Cycling Normandy: all the D-Day landing beaches

Day 1: Carentan
Individual arrival in Carentan. Visit the centre of this medieval city, with its galleried covered arcades (unique in Normandy), its beautiful townhouses and the 11th – 15th century church of Notre Dame. Of course don’t forget to take the time to stroll round the beautiful marina whose origins date back to the Gallic period.

Day 2: Carentan – Utah Beach – Carentan (60 km/37 mi)
Leave the town and take the green way crossing the Cotentin Marshes Regional Nature Park (Marais de Cotentin). Then head towards St Mere-Eglise, the ideal starting point to relive the very first hours of D-Day. Have a look at the famous church clock tower from which dangles a souvenir recalling the adventures of one of those first American parachutists who dropped onto French soil. Bike to Utah Beach with its beautiful white sands so evocative of D-Day and its D-Day Landings Museum. Return to Carentan at the end of the day.

Day 3: Carentan – Omaha Beach – Port en Bessin (60 km/37 mi)
Head for Isigny-sur-Mer, a small fishing village renowned for its butter and cheeses as well as its caramels. Carry on to La Pointe du Hoc and explore the fields still pitted and pockmarked by D-Day shells fired from allied ships in the Channel. Striking! Bike on towards Omaha Beach, dominated by the American Cemetery of Colleville-sur-Mer. The serried ranks of the 9,387 headstones set in immaculate green grass with, in the background, the ever present sea, project a feeling of serenity and peace. Continue on along the coast to the pretty fishing port of Port-en-Bessin.

Day 4: Port en Bessin – Courseulles sur Mer (39 km/24 mi)
Ride towards the impressive German defensive battery of Longues-sur-Mer then continue on towards Gold Beach and, of course, Arromanches, Here you’ll be able to see the remains of the enormous artificial port constructed on the orders of Winston Churchill. Don’t forget to visit Arromanches 360°, a circular cinema which graphically illustrates the complete history of the Battle for Normandy. Continue your ride through the Normandy countryside, biking down little lanes between the pretty hedged fields of the Bocage until you reach Courseulles-sur-Mer. Take time to stroll round the picturesque fishing harbour.

Day 5: Courseulles sur Mer – Caen (48 km/30 mi)
Head along to Juno Beach and then Sword Beach biking all the way to the port of Ouistreham. Visit the No. 4 Commando Museum (linked to the Franco-British landings) or continue your ride taking the bike path along the Caen canal to Pegasus Bridge, where the British army gained an important victory in 1944. Afterwards visit the unmissable Caen Memorial, a museum dedicated to the battle for Normandy, 20th century history and peace.

Day 6: Caen
End of services after breakfast.