Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
express bus or 2-hour bus via the coast to Caen, then 20-minute train to Bayeux);
Rouen
(6/day Mon-Sat, 3/day Sun, bus-and-train combo involves 30-minute bus ride over Nor-
mandy Bridge to Le Havre, then easy transfer to 1-hour train to Rouen);
Paris'
Gare St.
Lazare (13/day, 2.5-3.5 hours, by bus to Caen, Lisieux, Deauville, or Le Havre, then train
to Paris; buses from Honfleur meet most Paris trains).
Only six miles from the D-Day beaches, Bayeux was the first city liberated after the land-
ing. Incredibly, the town was spared the bombs of World War II. After a local chaplain
made sure London knew that his city was not a German headquarters and was of no stra-
tegic importance, a scheduled bombing raid was canceled—making Bayeux the closest
city to the D-Day landing site not destroyed. Even without its famous medieval tapestry
andproximitytotheD-Daybeaches,Bayeuxwouldbeworthavisitforitsenjoyabletown
centerandawe-inspiringcathedral,beautifullyilluminatedatnight.Bayeuxmakesanideal
home base for visiting the area's sights, particularly if you lack a car.
Tourist Information
The TI is on a small bridge two blocks north of the cathedral. Ask for the free
Exploration
and Emotion: The Historical Area of the Battle of Normandy
booklet, bus schedules to
the beaches, and regional information, and inquire about special events and concerts (TI
open July-Aug Mon-Sat 9:00-19:00, Sun 9:00-13:00 & 14:00-18:00; Sept-June, Mon-Sat
9:30-12:30 & 14:00-18:00, Sun 10:00-13:00 & 14:00-18:00, on Pont St. Jean leading to
Rue St. Jean, tel. 02 31 51 28 28,
www.bessin-normandie.com
)
.
