Day Seven - No Blue Bayeux on Gail's Birthday

Another Sign That There's a Whole Different Vibe in the Summer

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This beautifully painted souvenir shop proudly proclaiming they spoke English was closed. Probably a good thing because we might have regretted overpaying for our keepsakes in the museum's store.

Old Mill in Bayeux

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There were no signs indicating the history or significance of this mill halway between the tapestry museum and Notre Dame Cathedral. The sluice gates were up probably because of the high waters after the week of rain. But the paddlewheel wasn't moving. My guess is that this would be a very popular spot for wedding photos come Springtime.

Let's Go Visit Another Church Guys

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The Bayeux Tapestry was originally created to be displayed inside this Norman-Romanesque cathedral at the center of Bayeux. The great length of the tapestry allowed it to be stretched out around the huge church pillars and spread out in a way that everyone in the church might be able to read of their great duke's exploits.

Amazing How Quiet The Town is Even at 11 am.

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The msueum wasn't exactly crowded, but there were enough people standing around gawking at the Bayeux Tapestry to annoy me as I tried to see it myself. Out on the street it was like a ghost town.

A Rather Cheery Little Place

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We headed inside the cathedral when we finally found an unlocked door. I was a surprised that this old building dating back to 1077 took in so much sunlight. Despite the sun shining in, it was colder inside than outside. I tried to use the Green Michelin guide to get an idea of what we might want to see inside the cathedral, but the description was filled with so many strange architectural details ("Against an interlaced or knotted ground the spandrels are decorated with low reliefs which show an oriental influence transmitted by the illuminators of manuscripts. A row of fourleaf clovers and a band of foliage, running the length of the nave, mark the transition to the clerestory.") Huh? I put the book away and simply walked around looking at all the pretty statues and windows.

It Looks Much Bigger from the Outside

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The interior of the church was beautiful but I expected a much larger interior. Those walls must be super thick.

Christmas Creche

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We spend most of our Christmasses in Europe these days and during our visits we inevitably end up going into local churches. They always feature elaborate Christmas scenes set up for the kids.

Why are Pagan Christmas Trees in Churches?

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What will they bring into church next - the Easter Bunny and his throne?

Impressive Stained Glass

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This is probably the best picture I've ever taken of stained glass in a church. I got lucky.

Tales from the Crypt

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It was unusual for a European church to have free access to the crypt so we went down to explore. No coffins or bones, but plenty of creepy pictures.

Saints Be Praised

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I'll never understand the vast panoply of Catholic saints and angles, but these two must be important since they were perched in the rear of the chancel looking down on the altar.

Maybe a Little Too Much Flash

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It was either a dark shadowy picture of this corner of the church or a washed-out flash shot. At least in this view you can get an idea of the abundance of art on display in this old cathedral.

At Least this Cathedral has Seats

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Many of the big churches we've seen in Europe have no seating except for the clerics. No wonder church membership is dwindling. My guess is that this would've been the side of the church where the Bayeux Tapestry would've stretched across the columns back in medieval times. That way the priest in the pulpit could relate the story of the great William the Conqueror's victories while pointing out the scenes depicted on the tapestry.

A Good Example of the Romanesque Style

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The relative narrowness of the nave with the aisles denotes the less sophisticated architecture of a Romanesque church. The later Gothic churches were more open and soaring. Actually this church incorporates both styles as it was started when the Romanesque was waning and Gothic churches were just beginning to employ features such as flying buttresses and ornate decoration. Cathedrals during the Middle Ages often required centuries to build so the merging of numerous styles was common.

The Normans Truly Appreciate the English

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Except maybe during soccer season when British fans invade France and wreak havoc. Not only do they have plenty of signs expressing appreciation for the British rescuing them during WWII but they also show gratitude for their sacrifices during the First World War.

Showing the Brits More Love

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A more recent plaque of appreciation thanks the British 56th Infantry Brigade for their part in the liberation of Bayeux during WWII. Every year on the anniverary of D-Day the British return to Bayeux, the city the liberated in the early hours of the Normandy invasion. While the Germans fought bitterly to hold onto nearby Caein, Bayeux was freed so quickly the Germans didn't get the chance to do much damage to the historic city. On the 6th of June the British Legion holds a remembrance service in Bayeux Cathedral starting at 1015, and later at noon, the Royal British Legion National holds a service of remembrance at the Bayeux Cemetery. All services are open to the public. (as per Wikipedia)

An Amazingly Gorgeous Day in an Amazing Church

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Looking back at these photos a few months after the fact I more fully appreciate how fortunate we were to have such a bright sunny day. The sunlight illuminated the cathedral interior giving us some wonderful picture opportunities. Had it been almost any other of our rain-soaked days on the trip, this might have appeared to be a depressing place. I guess this was God's gift on Gail's birthday.

Last Look at the Interior of Bayeux's Notre Dame Cathedral

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As much as we were enjoying the old church, well maybe not Cassie, we had many more stops to make on our last full day near the invasion beaches. Plus this might be the first day that some of the stores would be open. One last chance for D-Day souvenirs.

We Will Return!

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Right across the street from the cathedral we espyed this little creperie. Seeing the menu posted outside we checked it out. The prices were right, there were things on the menu that we could decipher and the place opened at 6:30. Sold! I took the picture so I'd know the name to type into the GPS for our return trip.