Cycling World Magazine March 2016 | Page 16

16 | Cycling World

Tour de France

Grand Départ Normandy

Having started in Yorkshire in 2014 and in Utrecht in Holland in 2015 , the Tour de France 2016 Grand Départ returns to France , with three stages taking place in La Manche , Normandy . Each Grand Départ makes a great impression , launching the start of the best-known cycle race in the world , which lasts three weeks every year . In 2016 , La Manche and Normandy will be in the spotlight over three days at the start of July , benefitting from the broadcasting in 190 countries around the globe , 60 of which will be covering events live . The Tour ’ s riders will crisscross the whole region of La Manche , from the three stage towns , then crossing 137 communes ( French parishes or municipalities ) to reach two finish towns , with some magnificent panoramas to enjoy along the way , covering 435km in all , a record distance for a Grand Départ !

The county ’ s range of landscape and heritage has made it an incredibly popular tourist destination . Its unspoilt coastline of over 350km stretches between picturesque bays , islands , capes , havens , creeks and long , sandy beaches . Inland is a mix of marshlands and pasturelands , the latter separated by ancient hedges , known as le bocage . La Manche also boasts the largest network of county roads in France – ideal for cycling !
ENJOY THE SIGHTS OF THE GRAND DÉPART
STAGE 1 SATURDAY 2 JULY 2016 - MONTSAINT- MICHEL > UTAH BEACH 188 km
THE BAY OF MONT-SAINT-MICHEL - LISTED “ WORLD HERITAGE ” BY UNESCO
Dominating the fortified village and its charming lanes , the Abbey of the Mont-Saint-Michel bears testament to the architectural mastery of its medieval builders . It consists of over 20 chambers , among them a pre-Romanesque chapel , Romanesque religious buildings , a Gothic wing known as ‘ the Marvel ’ and the Flamboyant Gothic choir end to the Abbey church .
The Bay of the Mont-Saint-Michel boasts one of the largest tidal ranges in the world ( the Bay of Fundy in Canada has the biggest range ), allowing you to enjoy the extraordinary spectacle of high tides marked by exceptionally high waters . Once the high tide reaches a certain height , seawater isolates the Mount from the mainland twice a day . Legend has it that the sea here advances at the speed of a galloping horse .
UTAH BEACH AND SAINTE-MÈRE-EGLISE
On 6th June 1944 and during the following weeks , Normandy was the theatre of a decisive phase of the Second World War : the D-Day Landings . In La Manche , many museums are dedicated to the story of American parachute drops around Sainte- Mère-Église , the landings on Utah Beach , military architecture and the lives of the soldiers and the inhabitants of the region .
Created in 1962 , where American troops landed on 6th June 1944 , the Landings Museum in Utah Beach offers a large collection of objects and testimonies devoted to D-Day .
The Airborne Museum stands in the heart of Sainte-Mère-Église , opposite the bell tower from which US paratrooper John Steele famously remained dangling by his parachute for some time during the night preceding D-Day . The museum is the largest in Europe dedicated to American paratroopers , specifically those of the 82nd and 101st Divisions , who played such a vital role at the outset of the 1944 Normandy landings .
STAGE 2 / SUNDAY 3 JULY 2016 – SAINTLÔ > CHERBOURG-EN-COTENTIN 182 km
SAINT-LÔ EQUESTRIAN AND NATIONAL STUD CENTRE
Saint-Lô ’ s National Stud Centre ( the Haras National de Saint-Lô ) forms a glorious architectural ensemble , dating from the 19th century , set around a magnificent courtyard . Cradle of the Selle Français breed , a sport horse par excellence , the stud also takes in stallions of other breeds .
CHERBOURG , GATEWAY TO AMERICA \
City of Art and Heritage , Cherbourg is dominated by the “ Roule Mountain ” ( 117 m ). Protected by the largest artificial harbour in the world , Cherbourg is a sailing resort of international repute , welcoming cruise ships and hosting major nautical events . The port of Cherbourg is also home to the Cité de la Mer , offering the discovery of the underwater world . Situated on Cherbourg ’ s seafront it is one of Normandy ’ s unmissable family attractions , dedicated to mankind ’ s adventures under the oceans . You can also board Le Redoutable , the largest submarine open to visitors in the world , and admire the seventeen tanks making up the Pôle Océan area , packed 1,200 colourful fish . In the Espace Titanic , learn how the magnificent , ill-fated ocean liner made its French stop in Cherbourg in 1912 , shortly before its sinking by an iceberg . Relive the events from its stop here until the tragic accident