To continue my France kick…

I did a post about the D-Day beaches and mentioned using Bayeux as a home base for the tour. Here is why.

Besides the fact that that’s where the best tour (in my opinion) picks you up, Bayeux is, ironically, one of only two towns in Normandy left untouched by World War II. Which means you can see Normandy as it is supposed to look like–tiny, intact, medieval towns. (Seeing Bayeux makes living in places like Saint-Lô all the more devastating.)

Bayeux is small–I don’t recommend spending more than a day or two there–but it’s really lovely. There’s the cathedral,…

The tapestry, of course. I’m not a European history buff or anything but standing in front of something that was woven a thousand years ago is pretty damn cool. (They don’t let you photograph that.) There’s a memorial to the journalists who lost their lives in World War II but I do not have a photo of that, either.

Really the best thing to do in Bayeux–as in most French towns–is to flâner, which basically means to wander. You’ll encounter lovely little streets, wonderful little cafes, and very friendly people.

If you find yourself in Normandy (which you should at some point in life), I highly recommend a stop here.

All photos taken by me, January 2007