Explore all five of the D-Day landing beaches on this 5 night cycling holiday along the Normandy coast. Museums and memorials to the momentous events of 6th of June 1944 punctuate the route which also features rolling green countryside, fine sandy beaches and gorgeous old Norman villages.
This beautiful area of Normandy with its verdant green countryside and charming little towns with half-timbered buildings will forever be linked with the D-Day landings of World War II when the allied forces came ashore and began the battle to claim back Europe from Nazi Germany. All along this coastline there are memorials and museums that tell the stories of bravery and tragedy that unfolded in June 1944.
Longues sur Mer - Defences
The route starts in the small town of Carentan from where you will cycle out to Utah Beach via the pretty village of St. Mère Église, the first town to be liberated by the allies. The shell craters at La Pointe Hoc are still very visible and the sea of white head stones above Omaha beach at the American Cemetery are very moving indeed.
The remains of Churchill's Mulberry harbours at Arromanches on Gold Beach look like great concrete whales beached in the shallows and a visit to the town's D-Day Museum brings Operation Overlord to life once again.
In between the memorials, museums and historical artifacts, the natural beauty of the Norman countryside asserts itself at every opportunity. The verdant green countryside is bordered by steep cliffs leading to huge fine-sand beaches and the traditional half-timbered houses, so typical of this area, blend in to the timeless landscape perfectly.
The route leads you along bike paths and greenways as well as secondary roads. There are a few sections on slightly busier roads but these are kept to a minimum. The route does feature some ups and downs and as such merits its leisurely to moderate grading. E-bikes are available and worth considering if you are at all concerned about the hills.
