Bayeux Favorites

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Favorite thing: There is an excellent Tourist office in Bayeux with the most helpful staff and a very well stocked selection of maps and brochures

It is located on the corner of Rue Foch and Rue St jean/ Pont de Saint Jean in an attractive building - the former Halle des poissons.

http://www.bayeux-tourism.com/

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Favorite thing: They are not in Bayeux, but are closer to small towns on or near the shore east or west of Bayeux. Only a World War II buff would know their names (or a tourist who is aVT buff). The code names of the different commands which gave rise to beach names are not towns either but are well known to historians and others. If Juno and Sword are grouped together, then there are 4 regions, each unit comprising about 20 km of coast, plus more at the Pointe du Hoc (an additional and important part of Omaha). The associations are as follows: AT
Juno-Sword Courseulles -sur-Mer (French, British, Canadian) (near Caen)

Gold Arromanches-les-Bains (British)

Omaha Colleville-sur-Mer (or alternately St. Laurent-sur-Mer)
(site also of the American Military Cemetery)
Utah Ste.-Marie-du-Mont or Ste.-Mere-Eglise

The Point du Hoc is near St. Pierre du Mont or alternately Grandcamp-Maisy.

Finally there is a German Cemetery near la Cambe.

If you look up all of these you will find over 100 Tips and pictures from avid VTers, many more than you will find under Bayeux and Basse-Normandie and more informative.

Favorite thing: Walking the old streets, admiring the tapestry up-close, taking in the grand cathedral, lunching at a bistro, strolling out to the Commonwealth Cemetery and taking a tour of the D-Day beaches, bunkers and military cemeteries.

Here are a couple links to help plan your trip.

First, here is lots of information about the all D-Day beaches, with a downloadable map and info on public transport: http://france-for-visitors.com/normandy/d-day-beaches/index.html

And this is the official tourist site for visitors to Bayeux, with an English translation available: http://www.bayeux-tourism.com

Fondest memory: Soaking up some sunshine on a long stroll around this interesting town.

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Favorite thing: The centre of Bayeux is very nice. You can see half-timbered houses like the one in the first pic, as well as other beautiful building, such as the hôtel de ville ("town hall"). I liked the streets very much. I remember my parents and I went to the Mass one Sunday around 10 in the morning and they were still empty and clean. Wonderful!

Favorite thing: As many other French towns and cities, also Bayeux has its arbre de la Liberté ("Freedom tree"). These trees were planted after the French revolution discarded the ancien régime in 1789 to suggest the begin of a new era. Unfortunately, the following events weren't as propitious as the revolutionaries had hoped: the so-called Reign of Terror led France into one of the darkest times of its history.
However, the arbre de la Liberté has remained the symbol of freedom, democracy, hope and today it is depicted on the 1 and 2 euro French coins.
This picture portrays my mother and I standing close to the tree to show how high it is.

Favorite thing: Located next to a quiet canal, the Bayeux tourist information office is a great way to find a tour of the nearby Normandy beaches. Reservations can be made for same day tours or days in advance, and staff members will usually give you several different tours and prices to compare. The office is also a good resource for learning more about the town of Bayeux itself, offering a wide selection of books and pamphlets about its many attractions.

Favorite thing: Bayeux serves as a great and logical base to explore the surrounding beaches of Normandie. Many tour companies offer tours at reasonable prices with transportation, so it is not necessary to have your own transportation here. Besides its proximity to all of the beaches, the town of 15,000 is beautiful in its own right. Its narrow, and sometimes, cobblestone streets blend with the streams that course through it.

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Favorite thing: UNDER CONSTRUCTION