Cathedral Notre Dame, Bayeux.

© carmengabriela/Getty Images/iStock

Cathédrale Notre Dame

Bayeux


Most of Bayeux’ spectacular Norman Gothic cathedral dates from the 13th century, though the crypt (take the stairs on the north side of the choir), the arches of the nave and the lower parts of the entrance towers are 11th-century Romanesque. The central tower was added in the 15th century; the copper dome dates from the 1860s. The crypt, with its colourful frescoes, is a highlight. Several plaques and stained-glass windows commemorate American and British sacrifices during the world wars.

The ‘Litanies de la Sainte Vierge’, a 17th-century, haut-relief retable in the first chapel on the left as you enter the cathedral is a vastly overblown addition.

Contact the tourist office for details on one-hour guided tours (adult/child €5/3), held in English at 10am and 2.15pm Monday to Friday in July and August.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Bayeux attractions

2. Conservatoire de la Dentelle

0.04 MILES

Lacemaking (dentellerie), brought to Bayeux by nuns in 1678, once employed 5000 people. The industry is sadly long gone, but at the Conservatoire you can…

3. Bayeux Tapestry

0.16 MILES

The world’s most celebrated embroidery depicts the conquest of England by William the Conqueror in 1066 from an unashamedly Norman perspective…

5. Mémorial des Reporters

0.49 MILES

This landscaped promenade, a joint project of the City of Bayeux and Reporters Without Borders (www.en.rsf.org), lists the names of over 2000 journalists…

6. Bayeux War Cemetery

0.51 MILES

The largest of the 18 Commonwealth military cemeteries in Normandy, this peaceful cemetery contains 4848 graves of soldiers from the UK and 10 other…

7. Longues-sur-Mer Battery

4.71 MILES

These mammoth German artillery pieces remain in their colossal concrete emplacements – the only in-situ large-calibre weapons in Normandy. The first…

8. Arromanches 360° Circular Cinema

5.83 MILES

The best view of Port Winston and nearby Gold Beach is from the hill east of town, site of the popular Arromanches 360° Circular Cinema, which screens…