Stage town for the first time
Calvados sub-prefecture (14)
Population: 12,800 (Bayeusain, Bayeusaine)
Personalities: William the Conqueror, Kevin Vauquelin (cyclist), Muriel Barbery (novelist), Jean Grémillon (film director), Franck Dumas (footballer), Éric Navet (horse rider)
Specialities: Bayeux pork. Cider, pommeau, calvados. Bajocasse (cheese). Drakkar chocolate factory
Sport: Bayeux FC (National 3).
Events: Foulées LCL, La Bayeusaine (running)
Festivals: Medieval Festival, Medieval Book Fair, International Circus Festival, Bayeux Prize for War Journalism
Economy: six business parks. Food industry (Frial surgelés, Lactalis, etc.) Tourism
Websites: www.bayeux.fr / www.bayeux-bessin-tourisme.com / www.bayeuxmuseum.com
BAYEUX AND CYCLING
For his first Tour de France last year, Bayeux-born Kevin Vauquelin did not waste any time as he won the second stage of the 2024 edition in Bologna on a course reminiscent of the final of the Tour of Emilia. Having joined the good breakaway, the rider from Normandy managed to drop his last companions on the second ascent of the San Luca climb, where the finish was held, to win ahead of Norway's Jonas Abrahamsen and his compatriot Quentin Pacher. Vauquelin is not the only Bayeusain to have taken part in the Tour de France: he was preceded by Michel Coroller, 95th in the 1974 Tour.
SIGHTS
The Bayeux Tapestry
Manufacture: 11th century.
History: A masterpiece of 11th-century Romanesque art, the Bayeux Tapestry was probably commissioned by Bishop Odo, half-brother of William the Conqueror, to decorate his new cathedral in Bayeux in 1077. The tapestry is 69-metres long and tells the story of the Duke of Normandy's conquest of England.
Features: The story of the Bayeux Tapestry began in 1064, when the King of England, Edward the Confessor, instructed his brother-in-law Harold to travel to Normandy to offer his younger cousin, William, his succession to the throne of England. But Harold refused and was crowned king. William decided to cross the Channel to regain his throne. On 14 October 1066, battle broke out between Norman and Anglo-Saxon troops. The fighting was violent. Harold was shot in the eye with an arrow and killed. The retreat of the English troops took the form of a stampede. The exact author or authors are unknown, but most historians believe it was of Anglo-Saxon creation.
Listed as: Historical Monument in 1840. Unesco World Heritage.
Website: www.bayeuxmuseum.fr
Notre-Dame de Bayeux Cathedral
Construction: 11th to 15th centuries.
Style: Romanesque and Gothic.
History and characteristics: Built after Viking destruction, with Romanesque crypt and towers. Restored after fires, Gothic additions from 12th to 14th centuries. Restored by Viollet-le-Duc in the 19th century.
Listed as: Historical monument in 1862.
William the Conqueror Centre (former seminary)
Construction: 17th century.
Style: Classic.
History and features: Built by François de Nesmond. Used as a seminary, hospital during WWII, then cultural site. Now houses the Bayeux Tapestry Museum.
Listed as: Historical Monument in 1862 (chapel) and 1977 (rest).
Battle of Normandy Memorial
Opening: 1981.
History: Commemorates the Allied offensive of 6 June 1944 and the liberation of Bayeux.
Characteristics: 2,300 m² exhibition on the Battle of Normandy. Located in Liberty Alley, near the war reporters' garden and the British cemetery.
Museum of Art and History
Construction: 11th to 16th centuries (bishop's palace).
Opening: 2013.
Characteristics: Holds 800 archaeological items, 600 artworks, and over 2,500 porcelain and lace pieces.
Listed as: Historical Monument in 1996 (chapel) and 2010 (palace). Museum of France.
TO EAT
Bayeux pork
The Bayeux pig is one of the last six French pig breeds, developed in the 19th century by crossing Normandy and Berkshire pigs. It was nearly wiped out during WWII but is now preserved thanks to conservation programmes. The pig is large, white with black spots, and ideal for free-range rearing, especially for charcuterie in Normandy, where it remains popular.
