La France

[wightegi]

Sailed from there in June, car into the customs shed to check for fireworks and fuel and then the magic wand over my body. French side passport stamped and asked if I live in the UK both in and out.
But the ferry is good, this year's trip to Le Mans was booked for 2020 June, September, and then 2021 June, august and finally changed to June this year at no extra cost.

[Bogger]

Day Three Chaps:-

Day three Friday, at Bayeux
We awoke, fairly late for us, at about 8.00 am. For some unknown reason were all feeling a bit rough. Strange that.
We all make a brew and have a bit of breakfast. I have a wander over to Jasons CG125 to have a nosey. The broken brake lever is there for all to see, I give it a pull, the brakes are fine. Well as fine as a now three inch lever can afford. I casually grab the clutch lever and give it a tug. It didn’t move. I pulled harder and could barely get it back the bars.

Jason, how long has your clutch been like this? Like what? Like it doesn’t work, type what. It was like a training aid for the Worlds strongest man.

Apparently he thought that’s how they were. I set about stripping off and oiling the cable. After fifteen minutes I’m sort of getting there with it so to speak. He casually asks me what I’m doing. Trying, to get your clutch to work.

I’ve got a new cable in my pannier. FFS! I’ll fit that then, shall I?
Oh and I’ve bought a spare brake lever with me. Double FFS. The cable was the correct one the brake lever was wrong. He tried the clutch. Ahh that’s better. Is it really.

Today we are off to Arramanche, one of the British landing beaches and where the Mulberry harbour was situated and some of it still is. Then over to Grandcamp Maisy and then whatever the day brings.
It was the 3rd June so although busy, not rammed like it’s been before on the 6th, D Day. We had a wander round the small town of Arromanche. Partook of an ice cream and a drink then hopped back onto the bikes to head for Batterie de Longues-sur-Mer.

Parking Up At Arromanche


Section of the Mulberry Harbour on display At Arromanche Slipway


A View Along Arromanche Sea Front, With Two Concrete Sections Of the Mulberry Harbour Close to Shore

where to upload high resolution photos


The weather was being really kind to us, warm but not too hot. The Longue sur Mer Batterie is well trodden ground for us, as we have visited a number of times before. That’s not to say it was boring, just not as exciting as the first visit.

Guns at Longue Sur Mer





Is it time for lunch boys. Oh good. We head further along the coast road to the small town of Port en Bessin. We grab a sandwich and drink from the Super U and as is the way, have a chat with one of the locals.
After luncheon we set off again in the direction of Grandcamp Maisy and stopped at the village of Colleville sur Mer to take a couple of photos. This small village is about a mile inland from Omaha Beach.
Colleville D-Day Photo And Now


Further on we entered the town of Grandcamp Maisy. We made our way past the picturesque harbour and out of the other side of town to find the Maisy Batterie. We got a bit lost. So at a nearby campsite I asked, in the worst French ever, where the Batterie was. Two miles later we’re pulling into the Batterie grassed carpark.

Grand Camp Maisy



We walk into the reception/Portacabin and the young lady behind the desk is from Durham. I enquire as to the why’s and wherefores of how she came to be living and working in France, then ask for a little information on the Maisy Batterie.
Briefly, after WW2 the site was levelled and reverted to being farm land. As time passed and the locals, who were around at the time of the war died, the Batterie was literally forgotten about. There was nothing to see. In I think it was in 2006 a father and son team who were WW2 arms dealers/collectors heard about the site. They bought the land off the local farmers and ever since, have been excavating the area to unearth a massive complex of trenches, bunkers, tunnels and gun emplacements. There was no team of workers doing this, just father and son. It’s very impressive and they still have lots more to unearth.

Gun Emplacements At Grand Camp Maisy


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Bunker, Tunnel And Trenches

Fatboy About to Enter One Of The Tunnels At the Maisy Batterie



We spend a good two hours exploring the site and all it has to offer. It’s well worth a visit.
Time was now getting on let’s get back to the campsite.
I suppose we’ll have to go for a drink again tonight. Well somebody has to keep the local economy going.
Nige has been to Bayeux before and waxed lyrical about a bar near to the Tapestry Museum. With the aid of Google maps we eventually found it, nowhere near where he thought it was. It was rammed, mainly with young folk. I ended up drinking a beer called Kwak. It was mega strong and not to my taste.

Nige is a funny bloke. I asked him if Jason, his brother, has had/got any girlfriends? Aye, there’s been a string of them. Some have even been female!
Which bar did we go to next? Ohh La La of course. The bar owners spoke very good English which helped.
Once again we started a conversation this time with four young French lads in their late teens early twenties. One of them had an English father and had spent some time in England. His mates said his French was not good?? It sounded ok to us. They insisted on buying us a drink. We politely declined. Then they really insisted. Ok then what harm can it do? Four shot glasses turn up with strange red hue to them. You need to down it in one. Here we go!

We had to repeat a toast after them. Obviously in French. Then down the hatch it went. Our mouths were on fire. The shots consisted of vodka, chilli’s, tabasco and something else hot.
Our Newest French Pals, The Little Rascals


In for a penny, in for a Euro. I bought a round of shots to repay the favour. There must have been twenty five drinks in total, cost a small fortune. Before every drink we had to repeat the toast. After which there was much merriment. Before we made our way back to the campsite, It was 1.00am. We asked them what the toast was all about. Apparently it was about health and happiness. But your sister was involved somewhere along the line.
Oh deary me, kids of today.
On the way back to campsite Fatboy said his guts were churning a bit. He blamed it on the Tabasco shot. He said we should really, really get a shift on and get back as soon as possible. How can I put this. Err there was a touch of wind, then a touching of cloth. Enough said on the matter methinks. Bloody French kids .

Bogger

[fatboytours]

Very nicely put Glyn, a touching of cloth, it was more of a panick than that

[Newtsalad]

Very nicely put Glyn, a touching of cloth, it was more of a panick than that

Tortoise's head?

[knapdog]

Very nicely put Glyn, a touching of cloth, it was more of a panick than that

Tortoise's head?

Pebble-dashing?

[richie the 1st]

any more write ups /photo,s good this

[Bogger]

Day 4

Saturday Day Four
If you’re still reading this. Well done. You’re obviously a glutton for punishment.
Today we’ve decided to go to Dead Mans Corner Museum. The museum is situated just a couple of miles to the North West of Carentan. We take the back roads via Barbeville, Rubercy and Insigny sue Mer.

The museum is about 32 miles from Bayeux and it took us just over an hour to get there. The weather at the campsite, before we departed, was roasting. So, left my waterproofs behind. I’ll not be needing those.

When we arrive at the museum, it’s busy and we struggle to find a parking space. It’s also baking hot.
Parked up At Dead Mans Corner





There are various ticket options for said museum. Let’s have option one. We had a look round the original house. Obviously on the corner.

During the war it had been a German aid and communication station and as such the inside now replicated this scenario. It was very well done.
Our ticket also included ‘ The D-Day experience’.

Displays inside the original house





At our allotted time we turn up for the D-Day experience, which is in a more modern part of the complex.
Twenty five of us are ushered into a smallish room and watch a life size hologram of a speech one of the commanders gave to his airbourne troops on the eve of D-day. Ten minutes later it’s over. Is that it?

We trundle out of the room into a darkened hangar to be confronted with Douglas C47 Skytrain aeroplane. We are asked to climb inside and to strap in. We now take a very, very realistic ‘flight’ from a British airfield over to France. Only to be shot down and crash land in 1944 Normandy.
After the ‘crash landing’ we make our way back outside.

About to enter the Skytrain for a flight to Normandy


It was now even hotter. For our missing pal back in England we had made, a set of US dog tags from an original wartime machine bearing his details.
After the worlds biggest tray of chips it’s back to the bikes to get ready for a visit to the town of Villers Bocage. This is where a large part of a British armoured division was stopped in its tracks by a handful of German Tiger tanks.

How far is it Nige. Not far about forty miles. Hmm oh. We were glad to get going, as we were all sweating from the heat.
Ten miles down the road it seems to be getting very dark, but it’s only 3.00pm.

Then the rain starts. Hmm perhaps it’ll stop? My arse it’ll stop. It was of monsoon proportions our speed was down to fifteen miles per hour and we could see nothing. Obviously we were drenched completely and utterly.

You know what? Lets’ give Villers Bocage a miss. It took us over an hour to get back to Bayeux. A miserable hour at that.

Back at camp we console ourselves with a hot shower and some dry clothes. I suppose we’ll have to go for a drink tonight.
Before we head to Bayeux central again, I have a very interesting chat to a couple of British lads, who now reside in France. I quite envied their lifestyle.
Bayeux Is Very Pretty





You can guess by now which bar we were aiming for. But, not before a meal and a drink in the 'Irish' bar. I was the most Irish thing in there and I’m not Irish and have never been there.

Oh Ooh La La bar was closed. Shock horror! The rain had been so heavy it had flooded out the bar.
Steady away tonight as me and Fatboy are on a mission tomorrow?? Ooh what’s that all about then?

Bogger

[knapdog]

Tidy write up Boggster.
Wish I was there but I'm down Bayeux.

[Wellingborough65]

Thanks for posting this bogger.... I love reading about other c90 enthusiasts adventures.... look forward to the next chapter!

[Bogger]

There's quite a bit more

Bogger