The first 26 km

The first day's walk in the Great France Walk starts at the Riva Bella Plage, with a symbolic paddle in the Channel. The beach was known as Sword Beach in the D-Day Landings in June 1944 and one of the first landmarks is an icon of those landings.

Leaving the beach I head directly south to find the way-markers at the start of GR36. The Grande Randonnee runs alongside the Caen canal to the Pegasus Bridge.It crosses the canal there and then crosses the River Orne to the east bank to continue south. It forms part of the Pays Tour du Bessin, while heading south west towards Caen.

In order to make its way through Caen, although clinging to the canal bank throughout, the GR36 recrosses to the west bank. Directly south of Caen as the city is left behind, the footpath follows the east bank of the River Orne to Fleury sur Orne. It ignores the bend to Louvigny but cuts across country to St Andre sur Orne. Finally a little further south it comes to the resting place of May sur Orne, which is the end of the first day's walk.

Hopefully as part of the walk I will be able to sketch, take photographs and on occasion film particular stretches in order to supplement my diary and blog postings as a record of the walk. It begins to take a definite shape and a plan is growing.