| Great escapes: Normandy 4 |
| Tapestry of life |
| Bayeux's cathedral, lace and shopping mean there's much more
to the town besides its famous tapestry and WWII liberation |
Bayeux is best known as the home of its famous Tapestry and as the first Normandy town to be liberated after D-Day. But it is also an appealing town in its own right and a very pleasant place to spend at least one idle day. Flower-decked bridges, ancient houses with broad timbers and a magnificent cathedral all contribute to the charming scene, while delightful patisseries, cosy little restaurants and wayside cafés emit mouth-watering aromas. It's also an ideal town for shopaholics, for lining the streets are boutiques and shops selling just about anything you might want to purchase.
1. The Bayeux Tapestry
To get to Bayeux from Caen, follow the N13 for 28km. On entering the town follow signs for the Centre Guillaume le Conquérant and park in its car park.
The highlight of a trip to Bayeux must be a viewing of the famous Bayeux Tapestry at the Centre Guillaume le Conquérant.
The world-famous eleventh-century masterpiece (detailed above), which depicts the epic story of William of Normandy's conquest of England in 1066, measures an extraordinary 70 metres long by 50 cm high – a breathtaking sight. The 58 episodes include an incredible 1,500 embroidered ships, horses, castles and figures.
Expect to spend two to three hours in this museum to fully appreciate the series of exhibitions and audio-visual displays which have been prepared to give the maximum information about the Tapestry. An annotated guide and personal stereos giving a recorded commentary in English are available when viewing it, though to get the most from the experience it is worth first visiting the exhibitions on the first and
second floors which provide detailed background information on the Tapestry and its context.
After visiting the museum,
proceed on foot to the centre of the town, following signs for the tourist office on Rue Saint-Jean where you will find yourself surrounded by a vast assortment of eating establish-ments at which to enjoy some refreshment.
Follow this with some shopping at the many fashionable shops along the narrow streets, including endless displays of shoes and small, classy boutiques. Antiques shops are plentiful – ideal if you want to splash out on a tapestry, a piece of lace, or porcelain figurine.
2. Bayeux's cathedral and lace
Bayeux's Cathédrale Notre Dame (above, top), which lies to the west of the centre, is the town's most striking landmark. Begun in the eleventh century, this Norman gothic building is lit up by magnificent stained glass windows which date from the thirteenth century. Particularly noteworthy is the portal on the south side of the transept which depicts the assassination of Archbishop Thomas à Becket in Canterbury Cathedral in 1170.
Outside, on the west side of the cathedral in the Rue Lambert-Leforéstier, stands the Hôtel du Doyen, the eighteenth-century former Dean's House and the Bishop's residence from 1805 to 1905. Today it is home to the Conservatoire de la Dentelle de Bayeux, the Bayeux Lace Conservatory (above, below), whose aim is to pass on the eighteenth-century craft of Norman bobbin lace-making to future generations.
Alongside the lace workroom is the Diocesan Museum of Religious Art, with its episcopal chapel and gallery of portraits of past bishops of Bayeux.
Cross the road to the east side of the cathedr
al where, on Place de la Liberté, you will find the Musée Baron Gérard in the Bishop's Palace. Sheltering under the boughs of a 200-year-old Liberty Tree, it houses a rich collection of paintings, lace and porcelain from Bayeux and Rouen.
3. Battle of Normandy Museum
Return to the car park at the Bayeux Tapestry and, back in the car, turn right onto the ring road, the Boulevard Marechal Leclerc. Continue for 0.8km until you reach the Musée de la Bataille de Normandie on Boulevard Fabian Ware, where you can leave the car in the car park.
The Musée de la Bataille de Normandie offers a precise account of the Battle of Normandy and includes a massive collection of military equipment, photographs and original documents plus some 100 life-size manekins displaying uniforms.
Before you return to the car park to leave, cross the road to visit the British War Memorial and Cemetery opposite, where a Latin inscription pays hommage to the British who in 1944 'came to liberate the homeland of their former adversaries, the Normans, who conquered them in 1066'. It is a touching reminder of the bonds formed by war.
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Distance 125 miles
Time 6-7 hours
Start Centre Guillaume Conquérant, Bayeux
Finish Memorial Museum, Bayeux
Suitable for All the family
Refreshment
La Garde Manger
Tel 00 33 (0)2 31 22 45 58
Attractions
Bayeux Tapestry
Tel 00 33 (0)2 31 51 25 50
Conservatoire de la Dentelle
de Bayeux; Diocesan Museum
of Religious Art
Tel 00 33 (0)2 31 92 73 80
Musée Baron Gérard
Tel 00 33 (0)2 31 92 14 21
Musée Memorial de la Bataille
de Normandie
Tel 00 33 (0)2 31 51 46 90
Tourist information
Normandy Tourism
Tel 00 33 (0)2 31 51 28 28
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