The ramp slowly descends allowing an ever increasing stream of light onto the forward deck of Brittany Ferries’ “Cotentin”.  I am first in line to depart if I can get the new gloves and helmet on, plus ensure all the pockets are done up. Ready to go.

There appears to me to be a labyrinth of laneways that radiate from the ship’s birth each seemingly designated for a different form of transport.  I cunningly let a regular traveller precede me on his motorbike, sometimes it’s better to be a follower than a leader.

The crossing was very smooth and we spent an enjoyable evening with Hugh and Paul who we met waiting to board the ship.  They have travelled extensively in Europe visiting many amazing places, something we still aspire to do.  Safe riding guys.

For the first time I am not using our trusty Garmin Montana 540 for navigation. With battery and screen problems and the broken on/off switch, it has moved to the reserves bench, still mounted on Storm I hasten to add.  The cost of a new GPS compared with the availability of offline maps on the iPhone has )led to the investment in a Quad Lock mount for the bike. My iPhone now sits securely alongside the Garmin providing directions as we enter Le Havre. 

“Ride on the right” comes through the intercom from Anne. A welcome reminder that we decide should be our mantra each time we start riding. In a car, we look for the driver’s seat to be in the middle of the road – a little more difficult with a motorbike. Traffic is light as we head out of town although it takes a time to get used to local traffic signs and rules.

After a couple wrong turns, as I learn how to read the phone maps and we are heading south over the Pont de Normandie: a magnificent cable stayed road bridge.  No tolls for motorcycles just stay to the right and a free pass to the other-side awaits. The bridge provides commanding views of the river Seine and surrounding countryside. There is also a bike lane as part of the roadway over the bridge and more surprisingly a narrow footpath separated from the road by a low concrete curb. In other countries, high walls would provide safety separation. Here you take some responsibility for your own risk.  

Anne has always wanted to see the Bayeux tapestry and our arrival via Le Havre creates the perfect opportunity. I also thought that we could visit some of the D Day landing beaches since the anniversary of the landings was only a week before our arrival. We only have some 100 ml. / 160 km. to cover today but taking the Autoroute will give us more time to sightsee.  Anne’s research, which she does so well, has identified the British D-Day war memorial and the Mulberry harbour as potential spots to visit. We have a busy day ahead of us.

We had a short night on the boat so a few extra zzz’s are always welcome. The KLIM riding gear makes for a great self contained mattress which works well on any surface.  We have both found the need for a quick daytime nap over the years. 

Our first stop is at Courseulles-sur-Mer which was part of Juno beach on the D-Day landings. Canadian Forces landed here and took the fortifications which were blown up and today sit at a crazy angle in the sand.  General De Gaulle also first set foot on French soil again here a few days later. 

It was only in July 2015 following a meeting between George Batts, a Normandy landing veteran, and BBC journalist Nicholas Witchell that the idea of a monument to forces under British command who gave their lives on D-Day took shape with the Normandy Memorial Trust being formed.  Subsequent financing led to the purchase of 18 hectares of land and the building of the monument to the west of Ver-sur-Mer.  The size of the land allows the monument to be some distance from the car park and unlikely to be encroached by any future construction.  A very good idea.

The monument designed by architect Liam O’Conner faces the sea overlooking eastern end of Gold beach. The view is serene, one cannot contemplate what faced the combatants back on June 6th.  The walls in the centre of the monument contains the names of the 1,746 who died on the 6th of June 1944. The columns that surround the monument hold the remaining name of the  

22,442 who died up till 31 August 1944. A separate memorial remembers the estimated 12,000 French civilians who died during the liberation of Normandy.

As I walk past the columns I am struck by the ages of those who died. Some were still teenagers with their lives ahead of them who gave their lives for our freedom today. Thank you.

The remains of the Mulberry Harbour is fascinating, a complete harbour, two in fact, although one was destroyed by storm soon after creation to provide supplies to the Allied troops after D-Day.  Floated across the Channel and sunk to form a harbour, even almost 80 years later some sections still seem to be intact.

A short ride to Bayeux and a municipal campsite within walking distance of town is a great find. We can walk along a picturesque riverbank avoiding road traffic to the centre. 

The Bayeux Tapestry is something I recalled from history at school depicting the Battle of Hastings in 1066 between William of Normandy, not yet Conquerer,  and Harold King of England.   In reality the battle only takes up a portion of the tapestry, the rest chronicles the events leading up the battle starting some two years earlier in 1064. Today it could be a movie plot with intrigue, betrayal, action and a lot more. Believed to have been commissioned around 1070 by Bishop Odo of Bayeux, William’s half-brother, it has survived and well worth the visit. Do get the audio accompaniment which highlights parts that would be missed or not understood unless you are a scholar of the tapestry.  

You may recall the last post referred to the search for knives on motorcyclists leaving the UK which seemed a little bizarre to us.  I now have some context from a friend who lives in France.  It seems some time back that British motorcyclists were having their motorcycles stolen by being grabbed off the motorbikes while stopped, say in traffic, and the motorbikes stolen.  I gather this happens in the UK as well, hence some riders may have started carrying knives.  An American friend commented people there would be puzzled they were not carrying guns!

Tomorrow we head to St Quentin, where for Anne and I our journey began back in 1974. Anne will tell the story of the first time we met in the next blog.

– Anthony