France 2025 - Day 9 - Bayeux & British Memorials

 Thursday 

Another busy day visiting mainly British Normandy memorial sites but we began in Bayeux and visited the famous tapestry which is almost 1,000 years old. It depicts the Battle of Hastings in 1066 and the events leading up to this.

Created by nuns in England the tapestry is in remarkable condition.  The colours are vibrant and appear to give the tapestry depth. Poor King Harold gets an arrow in the eye and William the Conqueror becomes King of England and the Duke of Normandy.

Close by is the Cathedrale Notre Dame (not the one in Paris), the original home of the tapestry. 

The museum of The Battle of Normandy was excellent at explaining what happened after the D Day landings until Paris was liberated at the end of August 1944. The Allied forces heavily bombed towns and villages that were held by Germany but were still greeted as heroes by the newly liberated French.


Very close by was the beautiful Commonwealth Cemetery, so many mainly young lives lost incuding those Marine Commandos that secured Port de Bessin.

Another short drive to the British Normandy Memorial which amazingly wasn't opened until 2021.

The memorial is built on farmland overlooking Gold beach and consists of 160 stone columns inscribed with the names of 22,442 service men and 2 women(nurses) under British Command on D Day and the Battle of  Normandy. 

There is currently an installation of silhouettes in a wild flower meadow which is extremely powerful.


Our final stop of the day was at Pegasus Bridge which was secured by British servicemen who flew in by gliders on D Day to secure the bridge.


It is remarkable to see so many memorials and flags flying at these sites. 


The warmest day of the holiday so far tipping 29° C this afternoon. 

A welcome glass of champagne at our next hotel Ferme St Simione in Honfleur.

We opted for dinner at the onsite Bistro after such a busy day. 





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