Everyone slept VERY well last night and was up and ready for a filling breakfast and our morning pre-ride meeting at 8:30am.

Luc gives a history lesson on the regions of France.

We soon were on the road to Arromanches our main stop on the loop today.

Tractor Traffic. . . . just like in WI!

This is how they make the hedgerows so perfectly manicured!

Once the Allies had invaded, within the next 13 days a complete artificial harbor was constructed in the open sea at Arromanches that became the main supply route for any supplies the Allied troops needed. From razor blades to tanks!

French countryside.

We came around a corner near an old priory for monks and there was Adele with the mornings goodie. Including Tilly bars!!!!

No monks now . . . it’s a private school for children.

A great museum and a separate 360 degree theater gave us the information we needed to imagine what it must have been like that first two weeks of the war in Arromanches and the engineering marvel the artificial harbor was. Without it the Allies would not have been successful in pushing the Germans east through France.

Along the way we stopped at a world renown umbrella maker in a small town of only about 300 population!

You could see your umbrella being made . . .

. . .with the handle of your choice . . .

and the fabric of your choice.

Some of the finished products.

emJay with the owner demoing one of the final products. She bought one with poppies on it.

The msc can never pass up a photo op with some of the more numerous residents of WI – the cow. Jim, an old farm boy, ALWAYS knows what to do!

On the way to the sea . . .

Kodak moments around every corner!

Our destination . . . Arrromanches.

Part of the 360 degree theater, with nine screens, at the museum. A must see.

Here is what part of the artificial harbor looked like. Over 1,900 tons of equipment was eventually unloaded every day.

Oh . . .the French have commercialization too  . . . how about some D-Day beer!

There were lots of visitors at the site including at least one celebrity siting . . . Mick Jagger. Of course the women in our group flocked to him and as you can see . . . Wendy, second from the right was SOOOOO excited!

At noon half the group split off for a shorter route back to the hotel and a van ride to Utah beach for a private tour, an add on that had been arranged for those who interested. Nick and Diana’s fathers were directly involved in the Utah Beach operation.

Diana’s father, General Cooke, was actually in a few of the photographs. He was the pilot and commander of a paratrooper plane

. . . and he is a biker too.

The rest of us spent a leisurely afternoon exploring the French countryside as we bicycled back to Bayeux.

Charlie and John had moules and frites for lunch.

Adele left us a little surprise on our bikes for the trip back to the hotel.

REALLY a nice ride back for the four of us.

Lost again . . . no  just real estate shopping!

We bought a new clubhouse for the madisonsundaycyclists and put it on Lauri’s room bill. Wonder if she will notice?

Rick and Charlie after sealing the deal.

Interesting gabled church roof dating from the 13th century.

Becky considering giving up her city council seat back home to be Mayoress of the Village of Cassy. Here is their one room city hall!

 

Everyone reconvened back at the hotel and soon it was time for our time honored tradition of the pre- dinner happy hour. Whoever has the largest room automatically hosts on at the Lion D’Or is was Ruth and Bob.

 

Bob the ever gracious host, and our resident sommelier, serves Carla.

We split into two groups tonight for dinner with half of us going to a creperie and the others going to a bistro. Here is Jim with his chocolate banana whipped crème dessert. You can figure out which one he went to eat at!!!