NORMANDY - France 2014 - page 417

Near the Tapestry
$$$ Villa Lara**** owns the town's most luxurious accommodations smack in the center
of Bayeux. The 28 spacious and well-configured rooms all have brilliant views of the
cathedral,andafewhavesmallterraces.Theprofessionalowners—theHéberts—andtheir
well-trained staff take excellent care of their guests (Db-€220-280, Db suite-€350-450, el-
evator, Wi-Fi, exercise room, ice machines, comfortable lounges, free and secure parking,
betweenthetapestrymuseumandTIat6PlacedeQuébec,tel.[phone], www.hotel-
villalara.com , [e-mail] ).
$$$ Hôtel Churchill***, on a traffic-free street across from the TI, could not be
morecentral.OwnersEricandPatriciaPeanareeagerhelpyouplanyourtimeintheircity
(ask Eric about his professional soccer career, which included exhibition matches in the
US). The hotel has 32 plush rooms with wood furnishings, big beds, and convivial public
spaces peppered with historic photos of Bayeux's liberation (standard Db-€125, superior
Db-€150, deluxe Db or Tb-€182, Qb-€202, Wi-Fi, 14 Rue St. Jean, tel. [phone],
www.hotel-churchill.fr , [e-mail] ) .
$$$ Hôtel le Lion d'Or***, General Eisenhower's favorite hotel in Bayeux, draws
an older clientele willing to pay top euro for its Old World character, professional service,
and elegant restaurant. The place lives on its reputation, but could use a little work
(standard Db-€125-135, bigger Db-€135-145, still bigger Db-€155-165, extra bed-€30,
breakfast-€13, no elevator, Wi-Fi, easy parking-€9/day, 71 Rue St. Jean, tel. [phone]
90, www.liondor-bayeux.fr , [e-mail] ).
$$ Hôtel Reine Mathilde** is a solid, centrally located value with painless parking
and good service. There are 16 tight but sharp rooms above an easygoing brasserie
(Db-€60-85, Tb-€70-95, Qb-€85-100), and six larger rooms with three-star comfort next
door (Db-€90-115, Tb-€100-125, breakfast-€8.50, Wi-Fi, one block from the TI at 23
Rue Larcher, tel. [phone], www.hotel-bayeux-reinemathilde.fr ,
[e-mail] ) .
Chambres d'Hôtes near the Cathedral
$$$ Le Petit Matin, run by friendly Pascal, is a central, comfy, and traditional bed-and-
breakfast that is well-located on Place Charles de Gaulle (Db-€90-110, 9 Rue des Terres,
tel. [phone], www.lepetitmatin.com ).
$$ Logis les Remparts is a delightful, three-room bed-and-breakfast run by charm-
ing Christèle and situated above an atmospheric Calvados cider-tasting shop. Rooms are
big, comfortable, and homey—one is a huge, two-room suite (Db-€65-90, Tb-€80-100,
Qb-€130, cash only for payments under €100, breakfast-€7, Wi-Fi downstairs in shop, a