D-Day Landing Beaches to Mont Saint Michael

During the day arrive to the amazing medieval city of Bayeux. A must to visit is the Notre Dame Cathedral of Bayeux which was the original home of the famous Bayeaux tapestry. The cathedral is a masterpiece of Gothic and Norman Romanesque architecture. The close by is the Bayeaux tapestry museum. The Tapestry shows the story of William the Conqueror in1066. The city avoided much of the bombing and has many preserved medieval buildings whish is a must to explore in the old town maybe before or after some dinner in one of the many restaurants on offer.

Your discovery of the landing beaches starts today exploring the coast to the northeast of Bayeaux. First you shall cycle towards Longues Sur Mer where you meet the coastline. Here you shall see a German Battery. Now following the Gold Beach, you reach Arromanches where you shall see the Mulberry B, the artificial harbour created by the allied forces.

The longer cycle ride takes you further along the coast to Juno beach which was the Canadian sector at Courseulles-sur-mer. Both routes now return back from quiet little country lanes back to Bayeux fort your overnight stay.

Today you return back to the coast via the Bessin countryside to Colleville-sur-Mer which is located at the eastern edge of Omaha beach. Here you find an American cemetery where over 9000 American soldiers are buried. It really is a sombre experience to visit and consider what happened to these young hero’ s. Now cycling along the length of the beach you reach Pointe du Hoc, this is where Rangers stormed and defeated a German artillery station on the cliff top which was so important to try and protect the soldiers during the landings.  Now you visits to the landing beaches are complete you cycle inland through the Calvados or Bocage Normand, a remote region where America GI’s fought German soldiers. Here there is a German war cemetery La Cambre.  Soon you cycle into Carentan, your overnight town.

Today you continue to cycle westwards through this region towards the coast again. Small dairy farms are quite common in this region. Agon-Coutainville is a popular seaside town with a long promenade and fabulous sandy beach.  You shall see that many houses here look different to previously as they are made from Granite.

Cycling inland today through some rolling countryside towards Lucerne Abbey founded in the 12^th century. You now head back towards the coast ay Saint-Jean-Le-Thomas before reaching Granville.  This was a Benedictine monastery until the Frenchy Revolution.  Granville is a small historic town with a lovely walled historic centre, a must to visit to locate a lovely restaurant for dinner!

Cycling today through rolling countryside until you reach the Lucerne Abbey from the 12^th Century.  Now you cycle south to reach the bay around Saint-Jean-Le-Thomas. Now you continue via the Cap de Grouin and finally arrive in Avranches. Your hotel is located in the historic centre of the town and here dinner is included.

Today cycling out of Avranches you shall see some amazing views of the bay and the Mont. You cycle following the coast passing the German Ossuary of the Mont d’Huisnes to finally reach the Mont-Saint-Michel.  To visit will take around three hours to visit this island town and its abbey on foot. After your visit you cycle beside the Couesnon Canal to reach the small town of Pontorson.

End of tour in Pontorson after breakfast.