Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Information panels in the side aisles give basic facts about the cathedral (in English).
More 13th-century Norman Gothic is in the choir (the fancy area behind the central altar).
Here, simple Romanesque carvings lie under Gothic arches with characteristic tall, thin
lines adding a graceful verticality to the overall feel of the interior.
For maximum 1066 atmosphere, step into the spooky
crypt
(beneath the central al-
tar), which was used originally as a safe spot for the cathedral's relics. The crypt displays
two freestanding columns and bulky capitals with fine Romanesque carving. During a re-
inforcement of the nave, these two columns were replaced. Workers removed the Gothic
veneer and discovered their true inner Romanesque beauty. Orange angel-musicians add
color to this somber room.
River Walk
Join the locals and promenade along the meandering walking path that follows the little
AureRiverforabout2.5milesthroughBayeux.ThepathrunsbothwaysfromtheTI(find
the waterwheel behind the TI and keep walking; path marked on city maps).
Lace Conservatory (Conservatoire de la Dentelle)
Notableforitscarved15th-centuryfacade,theAdamandEvehouse(findAdam,Eve,and
the snake) offers a chance to watch workers design and weave intricate lace, just as artis-
ans did in the 1600s. Enter to the clicking sound of the small wooden bobbins used by the
lace-makers, and appreciate the concentration that their work requires. You can also see
examples of lace from the past.
Cost and Hours:
Free, Mon-Sat 9:30-12:30 & 14:30-18:00, until 17:00 Mon-Tue,
closed Sun, across from cathedral entrance, tel. 02 31 92 73 80,
ht-
MAHB (Musée d'Art et d'Histoire Baron Gérard)
For a break from D-Day and tapestries, MAHB offers a modest review of European art
and history in what was once the Bayeux bishop's palace. The core of the museum is a
collection of 18th- and 19th-century paintings donated by Baron Henri-Alexandre Gérard
more than a century ago. Notable are an early work by neoclassical master Jacques-Louis
David—
Le Philosophe (The Philosopher)
—and
Sapho
by Antoine-Jean Gros, a moonlit
version of the Greek poetess' death that influenced Géricault and Delacroix. Don't miss
the museum's 19th-century courtroom and its elaborate chapel—gushing with early 17th-
century “angels” that look like oversexed cherubs.
Cost and Hours:
€7, combo-ticket with other Bayeux museums €12 or €15, daily
May-Sept 9:30-12:30 & 14:00-18:30, shorter hours off-season, near the cathedral at 37
Rue du Bienvenu, tel. 02 31 92 14 21,
www.bayeuxmuseum.com
.
