La Grange de Bronzeau - Oradour sur Glane 120 km ± 1775 hm

The starting and arrival point is the relaxing B&B of Kristien located in the midst of nature. Anyone who enjoys a rolling bike ride in the delightful nature of Limousin and... also likes a bit of a challenge, will certainly find this route appealing. A gripping piece of history from World War II marks the turning point of this bike ride. It's truly something for the well-trained cyclist (E-bikes are possible, but the battery must have more than decent autonomy considering the ±1750 hm). The journey goes through very quiet roads, and occasionally there’s a climb of around 8 to 10% (or a bit more ± 15%).

Via Châteauponsac, Pellechevent, we ride through a undulating landscape to Oradour-sur-Glane, a village memorializing the war. We take a moment here to let history speak and perhaps pay an impressively significant visit. A stop not to be missed, but given the waiting return trip, we shouldn’t linger too long. On 27-05-2022, our group of 6 stopped in Oradour for a good hour.

The massacre at Oradour-sur-Glane took place on June 10, 1944, in the French town of Oradour-sur-Glane. That day, the village was surrounded by the first regiment 'Der Führer' of the 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich and ultimately destroyed. During this raid, 642 people were murdered. Only six individuals survived the massacre.

The military unit was commanded by General Lammerding, SS-Sturmbannführer Adolf Diekmann, SS-Hauptsturmführer Kahn, and SS-Obersturmführer Heinz Barth. It is also said that Alsatian soldiers were part of this division. These French soldiers were likely forced to be part of Lammerding's elite troops.

Through the Dolmen of La Lue and Berneuil, Saint-Junien-les-Combes, Rancon (there’s still a surprise waiting in this green setting) and Magnac-Laval, you hopefully roll back satisfied to the B & B.