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[John R]

Hi all, I'm planning a trip to Normandy next year to visit the Invasion Beaches. My starting point would be St Malo, and I want to get over to the bayeux area without too much motorway on my 350. Does anyone know this part of France and how easy this would be?

[Matt]

Sounds like a great trip John! It caught my eye because I live in a tiny village in Surrey called Normandy. I don't know the area in France at all though. Someone will come along and help you I'm sure. Another option is to get all detective style on a map. I find that I get better and better at finding wonderful routes on maps. The less straight and direct a road is the better it is to ride. The best are roads that seem to connect nowhere with nowhere. Picking my way across back country occasionally crossing over or under main routes full of traffic is one of the biggest joys of Enfield ridding for me. Spread your wings and fly!

[Riggers]

I visited this part of France some years ago with a friend, and we took time out to visit some war graves etc. I can't remember the route we took but I do remember being incredably moved by it all. When you start reading headstones with incriptions like 'A soldier known only unto God', and 'John Smith died September 1917 aged 18 years - RIP', and when these go on, and on, as far as the eyes can see you can't help but stop and ponder just what these young lads went through. And just how lucky we are not to have had to do the same. I think every one who can should go, stop, look, and simply remember them.

[John R]

I am sure it will be very moving. It will be a sentimental journey for me because my father was a Normandy veteran. He went ashore via the Mulberry temporary harbour at Arromanches, not in the first wave of troops that stormed the beaches on D-day itself - but still under long range artillery fire, and with the cruisers and battleships still firing over their heads from the Channel. So, since (obviously) he survived, I don't want to approach it with too heavy a heart. But I suspect that I may want to stand and look where others can see nothing of note - hence my wish to do it as a solo bike ride.

[rustygman]

John - i have not done the normandy beaches but plenty of french touring. I toured france this summer (alsace region mostly) and the one decision i made on my return was to invest in a sat nav for my next trip. My reasoning was that after hours of planning routes using route planners and printing them out to put in the tank bag when you are away from the motorways unless you have a photographic memory you are constantly stopping to check you are on your planned route. As my brain is not what it used to be it has become a bit of a pain. I posted the question on here as to whether a 350 could power a sat nav and i was assured it can. Haven't done it yet buy i will and this from possibly the worlds biggest luddite. France makes for great biking but i find the outskirts of any town a succession of roundabouts with a ridiculous amount of road furniture so not unlike our own roads but apart from that superb biking. Incidentally I headed for Verdun, a great route down there and a very moving experience. St Malo is worth a look around as well. Enjoy.

[Stringers Best Mate]

John,

I'm running a trip for some H=D chums next year & have a pdf of the routes, hotels etc. If I can get it to you, you are most welcome to pick the bones out of it for your own use. There's no commercial interest in it, one of the guys had a relative involved much like yourself. How does one go about posting email addresses on here? Steve

[Riggers]

Steve, could I be cheeky and ask for a copy too please? I've been thinking of going back to this area again and any info I can get would be really great. My e.mail address is [email protected] . Many thanks. Tony.

[Snowgoose]

WARNING: Do not under any circumstances post your personal email address in it's normal form on forums, as Riggers has done, sorry Riggers. Spammers use programs that scan the internet for such email addresses and guess what when they find yours you tend to get lots and lots of spam emails. I know from experience, I eventually had to close the email account down and open a new one.

You can broadcast your email address if you want to by adopting a simple convention that is used across the forum community thus Riggers email address becomes: holborn2Atholborn2dotkaroodotcodotuk Spammer's programmes cannot read this convention but most internet savvy users can, particularly forum users.

This info may help prevent your inbox filling-up with phishing emails from all over the planet and prevent your penis becoming over enlarged by your purchase of the many products on offer to you.

[Riggers]

Hey thanks Snowgoose, I'll certainly take note of what you've said. Luckily my inbox hasn't suffered as yet, but this morning when I woke up my......oh I'm sure you don't want to know...

[John R]

jbrramseyatskydotcom

Thanks for the tip about email. How amny inches Roggers!?!