Things to Do in Bayeux

About 50,000 soldiers that lost their lives during the Second World War lay peacefully at the British war cemetery in Bayeux. The cemetery is well maintained with the simple crosses replace by replaced by stone headstones with personalized inscriptions. The memorial is also popular for inscriptions that read:

• "We saved the fatherland from William defeated Victor."
• “We, once conquered by William, have now set free the Conqueror’s native land.”

Close to the cemetery is a memorial museum which is a recommended visit as well.

The Mont Saint Michel is perched upon a small rocky island with stout ramparts and battlements surrounding it. Popular for its extreme tides, during high tides the attraction is entirely encompassed by sea while during low tides bare sand surrounds the manor. Mont Saint Michel exhibits parts that belong to the 15th and 19th century relevant to the Bay of the Mont-Saint-Michel. The center houses exhibitions along with guided walks and other activities.

The Omaha beach holds strategic importance relevant to the history of France as it was the first point of landing for the entry of American forces into Second World War. The beach at that time witnessed a lot of bloodshed and battle. If you take a D-Day trip to the Normandy beaches you can visit this beach. Several other monuments and attractions are close by to the beach which include; 1st Infantry Division Monument, Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer, Musee Memorial d’Omaha Beach, Musee D-Day Omaha, Site de Vierville-sur-Mer, La Pointe du Hoc, Musee des Rangers – Batterie de Maisy, etc. A visit to Omaha beach is sure to be eventful and informative.

The Utah beach houses a museum that associates with the D-Day in a sequel of 10 stories. A visit to the beach includes an introduction to a collection of objects, vehicles, materials, and oral histories. The Utah beach was the beach to the extreme west of five beaches entitled for the D- Day landing in the year 1944. It is said that the German fortifications fell weak at this beach in comparison to their strength on Omaha beach.

The Juno Beach Center is a museum located in Normandy, near Bayeux. It is Canada’s Second World War museum dedicated to the 45,000 Canadians who made the ultimate sacrifice at the time of the war. The museum offers relevant information and provides with insights about Canada's role in the Second World War. The center is a much recommended attraction to visit once in Bayeux, especially for people curious about history.

Along the Normandy coast lies a vast stretch called the Sword beach. With relevance to the Second World War, the beach exhibits battle sites attracting a lot of tourists every year. To visit this beach you can definitely choose from a couple of informative tours as well. Once you visit the beach you are bound to realize what you were missing out on and therefore the Sword beach is a much recommended historic attraction.

The Bayeux Tapestry Museum is rich with history and makes for an extremely interesting visit. The museum has an audio guide which makes it very informative for those visiting it for the first time. A great insight to the history of William the Conquerer and his conquest of England all depicted over 70 meters of linen. The museum also houses a cinema room that screens a documentary about the history of the Norman Conquest and the tapestry. To sum it up, the Bayeux Tapestry Museum is an informative museum with attractive work and a remarkable display.

Cathedrale Notre Dame de Bayeux is a magnificent piece of architecture with a combination of Romanesque, Crypt and Gothic blend. The cathedral was home to Bayeux tapestry from the 11th century to the 18th century. The cathedral houses sculpted scenes that reflect the tempestuous past. The 15th-century frescoes in the crypt and the late 12th-century chapter house with its glazed and decorated bricks and tiles are the highlight of this cathedral.

The Museum of the Battle of Normandy depicts the military and human story of the Battle of Normandy. It also offers an in depth insight to the historic details of the battle. The museum screens a 25 minute film that is inclusive of original equipment and uniforms. A much recommended visit for history lovers.

The Longues-sur-Mer is home to the German artillery battery that was strategically placed to oppose the 6 June 1944 D-day attack. The batteries even today are very much in-tact and depicts evidence relevant to the battles, warfare and attack. The historic attraction is sure to upsurge your imagination about the long ago happenings. History lovers are sure to enjoy their visit to the Longues-sur-Mer.

An ideal way to enhance your visit to Bayeux is by paying a visit to the museums of the city. The Musee Baron Gerard is rich with historic information relevant to archeological findings, beautiful paintings, Roman remains and information related to the lace industry. The museum has 2 floors and both the floors are totally worth visiting. Don't be surprised if you feel like paying a second visit to this remarkable collection.

Reporters memorial is a garden with a lovely grass path with memorials along with stone columns and names of every reporter killed each year. It is a tribute to those reporters who lost their lives just so that we could have an insight of our history. This is sure to be an interesting walk down history lane. If you visit Bayeux the reporters’ memorials is a much recommended visit.

Jardin Public de Bayeux is a magnificent public garden that occupies around 2.6 hectares with about 400 species of lush green trees. The garden makes for an exceptionally peaceful and relaxing outing in Bayeux. It also reveals information about the varied species of trees it houses. You are bound to enjoy sights of turkeys, ducks in the pond, birds, beautiful paintings, etc. The garden also houses a children’s playground. The ‘weeping beech’, a monument in France, is a major highlight of the park. The Jardin Public de Bayeux is indeed an integral part of Bayeux’s heritage and is a much recommended attraction in the city.

The Gold Beach Museum is also referred to as the Musee America - Gold Beach. It is located in the town of Ver Sur Mer in Normandy and displays some of the history related to the D-Day Landing. The museum celebrates the 1st airmail flight between the USA and France and reveals dioramas that exhibit details from the battles during and after the D-day landings.

The museum is a much recommended attraction to visit once in Bayeux, especially for people curious about history.

The Lace Conservatory in Hotel du Doyen also referred to as the Dentelle de Bayeux is a museum that focuses on fabric and intricate lace work. Some of the work is also up for sale. The museum also reveals relevant information about the lace work and display. Art lovers are sure to love the lace Conservatory.