The small town of Bayeux (population 15,000), 15 km (9 miles) southeast of the D-Day beaches and 30 km (19 miles) northwest of Caen (map), has the distinction of having been the first town in Normandy liberated by Allied invasion forces, on June 7, 1944.

Because most of the D-Day battles focused on the rail and highway transport center of Caen, Bayeux was spared much damage. A lot of medieval and Renaissance Bayeux is intact and yours to explore.

	Spire of Notre- Dame de Bayeux

Bayeux's main attraction today is of course the famous Bayeux Tapestry, a beautiful embroidery dating from the 11th century that tells the story of the Norman Conquest (1066).

The lovely Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Bayeux stands in the center of the town and is surrounded by medieval streets.

With its good selection of hotels, inns, guest houses and restaurants, Bayeux makes a delightful, atmospheric base for visiting the D-Day sites such as Ste-Mère-Église and Omaha and Utah Beaches.

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