Bayeux - a Medieval Gem

Sunday, 3 June 2012

“It is the only medieval village in Normandy left as it was,” Jonathon explains accounting for the pristine condition of Bayeux (“By-you”). “The Americans got word the Germans left the night before the carpet bombing was to begin and spared it” (two days shy of sixty-eight years ago I think to myself).

Hannah and Joelle at
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Bayeux

Bayeux is a two hour and five minute train ride from St. Lazare Station in Paris and a nearly 1,000 year trip back in time. Exiting the train with only a month old glance at Google maps in my mind, we point ourselves toward the tallest steeple in town and start walking. Slightly more than a car’s width, the narrow street we follow winds between stone buildings before an abrupt left turn that lines it up perfectly with the three steeples of the Cathedral that dominates the landscape. Another 200 meters, a five minute walk in total, and there it is – Villa Lara (Hotel), perched perfectly beside a creek contained by large stone blocks that have vigilantly managed the water’s route through the village for centuries.

“There are three things you will always see in Normandy,” Jonathon starts in. “A Church where we go for Mass. A Soccer Stadium where we go for Sport. And, a Bar where we go after Soccer.”



Laura, Hannah, and Joelle at the Entrance

Some Church, I say to myself. Remarkable how a little village in Normandy, a region known only for fishing and farming until 6 June, 1944, could have a Cathedral rivaling the most spectacular in all of France. Our room on the front of the Villa Lara stares directly up at the Cathedral’s Spires.
A little research reveals Bayeux Cathedral is officially Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Bayeux and was consecrated on 14 July 1077 with the King of England in attendance.

“Go across the stone bridge, turn left behind the Cathedral, right at the light and follow the cobblestone walk around to the front of the Church and past for 100 meters. Le Pommier is on your left. I made you a reservation for 8 pm,” the concierge explains describing a route that wouldn't march anything back in the States.

Filtered fading orange light soaks the Cathedral as the sun sinks in the sky. We loop the Cathedral, stopping every 10 paces for a new “best-ever-Church-photo-from-a-better-angle.” The front door is open revealing glimpses of a spectacular interior we won’t have time to explore.

Hanging out next to Le Pommier

Le Pommier is classic French Normandy cooking. The presentation of the seafood plate we order as an hors d'oeuvres for the table looks a little different than back home. “Are those eyeballs Dad?” Joelle queries, a suspicious and slightly disgusted look occupying her face. It only gets better from there as two Americans dining at an adjacent table will attest.


On the walk back to Villa Lara, Joelle shares “that was the best dinner ever” referring not to the wine, snails, whelks, decapitate shrimp, prawns, and crab she sampled tonight, but the belly aching laughs we share over a new culinary adventure. Farm-to-Table may be the newest buzz words for delivering farm fresh produce to restaurants where we live, but it is a centuries old practice here. Dinner is truly exceptional as is meandering the maze of narrow cobblestone afterward not so concerned about finding our way back to Villa Lara.

We pass what Jonathon, our Guide to World War II Normandy sites, will point out tomorrow is the oldest standing home in Bayeux.


He will arrive Villa Lara at 8:30 am to meet us and it is quickly approaching 11:00 pm yet again. Crossing over the familiar stone walls banding the creek that drops through Bayeux, we know we’re close. A right through the corridor bisecting the Hotel Churchill and we are home for the night. Another remarkable day is etched in the rapidly expanding minds of two young ladies. This Continent and Country can’t help but imprint itself on everyone it encounters.