz Vest — Mandatory

A CE-marked hi-viz vest is compulsory and must be within arm’s reach from the saddle — not in a locked box. You don’t wear it while riding; you put it on the instant you stop at the roadside, before you step off.

Fine: €11 for not carrying one; €135 for not wearing one when stopped at the roadside. Applies to both rider and pillion — each needs their own vest accessible on the bike. A jacket with built-in CE-certified reflective panels may satisfy the requirement; a cheap clip-on vest removes any doubt.

🧤 CE-Certified Gloves — Mandatory Since 2017

Protective gloves with CE certification have been legally required for both rider and pillion in France since 2017. The CE label must be present — casual or unrated gloves don’t qualify. Any motorcycle gloves bought from a UK shop will almost certainly comply; check the label if you’re unsure.

Fine: €68 flat rate (source: service-public.gouv.fr), rising to up to €450 in serious cases. Police on popular Normandy summer touring routes do check this. Both rider and pillion are covered by the same requirement.

💡 Dipped Headlights — Always On

Motorcycle headlights must be on at all times in France — including bright daylight. Most modern bikes handle this with automatic daytime running lights, but if yours doesn’t, build switching on into your start-up routine at every stop.

Gendarmes do stop motorcyclists for this. Check your DRL settings before leaving the UK.

🪖 Helmet — ECE 22-05 Standard

The required standard is ECE 22-05 or the French NF equivalent. Virtually every UK road helmet bought in the past decade will meet this — check the inner label. Open-face helmets must cover the ears; designs that leave the ears exposed are non-compliant under French law.

Helmet reflective stickers: French law requires approved reflective markings at four points — front, rear and both sides. Enforcement against visiting riders is inconsistent, but a sticker kit costs under £5. Cheaper than debating it in French on the roadside.

🌿 Crit’Air Sticker

Required to enter low-emission zones (ZFEs) in 25 French cities. Caen city centre has a ZFE — if your route takes you into Caen for museums, fuel or sightseeing, you need one. Rouen is also a ZFE if you continue east on the A13.

Order only from certificat-air.gouv.fr — the only official source. Allow 2–3 weeks for delivery. Cost around £4. Fine for motorcycles without one in a ZFE: €68. Ouistreham port itself does not require a sticker.

🔦 Spare Bulbs

No strict legal obligation for motorcycles, but a failed bulb gives French police grounds to stop you riding until it is replaced. A compact kit of your bike’s bulb types takes up almost no space. LED headlights are exempt — gendarmes are aware they cannot be field-replaced. Carry bulbs for everything else: indicators, tail light, brake light.

💡 Prescription glasses: If you need corrective lenses to ride, French law requires a spare pair of spectacles on the bike — accessible, not locked away. Fine if stopped without them. Keep them in a jacket pocket or tank bag where you can reach them without dismounting.

Documents to Carry When Riding in France

Gendarmerie stops on popular Normandy touring routes and on main roads in summer are common. Keep everything in a single waterproof wallet in your tank bag or a jacket inside pocket — somewhere accessible in seconds.

Valid Passport

Checked at Portsmouth check-in, UK Border Force departure, and French passport control at Ouistreham immediately after disembarking. Must have been issued within the last 10 years and have at least 3 months’ validity beyond your return date from France. Keep it in your tank bag or jacket during the port exit so it’s immediately reachable — not buried in a locked pannier.

Full Motorcycle Licence

Your current UK photocard driving licence is fully recognised in France — no International Driving Permit required for photocard holders. Paper licence holders need an IDP (£5.50 from PayPoint outlets). Carry the photocard only. Critically, make sure your licence covers the correct category (A, A2 or A1) for the motorcycle you are actually riding. Riding a higher category than your licence permits is treated as a serious offence in France.

V5C Registration Document

Carry the original V5C. French police may ask for evidence of ownership — particularly relevant at roadside stops on touring routes. If riding a borrowed bike, carry a signed letter from the registered keeper giving permission to use the vehicle. Keep a photocopy of the V5C separately from the original in case it is lost or damaged mid-trip.

Insurance and Green Card

Check your UK motorcycle insurance specifically before travel — many UK policies reverted to third-party only for EU riding post-Brexit, even for riders with comprehensive UK cover. If your policy only provides third-party EU cover, consider a European extension or a specialist touring policy. A Green Card is no longer legally required in France, but your insurer can issue one free on request — it’s a useful additional document at a police stop or after a collision. Keep your insurer’s emergency phone number in your phone with international dialling format.

MOT Certificate and UK Identifier

Carry your current MOT if the bike is over three years old. Ensure it won’t expire during your trip. For your identifier: the old GB oval is invalid since September 2021. You must display a UK identifier on the rear of the bike. If your number plate already shows the UK flag and “UK” lettering, nothing additional is needed. If it shows GB or no country code, fit a UK oval sticker to the rear mudguard or a pannier before you travel.

GHIC: The Global Health Insurance Card replaced the EHIC for UK residents and provides access to French state healthcare at the same rate as a French resident. Apply free at nhs.uk well before travel. It is not a substitute for travel insurance but covers emergency medical treatment without requiring everything to be claimed back through your insurer afterwards.

French Road Rules Every UK Motorcyclist Needs to Know

Riding in France from Caen means reading the same road signs as the car drivers around you — with a few additions that apply specifically to motorcyclists. Several rules differ meaningfully from the UK. These are the ones that actually matter.

🍷 Drink-Ride Limit — 0.05% BAC

The legal limit in France is 50mg per 100ml — significantly lower than England’s 80mg. Riders with fewer than three years on their full licence face an effective zero-tolerance level of 20mg/100ml. Random roadside checks are more frequent than most UK riders anticipate, especially on summer touring routes through Normandy.

If you rode off the overnight sailing and had drinks the previous evening, alcohol may still be in your system at 06:45 or 07:30 French time. The only certain approach: don’t drink if you’re riding at arrival. Between 0.05% and 0.08% means an on-the-spot fine and possible licence suspension. Above 0.08% means court.

🔀 Lane Filtering — Legal Since 9 January 2025

Lane filtering (inter-file riding) was permanently legalised across all of France on 9 January 2025, following years of regional trials. This applies nationwide.

Conditions: Motorways and dual carriageways with a central reservation and at least two lanes per direction only. Only when traffic is dense and heavy. Maximum speed while filtering: 50 kph in moving traffic, 30 kph in stationary traffic. Must signal before filtering. Must rejoin your lane when traffic flows freely. Cannot overtake another filtering rider. Fine: €135 for non-compliance.

↕️ Priorité à Droite

At many unsigned junctions in France, vehicles from the right have priority — even when you’re on what feels like the main road. This is the rule that generates the most genuine confusion for UK riders. On major roads and the A13, priority is clearly marked. The moment you leave them for a smaller D-road or enter a village, unsigned junctions can appear with no warning.

A yellow diamond sign means you hold priority. The same diamond with a diagonal black stripe means priority has ended — yield to your right at the next unsigned junction. If there are no signs and no obvious main road, assume priorité à droite and give way. Normandy’s D-road network has plenty of these junctions.

📵 Intercoms, Phones and Earbuds

In-ear devices — earbuds, earphones, anything inserted into the ear canal — are prohibited while riding in France. Fine: €135. This catches UK riders out because it applies to music, calls, and sat-nav audio through earbuds.

What IS permitted: Speakers built into your helmet. A Bluetooth intercom system with helmet speakers (Sena, Cardo, Midland etc.) is fully legal — only in-ear devices are banned. If you’re considering an intercom system for a Normandy trip, helmet-mounted speakers are the way to go.

🚨 Accidents and the Constat Amiable

If you are involved in a collision with another vehicle in France, you will be asked to complete a constat amiable — a bilateral accident declaration form completed by both parties. Once signed it is legally binding. Do not sign if you don’t understand what you’re signing.

Emergency numbers: 112 (pan-European, free from any phone including no SIM); 15 (SAMU/ambulance); 17 (gendarmerie); 18 (fire). If anyone is injured, you must stay at the scene until emergency services arrive. Call your insurer before signing the constat if at all possible and ask for a French-speaking representative.

🔐 Parking and Accueil Motards

Motorcycles park free in most French town centre areas — use designated bays or the end of car parking rows nearest the kerb. Don’t park on pedestrian paths or in marked prohibited zones.

Look for Accueil Motards signs on accommodation across Normandy — the official French biker-friendly certification. These properties offer secure parking, kit drying facilities, and early breakfasts timed for morning departures. Particularly worth booking in July and August when they fill ahead of the summer touring season.

💡 European breakdown cover: Confirm before leaving the UK that your breakdown policy covers France — many standard UK policies don’t. For a solo rider, a breakdown in rural Normandy is a significantly more exposed situation than in a car with other passengers. European breakdown cover is worth having arranged before you board at Portsmouth.

Toll Roads from Caen — The A13 and What Motorcyclists Pay

Crossing the English Channel to Caen brings one key practical difference from arriving at a westerly Brittany port: the toll road network. Brittany is largely toll-free. From Ouistreham, if you head northeast on the A13 toward Rouen and Paris, you join one of France’s main tolled autoroutes within the first half hour of riding. If you stay on the Normandy D-road network heading west to the D-Day beaches or south to the Suisse Normande, you’ll ride all day without a péage.

The good news for motorcyclists: motorbikes are classified as Class 5 at French toll booths — the lowest vehicle category, charged at roughly half what a car pays for the same distance. On the A13 heading to Rouen or Paris, the toll cost for a motorbike is modest. A télépéage tag is the most convenient option — “t” lanes are dedicated lanes where you don’t need to stop or lean across to reach a booth. Some tolls also have dedicated motorcycle payment points.

⚠️ A13 Free-Flow Sections — No Barriers

Certain sections of the A13 and A14 between Caen and Paris have no physical barriers — cameras read your plate at motorway speed. Without a toll tag, you must pay within 72 hours at ulys-autopay.fr or at a tabac or service station terminal. Failing to pay attracts a surcharge on top of the original toll. UK plates are fully read and recorded by the system.

For all routes west from Ouistreham — the D514 coast road, D-Day beaches, Bayeux, the Suisse Normande, Mont Saint-Michel via the A84 — there are no toll charges at all. Use viamichelin.com to estimate toll costs for your specific route before departure.

🏍️ Best Motorcycle Routes from Caen — Six Rides to Know

Ouistreham puts you within reach of six genuinely different types of riding, all within an hour or two of the port gate. The coast road west, the river country south, the orchard lanes east, the peninsula north, the bocage inland and the Norman coast east — each has a distinct character. Here are the six to know. For downloadable GPX routes to load onto your sat nav or phone, Komoot and Outdooractive both have strong Normandy motorcycle coverage — search for each route by name before you leave.

⚔️ Route 1: D514 — The D-Day Coast

Distance: Ouistreham to Arromanches ~40km | Riding time: ~1 hour | Tolls: None

The D514 runs west from the port exit along the Calvados coast through the D-Day landing beaches. Before you fully commit to the coast road, Pegasus Bridge is worth a short detour — it sits about 6km (3.7 miles) southwest of Ouistreham, reached via the D514 and then the D18 down to Bénouville, rather than sitting directly on the coastal path itself. It’s the canal bridge captured by British glider troops in the first minutes of D-Day, with the Mémorial Pegasus museum alongside. Backtrack to the coast and Sword Beach is moments away, then Lion-sur-Mer, Courseulles-sur-Mer (Juno), Ver-sur-Mer (Gold) and Arromanches in sequence. The road is flat and easy — this is not technical riding but it rewards a slow pace with stops. At Arromanches, the 360° cinema and Mulberry Harbour remains deserve time. Continue west past Omaha Beach, the American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer and Pointe du Hoc to reach Bayeux — or head inland via the D613 to the Mémorial de Caen museum, the most comprehensive D-Day museum in Normandy, 5km south of the D514 near Caen. The 50 kph limit through coastal villages is camera-enforced between Ouistreham and Lion-sur-Mer.

🏔️ Route 2: Suisse Normande — Best Riding in the Region

Distance: Caen to Clécy via D562 ~50km | Riding time: ~1 hr | Tolls: None

Head south from Caen on the D562 through Thury-Harcourt. The road drops into the Orne valley — gorges, wooded hillsides, and a river that the landscape suddenly reveals around corners. Clécy is the hub of the Suisse Normande and worth a stop. The D911 along the valley bottom and the climb back up the D23 to the Pain de Sucre viewpoint are the highlights. Return via the D562 north or extend via Falaise. Genuinely demanding, constantly changing, empty outside school holidays.

🍎 Route 3: Pays d’Auge — Cider Country

Distance: Caen to Beuvron-en-Auge ~45km | Riding time: ~1 hr | Tolls: None

East of Caen on the D613, the Pays d’Auge is classic Norman countryside — rolling lanes between apple orchards, cider farms and half-timbered villages. The Route du Cidre connects Cambremer and Beuvron-en-Auge. The D16 and D101 around Lisieux have a flow that rewards a light touch on the bars. Beuvron-en-Auge village is one of the most photographed in Normandy. Continue east toward Pont-l’Évêque (the cheese town) or Honfleur via the A13 for a longer day.

🏰 Route 4: Falaise and the Bocage

Distance: Caen to Falaise ~35km | Riding time: ~40 min | Tolls: None

South on the D562, Falaise is William the Conqueror’s birthplace — his 11th-century castle still stands above the town above a gorge. The bocage country beyond Falaise, toward Domfront and the Mortain area, is some of the most satisfyingly empty riding in Normandy: sunken lanes, hedgerow-lined D-roads, and practically zero traffic. Push south toward the Mayenne or west toward Mont Saint-Michel via Avranches if riding further. The D24 between Falaise and Vire is consistently rated by riders as one of Normandy’s best inland routes.

⚓ Route 5: Cotentin Peninsula — Cherbourg and the West Coast

Distance: Caen to Cherbourg via N13 ~90km | Riding time: ~1.5 hrs | Tolls: None

The N13 north from Caen is straightforward and toll-free, passing Bayeux and through the D-Day area toward Cherbourg. The Cotentin Peninsula’s west coast from Barneville-Carteret down to Avranches is the hidden reward — cliff-top roads, dramatic headlands and a coast that feels more like Celtic Brittany than the chalk Normandy coast. The D650 along the peninsula’s west side is a genuine standout. Cap de la Hague at the northern tip is as remote as Normandy gets.

🗼 Route 6: Honfleur, Étretat and the Alabaster Coast

Distance: Caen to Honfleur ~75km | Caen to Étretat ~130km | Tolls: A13 applies

Northeast on the A13 (tolled, bikes at Class 5 rates), cross the Pont de Normandie at Le Havre and you arrive at Honfleur — the most-visited harbour town in Normandy, for good reason. Continue along the D940 coast road north to Étretat: the chalk arches, the Aiguille and the Falaises d’Étretat are extraordinary riding country in their own right. Monet came here specifically to paint these cliffs. The D940 from Étretat north toward Fécamp is an excellent touring continuation. Allow a full day from Caen for Honfleur and Étretat together.

💡 Bison Futé — French traffic forecasts: Before any longer ride from Caen — particularly if you’re joining the A13 corridor in summer — check bison-fute.gouv.fr. France’s official traffic forecast system colour-codes main routes by day. Saturdays in July and August are the heaviest travel days; the A13 toward Paris backs up badly around school holiday changeovers. On a motorbike you have lane filtering available on the A13, but heavy traffic is still best avoided where possible.

Frequently Asked Questions — Motorcycle Touring from Caen

Is Normandy good for motorcycle touring?

Normandy is one of the best motorcycle touring destinations in northern Europe. The combination of terrain is unusually varied for a compact region — D-Day coast roads, river gorges in the Suisse Normande, orchard-lined lanes in the Pays d’Auge, dramatic chalk cliffs on the Alabaster Coast, and the empty bocage interior. Roads are generally well-surfaced, traffic is light outside July and August, and the network of municipal aires and Accueil Motards accommodation is among the best in northern France. Arriving at Ouistreham by ferry puts you in the heart of it immediately.

What is the best day ride from Caen by motorbike?

For a single day, the Suisse Normande loop is the standout — south on the D562 to Thury-Harcourt, down into the Orne valley at Clécy, along the D911 valley bottom, up to the Pain de Sucre viewpoint and back to Caen, covering around 100km in a half day with time to stop. For history, the D514 coast road west to the D-Day beaches combined with Bayeux makes a full day at a relaxed pace. For distance, Honfleur via the A13 and the D940 coast road to Étretat is the most ambitious single day from Ouistreham.

Are there toll roads on the route from Caen to the D-Day beaches?

No. The D514 coast road west from Ouistreham to the D-Day beaches — Sword, Juno, Gold, and on to Arromanches — is entirely toll-free. The N13 from Caen to Bayeux and Cherbourg is also toll-free. Toll charges only apply if you head northeast on the A13 toward Rouen, Le Havre and Paris, where motorcycles are charged at the Class 5 rate (roughly half a car).

How far is the Suisse Normande from Caen by motorbike?

Thury-Harcourt, the northern gateway to the Suisse Normande, is about 25km south of Caen on the D562 — roughly 30 minutes from Ouistreham port. Clécy, the heart of the region and the best base for exploring the Orne valley roads, is around 50km from Caen and takes under an hour. There are no toll roads on this route.

Do I need a Crit’Air sticker to ride into Caen?

Yes, if you ride into Caen city centre. Caen has a ZFE (Zone à Faibles Émissions) low-emission zone and a Crit’Air sticker is required to enter it. Ouistreham port and the coastal roads are outside the ZFE boundary. If your route from the ferry goes directly west on the D514 or south to the Suisse Normande without passing through central Caen, you won’t need it for those rides. Order only from certificat-air.gouv.fr — cost around £4, allow 2–3 weeks for delivery. Fine: €68 without one in a ZFE.

What is Accueil Motards?

Accueil Motards is the official French biker-friendly accommodation certification. Hotels, B&Bs and gîtes that display the sign have been assessed for motorcyclist-specific requirements: secure, covered parking for bikes, kit drying facilities, early breakfasts timed for a morning start on the road, and sometimes tools and tyre pumps. They are bookable in advance and particularly worth reserving in July and August when popular ones fill well ahead. Normandy has good Accueil Motards coverage, especially in the Suisse Normande and around the D-Day coast.

Can I ride to Mont Saint-Michel from Caen in a day?

Yes. Mont Saint-Michel is around 90 minutes from Caen via the toll-free A84 — approximately 135km. Leaving Ouistreham by 09:00 gives you plenty of time to ride down, explore the island for two or three hours, eat lunch, and be back in Normandy by mid-afternoon. The approach roads around the bay and across the causeway are genuinely worth taking slowly. Bear in mind that Mont Saint-Michel itself is in Normandy, right on the border with Brittany, and the car parks on the mainland are the only option for bikes — two-wheeled access onto the island road is restricted on busy days.

Is lane filtering legal on the A13 in France?

Yes — lane filtering was permanently legalised across France on 9 January 2025. The A13 from Caen toward Rouen qualifies: it is a motorway with a central reservation and multiple lanes per direction. The conditions are: traffic must be dense and heavy, maximum 50 kph while filtering in moving traffic (30 kph in stationary), must signal before filtering, must rejoin your lane when traffic flows freely, and cannot overtake another filtering rider. Fine of €135 for non-compliance. On congested A13 sections in summer this is a genuinely useful rule to know.

What is the D514 coast road like for motorcyclists?

The D514 is the road that runs west from Ouistreham port along the Calvados coast through the D-Day landing beaches. It is flat, wide and unchallenging to ride — this is not the road for anyone seeking technical corners. Its appeal is entirely in what it passes through: Sword Beach two minutes from the port gate, Lion-sur-Mer, Courseulles-sur-Mer (Juno Beach), Ver-sur-Mer (Gold Beach), Arromanches and the remains of the Mulberry Harbour. The 50 kph limit through coastal villages is camera-enforced between Ouistreham and Lion-sur-Mer. Best ridden at a pace that allows stops rather than as a through-road.