In the heart of Normandy

The invasion of England by William the Conqueror and the revenge 900 years later with the invasion of Normandy by English troops are both present in the city. The tapestry of Queen Mathilde is absolutely worth the view. And the English cemetery moved me to tears.

Quick Tips:

If you depend on public transportation, Bayeux is a good starting point to visit D-Day beaches. Three or four different companies run daily tours to the beaches for 30 to 35 euros. Information and starting point at the tourist office.

Best Way To Get Around:

I arrived and left by train. In between, I walked. The city is rather small and anything to see or any store you need is within walking distance from downtown.

The hostel is wonderfully located "downtown" Bayeux. The couple who lived in this ancient building turned it into a hostel many years ago. The lady still runs the place on her own. She doesn't want to spend her life behind a reception desk so you may well have to wait several minutes in the tiny reception before you get to check in. It is worth the wait.

The dining room is furnished with Louis XIV style table and chairs. There are two tv rooms with cable, a fully equiped kitchen, a game room (with a pin-ball machine) and a video room (that offers a small choice of films, including Saving Private Ryan in original version, an appropriate choice considering we are in the heart of Normandy). I spent my best evening of the trip in the interior courtyard, drinking a bottle of wine with two backpackers met on the spot and the stars shining over my head.

To get to my room, I had to climb a small stone staircase that looks like it dates from the Middle Ages. The room is furnished with two beds, a sink, a "bidet", a coffee table, a closet and a bureau. The decorator was probably color blind: fluo pink walls, brown and green carpet, dark pink velvet curtains, black and white modern pictures on the wall. Since I sleep with my eyes shut, it doesn't really matter.

The breakfast served here is the best you will ever get in a French youth hostel. Baguette, croissants, pains au chocolat, jams, nutella, cheese (camembert or brie!), cold meat, hard-boiled eggs... Enough to fill your stomach for the day!

Save a bit of money by helping in the kitchen: you get the night free. The curfew is supposed to be 11 pm, but the lady locks the door when she decides to go to sleep. On the key chain, there's the code for the side door.

The museum of the Battle of Normandy is one of those museums where you stay either 20 minutes or three hours. There is only one big room, divided into British, Canadian and American sectors. It displays dozens of uniforms, weapons, letters, pictures, equipment of the perfect little soldier and hundreds of paperclips. If you just read one out of ten articles, you'll stay there for the day. My favorite was one from a British newspaper. The two-inch letter title said something like We Have Landed while a small publicity at the bottom of the paper encouraged the reader to drink Guinness to make his life better! Not even D-Day can make people forget beer.

A 30 minute movie made of archives shows the battle of Normandy from the landing to the capture of Caen. Just before the exit, you can see the remains of spitfire that crashed in a field and be amazed by the luck of the Canadian pilot who survived such a crash.

Anywhere you go north of France, you will inevitably bump into a war cemetery, whether from the First or Second World War. The most important Second World War British cemetery is in Bayeux. Every Commonwealth cemetery is built on the same plan: a large grass alley leads to the Stone of Remembrance (sort of open air altar) and the Cross of Sacrifice. Around, rows and rows of white stones... It's sad to say but it is a beautiful sight. I hope soldiers feel better to live eternity in such a pretty grave.

What struck me the most is how young the soldiers were. The youngest I saw was 17 years old and the oldest 42. The majority were aged between 20 and 25. I just started to cry, wondering why they had to die so young, while I will probably live to see my 80th birthday. The inscription on each stone chosen by relatives to their lost ones is heartbreaking. Stones are glued together when the bodies of two soldiers were impossible to seperate.

On the other side of the street, a monument honours the name of every Commonwealth soldiers whose body was never recovered.

Bring tissues.

I hope everybody knows about William the Conqueror who left Normandy to invade England and become its king. The complete story takes a lot more words to tell. Since few people could read in 1066, Queen Mathilde, who waited for her husband to call her in England, ordered a tapestry that would illustrate the glorious feat. 70 meters of hand made stitches tell the world about the betrayal of Harold and the victory of William.

An audioguide is a smart investment here, for two reasons. First, it gives you the explanation of the scenes and brings your attention to details you would never have noticed (like English soldiers have mustaches while Normand invaders have shaved heads). Second, you get to step in front of everybody who doesn't have an audioguide, which is essential if you want to see anything in the crowd of tourists. If you don't intend to use an audioguide, pay attention to the explanations given in a room showing a copy of the tapestry. It's a lot of information to swallow and it's unlikly you'll remember half of it when you'll be in front of the real tapestry.