Normandy

A tour to the landing beaches in Normandy, France

This motorbike tour to the Normandy Landing Beaches is an 8-day themed tour dedicated to D-Day, Operation Overlord. Operation Overlord was the code name for the invasion by the Western Allies of German-occupied Western Europe during the Second World War. Combine beautiful motorcycling in Normandy with rich history!

The outward journey (first day) and return journey (last day) you will drive on your own initiative.

From Ypres you drive to the coast at Veurne and from there to Dunkirk. Before WWII, this was a landmark. It was here at Dunkirk that the armies of Britain and France narrowly escaped German pursuit during the 1940 invasion. This event, known as Operation Dynamo, took place from 27 May to 4 June and is known as the miracle of Dunkirk. Navy and private individuals with their own boats (900 in total), together brought back 338,000 soldiers from the French beaches to England. The film "Dunkirke" gives a true picture of this Operation Dynamo. The Museum Du Souvenir in Dunkirk reminds us of this spectacular evacuation.

Past Audinghen, you come across 3 casemates that were part of the Atlantic Wall. Next, you pass the old town of Boulogne-sur-Mer, once a Roman port. You drive through the harbour and along the river on the D940 to Saint-Valery-sur-Somme, the bay of the Somme. You drive around the delta. It is one of the most beautiful nature reserves in France and an important area for (migratory) birds. The route goes through the village of Saint-Valery-sur-Somme. 

Via Le Treport, a striking harbour town with chalk cliffs, you drive through the port area. Then you follow the road as close to the coast as possible to finally arrive at today's stop: Dieppe. Dieppe is known for the dramatic "test landing" by the Allies on 19 August 1942. More than 4,000 Allied soldiers, especially Canadians, were killed, wounded or taken prisoner. In Dieppe, a museum and a cemetery recall this catastrophe.

Today, the route goes to Caen. The route to Caen goes again completely along the beautiful French coast. So, you have all the time to enjoy the views and the tourist points along the way. Just before the end of the day, you pass the first visiting point of D-Day.

You leave Dieppe and follow the coastline again. At Le Poincon, you leave the route for a special view of the rocks at Eglise Saint Valery. Views, dunes, rocks and beautiful towns alternate again. Saint-Léger is another of those towns. Here, the open area changes into a more varied landscape with forestation and differences in height. Fécamp and Etretat are beautiful towns. You drive right through them. On the big bridge, you cross the Seine at Le Havre and drive into Basse Normandie, the western part of Normandy.

In the morning, you have the opportunity to visit the large and informative Mémorial de Caen. Then you drive to the invasion beaches. The Mémorial de Caen is a museum you really shouldn't miss. Thanks to all the information it offers, you'll get a clear overview of all the events, from the Second World War to the Cold War. Allow 2 to 4 hours for your visit to this museum. Don't forget to visit the bunker, which is accessible from the back of the museum. Permanent exhibitions are: The Second World War; D-Day and the Battle of Normandy and The Cold War. Experience shows that you will easily spend 2 hours here. After this impressive visit, you go on your way.

The next day, you continue your route along the invasion beaches. After 8 km, you pass the German artillery battery at Longues-sur-Mer. This battery was perfectly placed to withstand the landings of 6 June 1944. The guns were aimed at Omaha and Gold Beach, right in front of the landings. On D-Day, the battery fought a duel with the Allied fleet. At sunrise it was finally silenced. Now the battery is one of the best preserved in France and the only place where still the original guns stand, which were then able to shoot 45 kg grenades 22 km far. The view from the fire control post, dug into the cliff, gives a great view over the bay of the Seine. That afternoon you will pass many more stops that are very interesting, such as: Longues-sur-Mer, Pointe du Hoc, the D-Day experience centre and the WW2 museum. You spend the night in Cherbourg, the hotel is situated at the harbour. Certainly worthwhile for an evening stroll. 

Today you drive from Cherbourg, the start of the Road of Liberty, via Falaise to Rouen. In Cherbourg you start at km 0 of the route. From this point, you follow a part of this special route today. The N13 is a monotonous road to drive, but because the Allied armies marched on this road, we keep following it for 40 km. Every kilometre you see signs of this Voie de la Liberté.

After 40 km, the first stop is Sainte-Mére-Eglise. This place is well known for the American paratrooper who hung on the church tower here. In the middle of the town you pass Sainte-Mère-Eglise Liberation Monument. A little further on in the Airborne Museum, it is explained why the paratroopers were dropped in this area and how it ended. After the stop at Sainte-Mére-Eglise you drive further inland into Normandy. The route goes through the "pocket of Falaise" where German troops were trapped. Yet a large part of these troops could still escape.

You stay in a 4-star hotel, this hotel is within walking distance of the historic centre. 

Today is the last day of routing. A smooth route through the north of France brings you again to a historic town, with a Dutch touch, namely Arras. It is a relatively short route today and that means you can use the time to visit the town at the end of this trip.The centre of Arras is simply beautiful, which is partly due to the two main squares of the city: Grand Place and Place des Héros. Both squares look un-French, but immediately remind you of the inner cities, as you mostly see in Belgium. You will see Guild houses, a belfry and a town hall that immediately reminds you of the cloth halls that you find in the western part of Belgium. Not surprising, because Arras has not always been part of France. Just after the Middle Ages, Arras, which then still had the Dutch name Atrecht, belonged to the Netherlands.