Biking from Ste Marie du Mont to Ste Mere Eglise to Saint Lo

Thursday, August 1st:  Yesterday was an interesting ride that took us away from the Normandy D-Day beach sites to the city of Saint Lo.  The best way to tell the story of the day is with the photos.

But first, here is a group shot representing our group's own assault onNormandy.

The squad is in the Higgin's landing craft.

Our ride began at 8:30 am and we arrived at Saint Lo before 2:00 pm. It was 36 miles with 1600 feet of elevation gain. 

First memorial to D-Day we saw after leaving the hotel -- it is just on the side of the road and was dedicated to a captain who survived the war and died in 2011.

Church tower in Ste Marie du Mont.

Church in Ste Mere Eglise - famous for the parachute soldier who hung on the tower for over two hours, was rescued and fought to the end of the war.  Do you see the parachute?

A close-up of the re-creation of the event. 

Statue to General DD Eisenhower.

Good words by DDE - "led with accountability, humility, heart and head....".

Another view of why Ste Mere Eglise is on every D-Day tour itinerary.

An unusual vehicle we passed on the road  - we saw many horses in the fields, and watched sulky drivers cruising along on Omaha Beach.

Betsy is watching a cat who was intently watching a dove's nest.

Ditto - the dove nest is in the oval opening in the pole at the top of the photo.

A most unusual vending machine - we had to try it and all enjoyed the fresh baguette.  The machine was in a village too small to have any other services.

Saint Lo bridge over the River Vire, looking across to the Ramparts and Old Town.

View from the ramparts.  Our hotel was the wide building on the far side of the river.  Saint Lo was leveled during WWII.  Being a strategic crossroads city, over 95% of the town's buildings were destroyed by Allied bombing leading up to the invasion.  The city was re-built over 15 years after the war.

Traffic circle.

The cathedral was extensively damaged by the bombing.  The new section is in the middle with the plain stonework and both towers are truncated.

This is a photo of a photo showing what the town looked like after its destruction.  The cathedral is in the lower right.

An unexploded artillery shell in the cathedral wall.

Another view of the ramparts with the Cathedral in the background.

Exhausted by all our explorations, we had dinner in the hotel restaurant which worked out fine.  The bigger problem was that St. Lo was very hot and humid and the hotel did not offer air conditioning.  All in all, it was another satisfying day with friends and great adventures.