The first town liberated
Bayeux was the first town to be liberated, in June 1944.
The Memorial Museum of the Battle of Normandy is the only museum which presents all of the military operations that took place on Norman soil over the summer months of 1944.
For the landing beaches there is the Private Full-Day D-Day Tour from Bayeux: Omaha & Normandy, and for Mont-Saint-Michel the Private Day Trip to Mont-Saint-Michel from Bayeux.
Cathedral, old town and museums
The monumental cathedral, where the Tapestry was first displayed, was consecrated on 14 July 1077 in the presence of the royal couple, William and Matilda.
In the narrow cobbled streets of the historic centre stand many 17th and 18th century mansions and town houses. Next to the cathedral, inside the former episcopal palace, the MAHB, the Museum of Art and History Baron Gérard, holds collections from Prehistory to the 20th century.
The Bayeux Tapestry
The Bayeux Tapestry tells the story of the conquest of England by William, Duke of Normandy, in 1066. It is actually an embroidery, 68.80 metres (226 ft) long and 50 cm (20 in) high, and was inscribed in UNESCO's Memory of the World Register in 2007.
As of October 2026, the Bayeux Tapestry Museum is closed for renovation work until autumn 2027 (source: the museums of the City of Bayeux, read 14 October 2026).
Through the year and arriving by train
Bayeux's events, held every year, include the Bayeux Medieval Festival in July, the evening show "Rendez-vous à la Cathédrale" in the summer and the Prix Bayeux-Calvados-Normandie for War Correspondents in October.
Trains run from Gare Saint-Lazare in Paris to Bayeux station, and the museums are about a 10-15 minute walk from the station.
Frequently asked questions
How far are the D-Day beaches from Bayeux?
The essential D-Day sites, including the five D-Day sectors (Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword Beach), are all less than 45 minutes away.
Which William the Conqueror sites can you visit from Bayeux?
Norman sites from his period within reach include the Abbaye aux Dames, the Abbaye aux Hommes and Caen Castle, Falaise Castle and Mont-Saint-Michel.
