Nomads take the Normandy beaches
On June 11-14 a band of hearty Nomads made a trek to Normandy for a 3-day cycling holiday - but not the well-worn Dieppe/Avenue Verte/Paris route. We went slightly further afield to the Cotentin Peninsula in western Normandy, famous for the D-Day beach landings in June 1944. Our group was comprised of Sarah Chambers, Joanna Moyse, Lee Kendall, Helen Codling, Peter Bradshaw, and Will Faas. Diana Finnerty (and husband Pete) and Will’s wife Tuli joined us to add to the holiday vibe and to take in the area’s sights. Will had found us a roomy gîte nestled deep in the countryside run by Mark, a British former medic in the Marines now settled in France after 20 years in China as a practitioner of Chinese medicine.
Our timing proved to be ideal. Not only was the weather marvellous but the previous week had been the celebrations of 82 years since the D-Day Liberation and U.S., British, and Canadian flags were in abundance in every village. Nice to be in a place in Europe where people still like Brits and Yanks!
Day 1: Westward loop to Coutances and Hauteville-sur-Mer (45 miles)
After a surprisingly hilly - and spritzy - start, we made for the Atlantic Coast with its kilometre-wide beaches at low tide. We treated ourselves to a lovely fish and chips lunch in Hauteville before wending our way back over Normandy’s little-known hills. Will’s Garmin had packed up so we just zig-zagged our way home.
Day 2: Northward loop to Isigny-sur-Mer and Grandcamp-Maisy (67 miles)
On roads so smooth that we seemed to freewheel for miles we stopped for coffee and croissants in the bustling centre square at Isigny, home of one of the world’s largest dairy product factories (Président butter, anyone?). Within sight of Pointe du Hoc where U.S. Army Rangers scaled the cliffs to breach German defences we visited Maisy Battery, a once formidable garrison of 400 German soldiers. Incredibly, this place was bulldozed by the U.S. Army and only rediscovered and partially excavated 20 years ago!
After a brief stop at the German War Cemetery, we pushed southward on very straight - and boring - roads, feeling a bit like General Patton and his convoy.
Day 3: Northwestward loop from Carentan to Utah Beach and Sainte Mère Église (33 miles)
Our appetite for a long ride sated by yesterday’s longish run, we drove with our bikes up to Carentan, the site of fierce German resistance to the American troops. No resistance for us, though, as we wheeled gently along the coast (with NO cars!) up to Utah Beach.
Tuli Faas then met us for lunch at the tiny town of Sainte Mère Église with a bunch of freshly-made sandwiches. This was the place where Army paratrooper John Steele got snagged on the clock of the church steeple (as made famous in the film “The Longest Day”). A very leisurely ride back to Carentan and ice cream on the banks of the river La Jourdan. A relaxing end to a very pleasant three days with a reasonable amount of cycling mixed with fine food and wine and good company.
C’était magnifique!