What makes Bayeux world famous ?

The great epic of William the Conqueror is illustrated in the Tapestry of Queen Mathilde. This tapestry was embroidered in coloured wool on a piece of linen, 70m long, and was commissioned by Odon, the Bishop of Bayeux and William’s half-brother, to hang in the nave of the Cathedral. It describes the circumstances and the progress of the William’s conquest of England. There is an impressive illustration of the battle of Hastings (1066) which led to William being crowned King of England. This tapestry gives many details in a naive and colourful manner about the life during the 11th century.

Liberation : Bayeux was the first French town to be liberated in June 1944, and this opened the way to Europe’s liberation by lhe Allied. Charles de Gaulle walked along the streets acclaimed by a jubilant crowd.

Bayeux is also an architectural jewel, miraculously unscathed after the bombings and battles in 1944. Walking through the narrow alleys in the old city, it is an absolute delight to discover :
  The Cathedral, visible from any road leading to Bayeux. It was consecrated in the presence of William and his wife Mathilde (1077). From this period still remain the two East towers and the crypt. Today it is a blend of outstanding Romanesque and Gothic styles, the copper dome of the central tower having been reroofed in the 19th century.
  Old timber-framed houses, some of them decorated with wooden sculptures, and manor houses (15th century) with towers housing outside staircases.
  Many large religious buildings and sumptuous private houses where grace and strict elegance of the 18th century blend together.

Bayeux is also famous over for its lace-making and fine porcelain, a tradition which dates back two centuries.