Full Itinerary for the Ride

The full itinerary for the ride is below. It looks like a fascinating and probably emotional week.

Sunday 24th May. Day 1: Portsmouth – Cherbourg. It’s an early start with registration taking place at 8am in Southwick Park. After registration there will be a rare opportunity to visit the D-Day map room from where Eisenhower made all his tactical decisions and also some of the museums at Southwick Park. We’ll then have a send off lunch at Southwick House before cycling down to the ferry terminal, leaving our bikes with the transport crew and boarding the afternoon ferry to Cherbourg as foot passengers! It is about a 3hr crossing. After disembarking in Cherbourg we will be picked up by coaches and driven to our hotel for the evening. Cycle 5 miles.

Monday 25th May. Day 2: Cherbourg - Bayeux. Cycle to Ste Mere Eglise for this day remembering the American Airborne Forces, where we will stop to lay a wreath in the village square at the memorial. We continue on to visit the main American landing beach, Omaha before heading for our night stop in the beautiful town of Bayeux. Cycle approx 75 miles.

Tuesday 26th May. Day 3: Bayeux – Caen. Today, the British Day, we visit the coast where the troops landed. First we tour the museum at Arromanches and see the film footage of the historical events that took place. After a spectacular fly past display, we head onto the beaches Gold, Juno, and Sword where guides will be waiting to deliver some history at your leisure. From here we pedal on to Merville Battery, from where we take in the facts of this operation and a view over the sea. Once the group is together, we will head back down towards Caen, but not before an unforgettable experience at Pegasus Bridge where the first house to be liberated from the Germans in June 1944 still stands. Here we are piped over the Bridge by Pipers and after a gathering and historical briefing we ride off as the bugler sounds The Advance. Cycle approx 50 miles.

Wednesday 27th May. Day 4: Caen – Lisieux. Today, the Canadian and Polish are remembered as we cycle from Caen down to Falaise, where the Germans were very nearly defeated! After a stop in the square to hear the Guides explain how close it was we take a spectacular climb to the Mace. Here we will lay a wreath to commemorate the Polish soldiers, before continuing on to Lisieux. Cycle approx 75 miles.

Thursday 28th May. Day 5: Lisieux – Evreux. The French Resistance and Special Forces Day. Today we will remember the brave soldiers and hear the stories of the much celebrated SOE Agents, who parachuted into the countryside to work undercover against the enemy. We will have SOE individuals who were there at the time, as well as modern day women when we remember those no longer with us at a local airfield. We shall once again lay a wreath in the memory of resistance fighters. Then we continue to Evreux. Cycle approx 55 miles.

Friday 29th May. Day 6: Evreux – Paris. Free French day- The liberation of Paris. An exciting day today as it was back then, as we cross the river and follow the route many soldiers took in the liberation of Paris. With personal memories from those who were there, we cycle towards the capital city where a wonderful celebration welcome awaits us. A wreath will be laid at the Arc de Triomphe as we cycle past and down the Champs Elysees and onto the finishing point at the iconic Eiffel Tower. A long, emotional yet rewarding day to finish the cycle challenge. Cycle approx 70 miles.

Saturday 30th May. Day 7: Paris – London. By rail.