Choose from 13 Fun Things to Do in Bayeux
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Bayeux Cathedral (Cathedrale Notre Dame de Bayeux)
A National Monument of France and one of Bayeaux’s most eye-catching monuments, the Bayeux Cathedral (Cathedrale Notre Dame de Bayeux) is best known as the original home of the Bayeux Tapestry (now a UNESCO ‘Memory of the World’ and displayed at the nearby Bayeux Tapestry Museum). Originally built in the 11th-century, the cathedral’s Gothic façade was reconstructed in the 12th century, but much of the Romanesque-style interiors remain intact, shown off by atmospheric lighting during the evening hours.
Consecrated in 1077 by Bishop Odo of Conteville in the presence of his brother and King of England, William the Conqueror, the cathedral’s strong English ties are portrayed in its vibrant frescos, which depict the life of Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and of course, the iconic Bayeux Tapestry, said to have been commissioned by the Bishop to decorate its nave.
Practical Info
The Bayeux Cathedral is located in central Bayeux and is open daily between July and September from 8.30am-6pm.
Address: 4 Rue du Général de Dais, Bayeux 14400, France
From $ 100
Canadian War Cemetery
The Juno Beach Center is Normandy's only Canadian museum, but there are two locations where Canada's heroes from the Battle of Normandy have been laid to rest: The Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, and the Bretteville-sur-Laize Canadian War Cemetery. The former honors soldiers from earlier in the battle – on and just after D-Day - while the former is for soldiers who gave their lives later on.
Like many of Normandy's WWII battle sites and memorials, Bény-sur-Mer is about a half-hour from Bayeux, which many visitors make as their base from which to explore the region. Bretteville-sur-Laize is about 40 minutes away, just behind Caen. Both of them are considered in the “opposite” direction from most of the most important sites, and so can be ignored by those on a fast-track tour of Normandy. But both sites deserve to be given their due.
Both cemeteries are technically on Canadian territory, as France granted the lands to Canada in perpetuity so that they could have a permanent place to bury their heroes. The grounds are maintained by Veterans Affairs Canada.
At the Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery there are over 2,000 grave sites, including one of a Frenchman who fought alongside Canadian soldiers and had no next of kin to claim his body. And at the Bretteville-sur-Laize Canadian War Cemetery are 2,700 graves. They are solemn places meant to remember the fallen; for learning about Canada's role in the Battle of Normandy, head to the Juno Beach Center.
Address: route de Reviers, Reviers 14470, France
From $ 81
British War Cemetery
The peaceful Bayeux War Cemetery is the largest of the 18 Commonwealth military cemeteries in Normandy. It contains 4,868 graves of soldiers from the UK and 10 other countries (including Germany, in contrast to the American cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer). Many of the soldiers buried here were never identified, and the headstones are simply marked 'A Soldier Known Unto God'. The bodies of 1,807 other Commonwealth soldiers were never found, and are commemorated on the memorial across the main road.
Bayeux was liberated by the Allies in June 1944 and became the seat of government for France until Paris was liberated. In this time the British built the ring road to enable military vehicles to move around the city and established many military hospitals. Many of those buried in the cemetery are from those hospitals.
Practical Info
The cemetery is on the south-west side of the ring road around the city, near the intersection of Boulevard Fabien Ware and Route du Molay-Littry, opposite the Museum of the Battle of Normandy.
Address: Blvd Fabien Ware, Bayeux, France
Admission: Free
From $ 81
Ardenne Abbey
If you're traveling from Caen to Bayeux on your way to WWII sites, you may pass by a fairly new-looking church in the small village of Saint-Germain-la-Blanche-Herbe. Its aesthetic might seem old, sure, but its overall look is too new to be the original architecture. And after seeing so many beautiful old churches in France, it would be easy to pass by without giving it a second thought.
But to WWII historians as well as those who are on the search for WWII sites of interest in Normandy, this church – the Ardenne Abbey – is high on the list of places to pay one's respects to the fallen heroes of WWII. It was here that the Germans made their headquarters during the Normandy battles of June 1944, and it's the site of one of the most egregious violations of the Geneva Convention from the war.
In this sanctuary-turned-Nazi-base, 20 Canadian soldiers were executed by the German soldiers who had captured. Now, as horrific as that is on its own, it's understandable if it doesn't seem terribly out of the ordinary; thousands of soldiers lost their lives in the Normandy battles. But the fact that they were either shot or beaten in the backs of their heads is what ultimately resulted in the trial of Brigadeführer Kurt Meyer, commander of the 25th Panzer Grenadier Regiment, and the resulting verdict of guilty under the Geneva Convention.
Because the Ardenne Abbey was soon lost to Allied bombardment, it has since been reconstructed; thus its new-looking exterior. And on the grounds visitors will find a memorial to the executed soldiers, with the solemn vow, “Lest we forget.”
While so many of the WWII museums in Normandy focus on the victories, this humble memorial serves as a haunting reminder that even here, so far from the atrocities to the east, had known its own kind of brutality. Lest we forget.
Address: Saint-Germain-la-Blanche-Herbe 14280, France
Hours: Tues-Fri: 2pm-6pm
From $ 81
Bayeux Tapestry
The Bayeux Tapestry might be almost 1,000 years old, but it’s still one of the top tourist attractions in northern France. Housed in a purpose-built museum and depicting the infamous Norman invasion of England, its detailed needlework and impressive size draw hundreds of thousands of visitors from across the world every year.
The Basics
A UNESCO “Memory of the World,” the Bayeux Tapestry is a very rare object, one of few textiles to last almost 1,000 years. The 230-foot-long (70 meter) embroidered frieze shows William the Conqueror invading England, and the subsequent Battle of Hastings told from the point of view of the victorious Normans.
Since 1983, the tapestry has been displayed behind glass in a purpose-built, climate-controlled museum called Tapestry Museum (Musée de la Tapisserie), in central Bayeux. The colors and level of detail of the figures shown are remarkable when viewed up close, and make the tapestry a must-visit stop on guided tours of northern France.
Things to Know Before You Go
- Entry to the Tapestry Museum is by paid ticket.
- Discounts are available for students and seniors.
- Audio guides can be rented at the reception desk.
- The museum is wheelchair accessible.
- Visitors can buy a combined ticket to see other museums in Bayeux.
How to Get There
The Tapestry Museum is located at 13B Rue de Nesmond in Bayeux, France. It’s accessible by car or as part of a guided tour that includes transport. Rail links join Bayeux with St.-Lazare station in Paris.
When to Get There
The museum is open seven days a week from February to December, with the exception of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. It closes for the whole month of January. From March to October, it is open from 9am–6:30pm (until 7pm in May–August). In November, December, and February, the museum closes every day for lunch, 12:30pm–2pm.
Battle of Normandy Memorial Museum
Also found in Bayeux is the Battle of Normandy Memorial Museum that details the events leading up to and including the Normandy or “D-Day” landings. With a collection of military artifacts, including uniforms, guns, and armored vehicles, the museum recreates the events of August 1944 in vivid detail and will be of interest to visitors who want to learn more about the history of the Second World War.
Address: Bayeux, France
Admission: Varies
From $ 100
Merville Battery
Merville Battery was a coastal fortification built by the Nazis in Merville-Franceville as part of the Atlantic Wall during World War II. Because this particular battery was much more better fortified than other similar installations, it was one of the first to be attacked by the Allies on D-Day.
Indeed, it was successfully captured by British paratroopers on June 6, 1944, because they mistakenly believed the battery contained heavy-caliber weapons that could threaten the nearby beach landings. They discovered, however, that what it contained, essentially, was inoffensive World War I vintage guns. The battery also comprised four six-foot-thick, steel-reinforced concrete gun casemates, designed to protect mountain guns, as well as a command bunker, dorms and ammunition magazines. After the British left the battery to liberate a nearby village, Merville was once again taken over by the Germans until they withdrew France in the following month of August.
Practical Info
There is a Merville Battery Museum in Merville-Franceville, which contains a reconstituted gun chamber, an educational trail as well as a sounds & lights show. Merville Battery is located at Place du 9ème Bataillon in Merville-Franceville, just 25 kilometers northwest of Caen via route N814, D515 and D514. The visit takes about half an hour. The Battery is open between 9:30am to 6:30pm between March 14 and September 30, and from 10am to 5pm between October 1 and November 14. Entry costs €6 per adult and €3.50 per child aged 6 to 16 years old.
Address: Place du 9ème Bataillon, Merville-Franceville-Plage 14810, France
Hours: March 14-Sep 30: 9:30am-6:30pm, Oct 1-Nov 14: 10am-5pm
Admission: Adult €6, Child (6-16) €3.50
From $ 81
Lace Conservatory (Conservatoire de la Dentelle)
Bayeaux is best known for its vast tapestry illustrating the Norman Conquest of Britain in 1066, but is also renowned as a center of lacemaking. The Conservatoire de la Dentelle de Bayeux was founded in 1901 in a bid to conserve the local tradition of lacemaking, which began in the 17th century. Bayeux lace is made by hand on bobbins and its delicate patterns come in just three colors: white, black and ecru. While once there were more than 5,000 lacemakers in Normandy, today there are less than a dozen exponents of the art and several showcase their handiwork in the Lace Conservatory.
Located in a 16th-century mansion with the figures of Adam and Eve carved into its façade, the conservatory is open for tours of the workshops, where expert lacemakers are always on hand to demonstrate their skills while keeping alive their techniques. Visitors can have a go at creating their own lacy masterpieces and there are year-around exhibitions of delicate shawls, napkins and bookmarks; these are also on sale along with lacemaking implements and books. Individual commissions are undertaken.
A collection of handmade 18th-century Bayeaux lace is on show at the Musée Baron-Gérard (MAHB) on the same street; a side trip to the Lace Conservatory can be combined with touring the Normandy beaches.
Practical Info
Maison Adam et Eve, 6 rue du Bienvenu, Bayeaux. Open Mon-Sat May–Sept 9.30am–12.30pm, 2pm–6pm (Mon & Thur 5pm). Admission is free. Lacemaking courses start at €230. Best accessed by car along the N13; take exit 36 towards Bayeux. Alternatively take the train; the conservatory is a 15-minute walk from the railway station.
Address: 6 rue du Bienvenu, Bayeaux, Calvados, Normandy 14400, France
Hours: Mon–Sat May–Sept 9.30am–12.30pm, 2pm–6pm (Mon & Thur 5pm)
Admission: Free. Lacemaking courses start at €230
From $ 100
Juno Beach Center
The Juno Beach Center is a museum dedicated to the heroism of Canadian troops in the D-Day landings and the entirety of the Second World War. Located in Normandy, the center draws visitors from Canada and across the world wanting to remember their fallen patriots and learn more about France’s role in the Allied victory.
The Basics
The Juno Beach Center opened in 2003 as a way to create a permanent memorial to the 45,000 Canadians who lost their lives in World War II and to preserve information surrounding their role in the war for future generations. Designed to appeal to both adults and children, the museum hosts both temporary and permanent collections made up of personal photographs, first-hand accounts, and artifacts presented alongside multimedia panels.
Many guided day tours of the Normandy landing beaches out of Bayeux, Caen, and Paris stop at the center in addition to other important WWII sites. If visiting independently, you can choose to buy a ticket to the museum or a combined pass for the museum and adjacent Juno Park.
Things to Know Before You Go
- The Juno Beach Center is perfect for WWII history enthusiasts and their families.
- The museum’s design, with its five-pointed shape, recalls the shape of a maple leaf—Canada’s national symbol—as well as the five beaches that were used in the D-Day landings.
- The center is accessible to wheelchairs and strollers.
How to Get There
The center is located on Juno Beach in Courseulles-sur-Mer near Bayeux, 170 miles (270 kilometers) from Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport; there is free on-site parking. If not driving, you can take the train from Paris via Caen station, followed by a taxi or bus connection, or opt for a guided tour with transportation provided.
When to Get There
The Juno Beach Center is open from 9:30am to 7pm April to September; 10am to 6pm in March and October; and 10am to 5pm in November, December, and February. It’s closed throughout the month of January. The museum is busiest in the afternoon.
See the Bayeux Tapestry
Woven almost 1,000 years ago, the Bayeux Tapestry is a fascinating piece of history that attracts visitors from all over the world. It depicts the Norman Conquest of England by invading French Norman forces in the year 1066 and is housed in a purpose-built museum in the Normandy town of Bayeux.
Address: Voie des Français Libres, Courseulles-sur-Mer 14470, France
Admission: Varies
From $ 81
Mus ee Baron-G erard (MAHB)
Located in a former episcopal palace in the heart of Bayeaux, the Le Musée d’art et d’histoire Baron-Gérard (MAHB) is a museum dedicated to recounting the backstory of both French painting and Normandy. Established in 2013, it is carefully curated and well laid out on two levels with 14 chronological collections spanning prehistory to the 20th century.
Highlights among the paintings include great works by Rococo artist François Boucher, Neo-classicist David, Gustave Corot — the precursor of the Impressionists — Gustave Caillebotte and Eugène Boudin. The museum also houses one of France’s most important collections of handmade 18th-century Bayeaux lace, lovingly displayed in the bishops’ former private apartments, which are still decorated with original wooden carvings. There’s an equally impressive display of Bayeaux porcelain and more than 800 archaeological artifacts excavated across the region of Calvados; each gallery is equipped with multi-lingual touchscreens to keep kids involved in the exhibition.
The palace itself has a few surprises to spring: Romanesque vaults; grand staircases; a French Renaissance chapel dating from the mid 16th century and swathed in cherubs, and a 17th century courtroom. Entrance to MAHB can be combined with tickets to see the Bayeux Tapestry and the Memorial Museum of the Battle of Normandy.
Practical Info
37 rue du Bienvenu, Bayeaux. Open daily May–Sept 9.30am-6.30pm; Feb 2–Apr 30, Oct–Dec 10am–12.30pm, 2pm–6pm. Admission adults €7, seniors & students €5.5, children younger than 16 €5; younger than 10 free. Best accessed by car along the N13; take exit 36 towards Bayeux. Alternatively take the train; it is a 15-minute walk to the museum from the railway station.
Address: 37 rue du Bienvenu, Bayeux, Calvados, Normandy 14400, France
Hours: daily May–Sept 9.30am–6.30pm; Feb 2–Apr 30, Oct–Dec 10am–12.30pm, 2pm–6pm
Admission: adults €7, seniors & students €5.5, children younger than 16 €5; younger than 10 free
From $ 100
Airborne Museum
The hallowed history of the D-Day landings on the beaches of Normandy draws thousands of visitors a year to this beautiful region of France. Along its now-calm coastline are tours, memorials, cemeteries, museums and stark reminders of the events of June 6, 1944. As you look out over the beaches and aided by the news reels from the time as well as modern-day recreations for the silver screen, it can be almost too easy to feel as though you can see exactly what happened, right in front of you.
But not everyone who fought that day arrived by boat. In the wee hours that morning – in fact, just after midnight - American paratroopers started descending into the region. Through a series of unfortunate events the paratroopers were not able to rally in order to provide organized support for the coming attack, but their scattered arrival sent the Germans running in all directions to defend their hold, a move which ultimately was one of the many factors in the Allies' victory.
Most of the action from this event, code-named Operation Neptune, centered on the small village of Sainte-Mère-Église, which today is the site of one of the most fascinating WWII sites in Normandy: The Airborne Museum. Here visitors can relive the harrowing story of the 82nd and 101st Airborne divisions and see a Douglas C-47 as well as a Waco Glider. The exhibits, presentations, and items housed in this parachute-shaped museum fill in many of the missing pieces to just how the Allied forces battled their way to victory.
While in the village of Sainte-Mère-Église, don't forget to look for what appears to be a parachute wrapped around one of the spires of the church. This is a memorial to John Steele, who remained stranded up there because of his caught parachute, and who escaped eventual German arrest to go on and help his division retake the town for the Allies.
Address: 14 Rue Eisenhower, Sainte-Mère-Église 50480, France
Hours: Apr-Sept 9am-6:45pm; Oct-Mar 10am-5pm; closed in January
Admission: Adults 8Euro; Children 4.50Euro
From $ 100
Sword Beach
For the historian as well as the curious traveler, the WWII battle sites along the coast of Normandy can be a powerful draw. However, in the interest of time, many choose to stick to the more popular memorials and museums of Omaha and Utah Beaches. But by heading east from Bayeux instead of west, one hits a veritable jackpot of sites, memorials and museums dedicated to D-Day, but are blessedly under-visited.
It can be easy to pass through the sleepy coastal towns of Ouistreham and Lion-sur-Mer and forget that anything as monumental as the D-Day landings happened here. But the pristine beaches you see were filled with British soldiers on that fateful day, sent in to shore up this flank and take care of some German bunkers as well. And in just these few miles, there are roughly ten points of interest to discover. Here are the highlights of what not to miss when visiting the area from Bayeux.
First, there is the Grand Bunker Atlantic Wall Museum in Ouistreham. It's located inside the German headquarters that took three days to be secured by the British. The museum has taken great pains to recreate the bunker as it was at the time, down to the smallest detail, and within it is incorporated various exhibits and presentations about the Atlantic Wall and its importance in the Allies' victory.
To gain perspective on how the events at Sword Beach played into the overall D-Day landings, visit the Musée No. 4 Commando, also in Ouistreham. Here you will find a well laid-out story that takes you through the day and what followed as well. This is especially popular with British visitors, and is a powerful reminder to Americans that it was indeed Allied forces participating in D-Day. The town of Ouistreham also has several monuments in honor of the fallen.
There are monuments, museums, and remnants from the war in Lion-sur-Mer, Hermanville-sur-Mer, and Douvres la Délivrande, as well as the Pegasus Bridge in Ranville. WWII buffs will know these places by heart; if you're not as knowledgeable, it really is best to take a guided tour, as many important sites can be easily overlooked by the untrained eye.
Address: Ouistreham, France
From $ 81
Lisieux Cathedral
With its grand Gothic façade overlooking the central Place François Mitterrand, it’s impossible to miss the Lisieux Cathedral, or Cathedral Saint-Pierre. Built on the site of a former Roman church, the cathedral dates back to the 12th century and is one of the earliest examples of Gothic design in France, now preserved as a National Monument.
Along with its notable architecture, Lisieux Cathedral is also famous as the resting place of Bishop Cauchon, who famously oversaw the prosecution of Joan of Arc.
Practical Info
Lisieux Cathedral is located on Place François Mitterrand in central Lisieux and is open daily from 8:30am to 7pm.
Address: Place François Mitterrand, Lisieux 14102, France
Hours: Daily 8:30am-7pm
From $ 753
La Cambe German War Cemetery
As the largest German WWII cemetery in France, the La Cambe German War Cemetery serves as a poignant reminder of the lives lost on both sides of the war. It’s a moving site, with its grey schist crosses and dark, flat headstones offering a more somber atmosphere than that of the American and Commonwealth cemeteries nearby.
Although initially serving as a temporary American cemetery, today 21,222 soldiers from the German Armed Forces are buried at La Cambe. At the center of the cemetery, a 6-meter-high grassy hillock is capped with a single cross and serves as a mass grave for 296 soldiers, many of which are unknown. Just outside of the cemetery, the La Cambe Peace Garden opened in 1996, and is home to 1,200 maple trees, each planted by an individual or organization to symbolize reconciliation and lasting peace. A visitor center is also located at the entrance to the cemetery and offers further insight into the soldiers buried on-site.
Practical Info
La Cambe German War Cemetery is located in La Cambe, around 30km west of Bayeux, off the N13 motorway.
Address: Route nationale, La Cambe 14230, France
Hours: Daily: 8am- 5pm (winter) or 7pm (summer)
From $ 116