Vagn and I stayed in Omaha Beach for two nights. Wednesday 10th July we had a full day there, and Vagn looked forward to visit lots of museums and WWII memorial sites. I decided to go to Bayeux. A half an hour bus ride, and I was in the town.
One couldn’t get lost there – the Notre-Dam Cathedral of Bayeux dominated the skies. The Bayeux Cathedral was consecrated on 14th July 1077, by Bishop Odo of Conteville, in the presence of his illustrious brother, William the Conqueror, duke of Normandy and king of England. It is believed that Odo commissioned the Bayeux Tapestry. The masterpiece from the Middle Ages was probably intended to be hung in the cathedral nave.
The historic centre of Bayeux was untouched during the events of 1944, and it is full of heritage places.
I went to see the Bayeux tapestry. It was quite impressive work of art. No pictures, of course. But the garden of the museum was allowed to photograph:
It was a nice warm and sunny day, and I enjoyed walking around and exploring the town.
One of the oldest craft districts of Bayeux by the river Aure:
Aure provided the energy source to the workshops and helped to evacuate high-polluting waste from produce of tannin, the substance used to prevent leather from rotting. The Bayeux tanneries flourished until the 15th century when they were replaced by another high-growing industry: dyeing.
For 2 month during 1822, the writer Balzac stayed with his sister in this district, at Rue des Teinturies 23, formely owned by an ancestor of the famous painter Toulouse-Lautrec.
The main pedestrian street of Bayeux:
It was full of restaurants and shops; there was also a market with fruits, veggies, and all other things. I bought some very good fruit there.
Beautiful old buildings:
Aure river again on the photo below. On the right side there was a small cafe serving great galettes – I had my lunch there, under umbrellas and with a view.
Charming narrow channels:
In the evening, the restaurant at our campsite was closed for one or another event, and suddenly we had no dinner. Vagn went by bike to the nearby village and got us food and a bottle of rosé:
Our evening was saved…