It was big surprise to me that there are so many long distance cyclepaths in France. I estimate that about 3/4 of my trip through France I was om cycepaths separated from motor-vehicles. Often these cyclepaths run along old railway lines or rivers and have moderate inclination and lots of shade. 

When cyclist do have to share the road with the cars there are traffic signs like this:

The only time I was nervous was crossing over a bridge in LeHavre where there was only a very narrow shoulder and many…