Bayeux

Bayeux, in the Calvados department, is one of the best-preserved towns in Normandy, having escaped the bombings of 1944. Its historic centre is home to Notre-Dame Cathedral, a Gothic and Romanesque masterpiece, and the Bayeux Tapestry, an 11th-century embroidery listed as a UNESCO World Heritage treasure, displayed in a dedicated museum. The town also serves as an excellent base for visiting the D-Day beaches, including Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer, both around twenty minutes away. The Battle of Normandy Memorial Museum offers a detailed account of the events of June 1944. Cobbled streets, timber-framed houses and the banks of the River Aure, which runs through the town, make for pleasant walks. Bayeux is also known for its local markets, offering Norman specialities such as cider, Camembert cheese and seafood. The surrounding countryside, characteristic of the Normandy bocage landscape, is well suited to cycling or driving excursions to other historic and natural sites across Calvados.