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The travel agency specialising in self guiding cycling and walking holidays!

WW2 Memories

une aventure humaine et passionnée

Bayeux
Caen
3 days / 2 nights
Easy
From March to November

On 6 June 1944, Allied troops landed on the beaches of Normandy. Nicknamed “The Longest Day”, it was the day that turned the tide of the Second World War. Do you dream of a weekend cycling trip and want to discover the history of the D-Day landings? Normandie Rando can organise an express cycling tour taking in the most significant sites of this military operation.

Relive “the longest day” by bike

You start your tour in Bayeux before heading towards the coast, passing by the Battle of Normandy Museum, the British cemetery and the Bessin countryside. This cycle tour takes you to Colleville-sur-Mer to visit the American cemetery. The cycle ride continues along the beaches of Omaha to the west before returning to Bayeux. A longer route leads to Pointe du Hoc.

The next day, continue your cycle tour towards Juno Beach near Courseulles-sur-Mer, then set off to explore the Mue Valley as far as Fontaine Henry Castle.
You then cycle to the centre of Caen, the main town in Calvados.

Express weekend with Normandie Rando

From Bayeux to Caen, our travel agency invites you to relive “the longest day” during a weekend cycling trip. As experts in ecotourism, our team offers all-inclusive cycling holidays:

  • Rental of serviced, high-quality bicycles with a full range of equipment
  • Accommodation
  • Luggage transfer
  • Logbook + GPS
  • Support 7 days a week

We offer you our high level of service quality, our expertise, our experience and our in-depth knowledge of the region for your cycling trips in Normandy. Our priority is to ensure you enjoy a successful and hassle-free sporting holiday.

Batterie de Merville-Franceville
Voyage à vélo à Merville-Franceville
cyclistes devant un monument commémoratif à Omaha Beach
Voyage-a-velo-Normandie-Omaha_Beach-Plage_Debarquement-Le_jour_le_plus_long Normandie Rando
Voyage-a-velo-Normandie-Utah_Beach-Debarquement-Le_jour_le_plus_long Normandie Rando
omaha beach plage débarquement cimetière américain

Itinerary

DAY 1 : Arrival in Bayeux

Bayeux was one of the first French towns to be liberated by the Allies on 7 June 1944. Having escaped bombing, it is one of the few towns in the area to have preserved its medieval monuments. So take some time to visit:
The Tapestry recounting the epic story of William the Conqueror in England in 1066.
The cathedral built in honour of William
The old buildings in the historic centre
(The Bayeux Tapestry Museum is currently closed for renovation for two years. It is scheduled to reopen in October 2027).

For foodies, the town is full of excellent restaurants!

Night in Bayeux

DAY 1: Loop to OMAHA BEACH

Distance to travel: 57 km or 75 km (35 or 46 miles)

We will meet you in Bayeux early in the morning to deliver your bicycles. Leaving Bayeux, you will pass by the Battle of Normandy Museum and then the British cemetery, before crossing the Bessin countryside to reach Colleville-sur-Mer. This village, located at the eastern end of Omaha Beach, has been home to the remains of 9,387 soldiers buried in the American Cemetery since 1956.

After your visit, you will drive west along the beaches of Omaha before returning to Bayeux through the countryside. The longer option takes you to Pointe du Hoc, where the Rangers led the assault on the German artillery positions located at the top of the cliff.

Night in Bayeux.

DAY 3: From Bayeux to Caen

Distance to travel: 52 km / 64 km (32,3 miles / 40 miles)

Follow the Aure Valley towards the sea and reach the German battery at Longues-sur-Mer, the only one that still has firing cannons. After your visit, head east along the coast and enter the Gold Beach sector. Between Arromanches and Ver-sur-Mer, you can see the enormous concrete containers still visible on the beach, ruins of the artificial harbour “Mulberry”. Continue east to the fishing port of Courseulles sur Mer and Juno Beach, the Canadian sector.

You then leave the coast and follow the Seulles Valley and then the Mue Valley through beautiful countryside to reach Caen. Although completely bombed during the war, this dynamic student city nevertheless has a rich medieval heritage with the castle of William the Conqueror, the Vaugueux district and the many churches and abbeys in the city centre.

End of the tour in Caen or additional night

Accommodation

Standard

FROM 260 € SINGLE SUP 95 €

Standard accommodation:

You will stay in small, family-run 2* or 3* hotels.
The welcome is always friendly and the rooms are simple but comfortable.
We know that walking or cycling holidays require a good night's sleep between each stage, and the bedding is always of high quality.
Because we organize sports holidays, we attach great importance to breakfast.
Breakfast is varied and consists of fresh, local produce.

PARTNER HOTELS

  • Bayeux: Le Saint Patrice **

COMFORT

FROM 350 € SINGLE SUP 150 €

Comfort Accommodation

You will stay in 3* or 4* hotels.
The rooms are spacious and the hotel offers a wide range of services.
The bedding is of very good quality and the decor is tasteful.
Breakfast is varied, generous and consists of fresh, local products, both sweet and savory.

PARTNER HOTELS

  • hotel argouges
    Bayeux: Hôtel d'Argouges *** ou Le Bayeux *** ou equivalent

Practical Information

Price Includes

  • 2 nights with breakfast in standard or comfort accommodation
  • Luggage transfer between each stage.
  • Travel documents: road book, detailed maps.
  • GPX tracks and free access to our mobile phone navigation application.
  • 24/7 telephone support

The price does not include:

  • Meals and drinks.
  • Tourist taxes
  • Bike rental
  • Entrance fees and site visits.
  • Return transfer to the starting point at the end of the tour.
  • Travel insurance.
  • The single room supplement
  • Solo traveller supplement
    4-day bike hire:
    (Delivery to Bayeux and collection in Honfleur included)

    Hybrid bike: €120
    Electric bike: €190
    Gravel bike: €190

Options, Supplements and Discounts

No extra charge during high season.

Don’t want to use our luggage transport service?
30€ discount per person

Hired vehicle included in the tour price
40€ supplement for electric bike hire

Single traveller: 50€ supplement

Departures every day

All prices, discounts and supplements are per person.

How to Get There

Coming by train from Paris:

Paris to Bayeux: 2h20 (direct train)
From Bayeux station to your hotel: 15 minutes on foot or by taxi (approximately 10€)

Arriving by car:

Free public car park in Bayeux

How to Leave

Return to Paris by train:

Caen – Paris: 2h20 (direct train)

Collect your car at the end of the tour:

Train from Caen to Bayeux (30 minutes)

from
€260
per person
Request a quote

Bike rental

On this tour, Normandie Rando offers a range of bike models for hire.
Our bikes are sturdy and lightweight to make your trip as enjoyable as possible.
Depending on your experience and fitness level, you can choose from several types of bikes. All are available in different sizes, with men’s, women’s and children’s frames.

Trek Hybrid Bike

Perfectly suited to our itineraries, it is high-performing, reliable, and very easy to handle. It’s the ideal bike for a successful cycling holiday!

E-Bike – Electric Assisted Bicycle

Tempted by a cycling adventure but worried about the climbs? The electric bike is made for you.
With excellent battery range, it will carry you effortlessly along all roads!

Gravel

The performance, features and handling of a road bike combined with the comfort of an hybrid. Our gravel bikes are made from aluminium with a carbon fork and 35mm tyres; ideal for our most challenging routes.

Children’s Bike – On Request

Our cycling holidays are also designed for families! We of course offer “Kids” bikes—sturdy and easy to handle—so the whole family can enjoy the ride!

All bikes are delivered with a full set of equipment:

  • Helmet

  • Repair kit including a puncture repair spray, a spare inner tube, tire levers, and patches

  • Front and rear lights

  • A lock

  • A front pannier with map holder

  • A rear rack

Additional equipment available on request:

  • Tag-along bike / child seat / trailer…

Feel free to contact us for more information.

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