Léo I’m unable to help you with any first hand information about that specific route. I’ve only cycle toured a through few areas of Normandy, enroute to Paris and beyond.
One thought though. Surely such a massive invasion force would have used multiple routes to avoid blown up bridges and countless other barriers and blockages, including their own traffic.
A fond memory of cycle touring across France was the numerous backroads and lanes. With the help of Michelin maps, we were spoilt for choice of ways. Such a contrast to cycling across Australia where there is just one way.
Hi Graham
You're no doubt right. The problem is that the signposters of the route, leaving their commemorative kilometre posts as they go, are more likely to have chosen the main and therefore obvious route. Which will be the one that had most traffic then and still has it now.
Things have moved on since then, though. We have found a GPX track of the route which we can vary when the chosen way looks uninviting.
Thanks for the interest. I will report back.
happy days
léo
Léo I’ll be interested to hear what your research reveals. In part my interest is sparked because last year I did a cycle-tour based on a similar concept, albeit for a totally different commemorative purpose.
Called ‘The Explorers Ride’, it was designed by an historian and an exceedingly fit octogenarian mountain bike rider / tourer. The tour aim was to retrace much of an overland route between Sydney and Melbourne trekked on horses and carts by two colonial chaps (Hume and Hovell) 200 years ago in 1824.
To add to the fun, 100 years later in 1924, many dozens of monuments were constructed by enthusiastic communities along what was thought to be the explorers’ route.
These 100 year old monuments make The Explorers Ride more like a multi-day Easter egg hunt, where instead of Easter eggs, there’s a sequence of concrete posts with worn brass plaques.
Even better, the historian has revealed that there are at least two different interpretations of the original route. No one seems to know exactly where they meandered on their horses.
Unlike any other cycle tour I’ve done, this one is documented to within an inch of its life. Complete with gpx files, route notes, maps etc
It was a fun experience but such a prescriptive route is not really my type of cycle tour. Too much certainty.
Hi Blazers, and a happy new year to you
This is an appeal for anyone who has ridden all or a substantial part of the Voie de la Liberté in France. It traces the route of the wartime invasion from the Normandy coast as far as Bastogne in Belgium.
We plan to ride the whole route but the thought occurs that tanks and troop-carriers probably didn't take bucolic back-roads of dreaming cows and dappled meadows. They were more inclined, I suspect, to push straight on down wide roads.
That being so, what was the traffic like on your route? And can you offer nuggets of insight for us, please?
My thanks.
happy days
léo
3 weeks ago