The town of Bayeux in Normandy, France, is renowned for its famous tapestry depicting the Norman invasion of England and the events leading to the Battle of Normandy in 1066 – but there are other attractions that this charming and historically rich town has to offer.

Starting with the most obvious attraction – The Bayeux Tapestry: a visual depiction of the Norman preparation for battle, crossing the English Channel, engaging the English army at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, including the death of King Harald and the crowning of William the Conqueror as King of England.

For starters its not a tapestry – its an embroidery.

Not that I want to get into the nuances of various needlepoint techniques but the museum clearly makes a point of telling you this interesting fact – although they still continue to call it the ‘Bayeux Tapestry’.

Some interesting facts about the ”Tapestry”:

• It’s approximately 70m long and 50cm high.
• It’s revolutionary as it so detailed – considering its nearly a 1000 years old – have a look at the detail of the horses and the expressions on people’s faces
• It shows Halley’s Comet – yes, that’s right. Halley’s Comet! I thought this was fascinating….at the time the Normans viewed the sighting as a good omen.
• Another rather gruesome scene involves King Harald getting an arrow in the eye
• As the audio guide mentions near the end, after the battle William changed his name from William the Bastard to William the Conqueror and became king of England. Thank goodness for medieval marketing!
• Be aware that you aren’t allowed to take pictures of the Tapestry so all the pictures on this blog were taken in the ‘Interpretive Exhibit’ which is upstairs in the main museum building. Remember to look for the signs when you exit the main Tapestry exhibit.

Info on the Bayeux Tapestry Museum can be found here. Also use this link for information on The Memorial Museum of the Battle of Normandy, the Baron Gerard Museum of Art and History and how to purchase a combined ticket for a reduced price.

Just to note – the Bayeux Tapestry Museum is closed for maintenance from September 2025 to October 2027. As a result of a cultural exchange between the UK and French governments, the Tapestry is intended to go on tour and be displayed in the British Museum during 2026. Keep an eye on press releases regarding the actual dates for this, which have not been confirmed.

The Bayeux Cathedral – situated in the centre of the town, is the majestic cathedral. No words can describe the interior – its simply stunning.

The Memorial Museum of the Battle of Normandy and the Commonwealth War Graves adjacent to the site. A reminder that Bayeux was featured prominently in World War 2 and the British D Day landing beach of Gold is nearby. These war graves are commemorating the soldiers who lost their lives on D-Day from all over the Commonwealth.

The town is also just lovely to have a wander around.

Maybe have a crepe or two or several 🙂

Note: Norman D Mouse can be purchased at the British Normandy Memorial at Gold Beach. Proceeds contribute to the upkeep of the war memorial.

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