Most people have heard of Bayeux, but some know it only for the tapestry that bears its name. There is, however, much more to the town and the area around it.
Bayeux is easily reached from Cherbourg – just hitch up and head down the superb and (by British standards) virtually deserted N13 dual carriageway for about 75 miles. A recommended coffee/lunch stop is at the immaculately maintained service area at Cantepie, a couple of miles after passing under the Carentan canal. Miles of safe, sandy beaches are easily reached from Bayeux, as are other, smaller coastal towns such as Courseulles, St Aubin and Luc-sur-Mer.

1 A GOOD YARN
Bayeux is a gem of a medieval town, and was mercifully left largely unscathed during the Battle of Normandy, whereas Caen, only 14 miles away, was virtually pounded into rubble.
The recently refurbished tourist office is itself an attraction, as it is in what was formerly the fish market, sitting astride the River Aure. But it’s the tapestry everyone comes to see. Housed on the Rue Nesmond in the south-east corner of the town, this historic and priceless item is a 70m-long piece of linen, half-a-metre high. During the 11th century, a graphic account of William the Conqueror’s defeat of the English King Harold at the battle of Hastings in 1066 was embroidered on it in coloured wools. As you view the length of this extraordinary historic artefact, you can listen to a description of what it depicts on an audio guide. The visit can take up to two hours. The museum is open daily. Admission for adults costs o7.40, OAPs o6.10, children over 10, o6.

2 BAYEUX CATHEDRAL
The imposing Norman architecture of the Catholic Cathedral in Bayeux, the Cathédrale Nôtre-Dame, should not be missed. In 1077 it was consecrated in the presence of William the Conqueror, then Duke of Normandy and king of England. It is open daily. Admission is o4; under-15s go free.

3 BATTLE OF NORMANDY MUSEUM
D-Day and all that followed is well-remembered in Bayeux. In the south-west of the town is an imposing museum on the Battle of Normandy, covering events from the landing, through the following ten weeks. On the opposite side of the road is the British Military Cemetery. Here are ranks of headstones, which are memorials to the thousands of fallen British servicemen. It is a truly moving place. The museum opens daily, except for two weeks in January. Admission is o5.

4 ARROMANCHES
Take the D516 off the north-east section of the ring road, the Boulevard Winston Churchill, and ten minutes’ drive will deliver you to Arromanches. Here is the Mulberry Harbour, which dates back to the time of the Normandy campaign in 1944. The Allied success was made possible by the use of these pre-fabricated harbours which were towed into place onto the invasion beaches after the D-Day landings. Well worth a visit is the Musée du Debarquement which is dedicated to the landings in Normandy in 1944. The museum is open daily from February to December. Admission is o6 for adults, o4 children.

5 CASTILLON
Just off the D572, six miles south-east of Bayeux in the village of Castillon, is a series of hidden gardens within a garden. There is a water garden, a Japanese garden, a topiary garden and a herbaceous border – long, deep and densely planted with cottage perennials. Each garden is separated from the next one by immaculately clipped yew and beech hedges.
Note, however, that if you get to the village of Castillon when trying to find the gardens, you’ve driven too far.

5 BAYEUX PUBLIC GARDENS
Take half an hour to visit the Jardin Public de Bayeux. This is just outside the ring road, on the D6, the road to Port-en-Bessin. This six-acre botanical garden’s principal attraction is its magnificent trees. In particular, see the weeping beech, planted in 1860, which has a diameter of 131 metres and was declared a national monument in 1932.

6 PEGASUS BRIDGE
This much-celebrated bridge forms a vital crossing of the Caen canal. It was captured early on D-Day in a daring surprise coup by Major John Howard and men of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. They landed in the dark, in two gliders, then stormed and captured the east side of the bridge intact, before liberating the Café Gondrée on the west bank. The café is still in business and in the safe hands of the same family.