In the historic heart of Bayeux in Normandy, the Notre-Dame de Bayeux Cathedral is a jewel of architecture and history. Romanesque and then Gothic in style, it reveals the rich heritage of the medieval city that Bayeux represents.
Starting point to visit the city center, the Notre-Dame de Bayeux Cathedral used to house the famous Bayeux Tapestry which recounts the conquest of England by William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy.
You can’t miss this marvel, classified as a historical monument in the 19th century, if you pass through Bayeux.
In this article, find all our tips in pictures to prepare your visit and fully enjoy this magical place on D-day!
This opinion is completely independent, based on our experiences. We visited the area anonymously, making our own choices, and paying all our bills in full.
Why visit the Notre-Dame de Bayeux Cathedral?
Is Bayeux Cathedral worth a visit?
Unquestionably, it’s a big yes! The Notre-Dame de Bayeux Cathedral is really a place not to be missed if you are visiting the city. Both inside and outside the building, we have fond memories of this place and its captivating historical narrative.
The centerpiece of the Old Bayeux circuit, it is also a must-see listed in our ideas of things to do in Bayeux. And it is also one of the stops of the small tourist train of the city.
Why is the Notre-Dame de Bayeux Cathedral famous?
The famous Bayeux Tapestry would have been embroidered in the eleventh century to decorate the nave of the Cathedral of Bayeux. Why the style of this place of worship, symbol of Bayeux’s heritage, is famous:
- its architectural patchwork, from the medieval period of the 11th century mixing Romanesque, Gothic and Neoclassical styles through Baroque inspirations,
- its numerous stained glass windows of different periods and styles,
- its imposing and elegant organs.
What we liked best
You’ll find more details on our visit tips below in this article, but we couldn’t help but share with you what stood out to us the most during our visit to the cathedral.
– The night view: in order to discover this monument from all angles, we walked inside and around it, by day and by night. We were completely dazzled by the stature and grandeur of this listed monument illuminated from sunset.
– The organs: they are part of the soul of this majestic place and constitute a real work of goldsmith.
– The stained glass windows are distinctive from one chapel to another: they relate the colors, the transparency and the architecture of the place. The stained glass windows of different styles also let in light in their own way and create an atmosphere conducive to meditation.
Practical tips and map: Bayeux Cathedral, France
Where is the Bayeux Cathedral?
The Cathedral Notre-Dame de Bayeux is located Rue du Bienvenu in Bayeux (14400) in Normandy.
- Driving time from Le Havre: 1h40min.
- Driving time from Deauville: 1h15min.
- Driving time from Caen: 35min.
- Time from Cabourg: 1h.
- Driving time from Mont-Saint-Michel: 1h30min.
- Driving time from Ouistreham: 40min.
How to get there
The easiest way to get to Bayeux is by car, but the city has a train station with regular daily service.
See available timetables and book your train and coach tickets now.
Once in the city, you can’t normally miss the cathedral, you can see it from quite far! The Cathedral Notre-Dame de Bayeux is located:
- 1min walk from the Baron Gérard Museum of Art and History,
- 5min walk from the Bayeux Tapestry Museum,
- 15 minutes walk from the Bayeux train station,
- 15min walk from the Battle of Normandy Museum.
OUR ADVICE FOR RENTING A CAR IN Normandy
- Compare prices on our preferred platform: DiscoverCars – one of the best rated sites.
- Choose a car that is comfortable enough (distances can be long) but compact (some parking lots and villages are narrow).
- Think of thecomplete insurance (some roads are tortuous and narrow).
- There is a lot of demand, book it early.
Parking
It is not easy to park in the historical center, we advise you to look for a place in the surrounding streets. Or you can park your car close to your accommodation and then walk or cycle to Notre-Dame de Bayeux Cathedral. The municipality has indeed built several bicycle paths.
Best time to visit the cathedral
We advise you to visit the Notre-Dame de Bayeux Cathedral in the morning because it is a little less crowded. It is also a good starting point for a one or two day tour.
The tourist influx is less important from April to June and from September to October. Indeed, the city of Bayeux welcomes more than 500,000 tourists each year so there are always groups of visitors even in “low season”.
If you don’t like the crowds, we advise you to organize your visits in the area outside of July and August, which are the high season. Let’s mention that the city organizes every year at the end of June/beginning of July the Médiévales de Bayeux, an open-air cultural festival that attracts many visitors!
Practical information
This jewel of architecture and history is worth taking the time to admire every detail: from the stained glass windows to the statues, the moldings and the organs. The ideal would be to allow 1 to 1.5 hours to read the explanatory panels in the cathedral.
We did not note any particular difficulties of access. Remember that the cathedral is located in the historic heart of the city, so the streets are paved around it. Inside the monument, the floor is not always smooth and there are some stairs, good shoes will be more comfortable for the visit. For people with reduced mobility, the accesses were in work at the time of our passage.
Accompanied by your children, you can visit the cathedral with a stroller (despite some steps) or more easily with a baby carrier.
If you plan to go down into the crypt, note that:
- the staircase is quite steep,
- the steps are neither completely smooth nor of equal size.
If you have children, we advise you to avoid the crypt or to be very careful when going down and up the stairs by holding on to the banister and taking their hand(s).
DISCOVER Bayeux
- Best things to do in Bayeux
- Where to sleep in Bayeux: our best hotels
- Rent a car in Bayeux
- Where to eat in Bayeux: our best restaurants
- Visit the Bayeux Tapestry Museum
- Visit the Baron Gérard Museum of Art and History
- Visit the Battle of Normandy Museum
- Discover the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Bayeux
- Discover the British Military Cemetery
Schedules and rates
The Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Bayeux is open every day except during religious services:
- From January 1st to March 31st from 9am to 5pm.
- From April 1st to June 30th from 8:30 am to 6 pm.
- From July 1st to September 30th from 9am to 7pm.
Access and visit are free.
Where to eat in Bayeux
A great offer of restaurants awaits you in Bayeux! Gastronomic table, local products, fusion cuisine or family atmosphere, you will surely find what you are looking for! Here is a selection:
- Restaurant l’Acte 2 – traditional and authentic Norman cuisine.
- Restaurant L’Alchimie – fusion of local and foreign flavors.
- Restaurant L’Alcôve – gastronomic meal in a friendly atmosphere of one of the best tables in the city.
- Restaurant Le Moulin de la Galette – fresh and local products in an establishment in the heart of historic Bayeux on the banks of the Aure.
- Restaurant La Rapière – refined seasonal cuisine in a 16th century setting.
- Salon de thé Les volets roses – for a generous and gourmet snack in an atypical setting or a surprise brunch.
WHERE TO STAY IN Bayeux
Option 1: Central and close to downtown
Within 5 to 10 minutes’ walk of the historic center, you’ll find beautiful mansions transformed into welcoming hotels and B&Bs. We recommend..:
- Hotel Domaine de Bayeux installed in an 18th century mansion – see prices, photos and availability.
- Hôtel le Lion d’Or in a former 18th-century post office building – see prices, photos, availability.
Option 2: in the countryside
The Normandy countryside is very green and inspiring. At the bend in the forest or in the fields, pretty villages with beautiful buildings transport you to another world, or even another era.
- Hotel Domaine de la Rançonnière, only 20 minutes from Bayeux – see prices, photos and availability.
Option 3: By the sea
The seaside is just 15 minutes drive from Bayeux. Breathe the sea air while enjoying easy access to Bayeux and the D-Day beaches.
- Hotel Villas d’Arromanches – see prices, photos and availability.
From Romanesque to Gothic art, an architectural jewel
From the outside
As soon as we arrived on the square in front of the Notre-Dame de Bayeux Cathedral, we were amazed by the sumptuousness of the building from the outside. Proof of robustness through the ages in a style that mixes Romanesque and Gothic arts, the cathedral boasts moldings, fine and precise ornaments as well as stained glass windows on its various facades.
In the 13th century, the Romanesque towers on the western facade were restored and covered with 2 spires that reach 73 and 75 meters. In front of the different doors of the building, five portals are also installed, 3 of which were sculpted.
The half-moon-shaped surfaces sculpted in low relief above the portals of a church or cathedral are also called tympanums. You have probably seen them outside other religious buildings. On the facades of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Bayeux, the tympanums are found on Romanesque towers but were only sculpted in the Gothic period.
We took the time to scrutinize every detail of these representations worked in stone. You will see for example the passion of Christ on the north facade, and the last judgment on the south facade of the cathedral.
Before entering the cathedral, if you look up a bit more, you can’t miss the main tower. Its octagonal second floor, which houses the transept, was built in Gothic style at the end of the Hundred Years War. This tower was not part of the earlier Romanesque building.
Seven years later, the main tower was crowned with a painted and gilded lead “cap”. It is only in the 19th century that the architecture of the dome of the central tower is rethought. A second level is added with a copper overhang and a spire that gives the impression of touching the clouds! However, you will not be able to see its dome from inside the building even though it is located at the transept crossing. Indeed, it is not a lantern tower.
Once through the west gate, we were speechless. Facing us, the transverse nave, the main vessel inside the cathedral. We were struck by the meticulousness of the moldings on all levels of the walls. A masterpiece and what patience to achieve it!
During the second half of the 12th century, it took 35 years to build the Gothic choir and then the second level of the nave. In spite of the different periods of destruction, reconstruction, restoration of this majestic building, the arcades of the nave have been preserved in a Romanesque style. They date from the 12th century. They have been preserved despite the war between the heirs of William the Conqueror during which part of the cathedral was demolished.
Other revelators of the secrets of the history of this bewitching place: the organs. During our visit to the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Bayeux, we saw two organs installed in two places in the nave. Destroyed in the 16th century during looting, the organ case was rebuilt and enlarged by the Caen craftsman Le Breton around 1845. He himself reused elements of the old buffet built at the end of the 16th century by the carpenter Jacques Lefebvre. Previously, the latter had made the so-called organ case. This is the visible part and structure of the woodwork in which the pipes and windchests of the organ are placed.
A craftmanship already in great demand at the time because this case serves both to hide and protect the interior of the instrument. It can also act as a megaphone and resonator. So we understand why the Great Organ is placed in this place inside the cathedral facing the main nave!
Contrary to popular belief, the cathedral suffered less from the 1789 Revolution than from the Wars of Religion. The furniture was preserved and even the organ was saved in extremis at the end of the 18th century. It was not until 1862, when the organ was rebuilt, that the artist Aristide Cavaillé-Coll created a new instrument while preserving the pre-existing case. He is one of the greatest organ builders of the 19th century! And it is still today in its original state since its reconstruction in the XI century.
This time of baroque inspiration around the eighteenth century, the pulpit and the lampshade are also located in the main nave. This dome is placed over the vat of the pulpit to better reflect the voice of the preacher to the audience. A way to make it more audible. Here, this cloud of smoke or clouds shelters small golden angels. A globe bearing an allegory of religion surmounts it. In fact, the combination of materials, colors and shapes makes it a remarkable element of the nave in a style of its own. This would also deserve your full attention during your visit!
The transept of the Notre-Dame de Bayeux Cathedral
Another jewel of this religious building: the transept, or transverse nave that cuts through the vessel of the main nave. Its high radiating windows dating from the 13th century, decorated with stained glass and mouldings carved in stone, testify to the meticulous work of artists, builders and restorers, then and now!
Indeed, the transept of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Bayeux has been the subject of recent work begun in 2006. The goal? Restore, for the greatest pleasure of art, history and architecture enthusiasts, the masonry part of the south transept and the Gothic ensembles that have been missing for 200 years.
At the beginning of the 12th century, the war of succession of William the Conqueror led to a fire that devastated the city and its cathedral. The reconstruction work was completed in the year 1300 with the completion of the interior decoration of the crossing, or central part, of the transept to separate the nave and the choir, and the construction of the chapels on the south side of this building.
During the second half of the 13th century, the architects decorated the transept in a more elaborate way on the south side with beautiful medallions of sculpted foliage. We really took the time to admire these very meticulous and realistic creations to the end of the leaves!
The 17 bells of the cathedral
At the end of the Age of Enlightenment, the carillon of the cathedral was born, gathering 11 bells still in place today. Its mechanical elements date back to 1871.
In 2014, to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Normandy landings, two new bells were cast for the occasion. There are 17 bells in total, which are divided into two distinct sets in the cathedral: the carillon with its 11 bells and 6 other bells on the fly are located in the two towers of the façade.
Did you know that in the early 15th century, the clock of this cathedral was accompanied by bells to ring the hours? It is one of the first in Normandy on a religious building!
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A collection of stained glass windows through the last millennium
In the Middle Ages, stained glass windows had a didactic function with representations of religious scenes, saints and bishops. But stained glass windows also serve to celebrate light and magnify the space in which they are set. If you like colors and different styles of stained glass, you will not know where to look in the cathedral! Since it is full of different stained glass windows on both sides of its facades!
Let’s start with this first radiating chapel on the south side. Its four high and narrow windows allow to put in light several figures and several scenes. In shades of blue, pink and mauve, these stained glass windows contrast with the darker colors of the mural.
Still on the south side of the cathedral, the chapel of Saint-Hilaire, Saint-Contest and Sainte-Honorine dates from the 13th century. The stained glass window that illuminates this chapel is the work of Duval and Panchet-Bellerose. It traces the life of Saint-Contest, bishop of Bayeux towards the end of the 5th and beginning of the 6th centuries.
From an artistic point of view, there is obviously no comparison between the stained glass windows. But we were fascinated by so much precision and diversity in styles, colors and representations from one stained glass window to another!
This stained glass window designed in 1873 recalls the life of Saint Radegonde, Queen of France, nun and abbess of Sainte-Croix de Poitiers. This is the remarkable work of the painter Nicolas Coffetier in the 19th century. On the other hand, the paintings on the left are much older. They were largely restored in the 19th century by the painter Panchet-Bellerose.
Let’s go back to the stained glass! From left to right, starting at the bottom of the window, you can discern the story of the life of Saint Radegonde. From his birth to the beginning of the 6th century to his death at the age of 79.
Very precise moments of his life are staged, surrounded by flowers and mosaics to sublimate them. As above where we see on the left her baptism and on the right, the bishop of Noyon, Saint Médard, who invites her to marry Clotaire I, king of Neustria (northwestern France).
In homage to the combatants of the Second World War, the more recent Chapel of Peace is illuminated by stained glass windows of a different style. The slightly lower windows reveal a different brushstroke on their stained glass windows mainly tinted with pink. A circle of bluer stained glass crowns the arcade where the windows are recessed.
Above the chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, high windows display fine stained glass without figures. These are rare stained glass windows in the cathedral that do not show religious scenes.
A band of bright plants surrounds each of the two windows. The motifs are repeated and illustrate floral compositions and flamboyant vegetation. Isn’t this the symbol of life?
If you continue your visit, you will discover the Notre-Dame chapel erected in the 13th century and dedicated to the Virgin Mary. This chapel, whose stained glass windows date from the beginning of the 20th century, houses the tombs of three bishops of the 19th and 20th centuries: Bishop Lemonnier, Bishop Didiot and Bishop Hugonin. In the center, the stained glass window represents the tree of Jesse which gives the impression of taking root in the middle of this chapel. The tree of Jesse is a schematization of the family tree of Jesus of Nazareth. It begins at the level of Jesse, father of King David, as recorded in the Scriptures.
In the Notre-Dame chapel, the stained glass windows, moldings and treasures are worth a visit. But also consider looking down to admire this exquisite mosaic work in the small alley of the chapel!
In the continuation of our route, we pass in front of the chapel of Saint Catherine and of all the saints. It is very interesting to observe, from an artistic point of view, especially the stained glass windows. In fact, during the restoration of the stained glass window that illuminates this chapel in the nineteenth century, the characters dating from the Middle Ages are retained. If you take the time to look at them carefully, you will notice that the style of stained glass and painting differs somewhat between the figures and the patterns around them. A beautiful tribute to the beauty of the stained glass windows, which were already prominent in the 13th century!
Finally, from 2018 to 2022 as part of the public commission, the southeast and southwest bays of the transept will be dressed with contemporary stained glass. Indeed, they are the result of a contemporary artistic creation to replace the damaged and disappeared stained glass windows in the cathedral. Each panel of the highest stained glass window in an arc receives a prism that iridesces the light.
The artist Véronique Joumard from Bayeux is strongly interested in the realization of installations that make visible the energies, the light and its appearance in space. A brilliant artistic act that will surely dazzle you (literally and figuratively)! This book by Véronique Joumard continues to bring to life the architecture of the cathedral in constant evolution through the ages and eras!
Relic of Marie-Catherine de Saint-Augustin in the cathedral
Usually, these relics were displayed in the chapel of the Augustines of the Bayeux hospital, opposite the Tapestry Museum. The Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Bayeux houses the relics of Marie-Catherine de Saint-Augustin. At the age of almost 13, she took the religious habit at the Monastery of the Hospitallers of Bayeux in 1646.
She then went to Canada to accomplish an apostolic mission. A remarkable nurse dedicated to serving others in this new country, she is considered a co-founder of the Canadian Church.
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The crypt and its musical angels of the Renaissance
Surprising: you can go down into the crypt of the cathedral, look up and see the frescoes of the musical angels dating from the Renaissance period. Indeed, this Romanesque crypt has a very particular history because it is the oldest part of the current cathedral dating from the first half of the 11th century. It serves mainly to compensate for the slope so that the choir, just above, is at the same level as the nave.
Admire the different parts of the columns supporting the vaults, each of which relates to an era: the column and its upper part overhung by small capitals decorated with volutes and acanthus leaves dating from the 11th century. Then frescoes of musical angels realized… 400 years later!
Indeed, after having been forgotten for two centuries, the crypt was refurbished and redecorated with murals during the Renaissance. Harp, lute, flute or cornet, do not hesitate to linger in front of these small red and gold musician angels on the vaults. You will see that they play musical instruments from the Middle Ages.
Let us mention that it is the canon and sub-dean Gervais de Larchamp who finances the restoration of the crypt in the 15th century. You can contemplate his tomb with a magnificent mural painting. This polychrome fresco shows the archangel Saint Michael presenting the canon in prayer to the Virgin Mary.
Above the tomb, angels fly over the scene and you can also see a representation of the Trinity if you look up to the ceiling a little more.
OUR ADVICE FOR RENTING A CAR IN Normandy
- Compare prices on our preferred platform: DiscoverCars – one of the best rated sites.
- Choose a car that is comfortable enough (distances can be long) but compact (some parking lots and villages are narrow).
- Think of thecomplete insurance (some roads are tortuous and narrow).
- There is a lot of demand, book it early.
A little history
The story of Notre-Dame de Bayeux Cathedral, intimately linked to the history of the city
Indeed, this majestic monument and its close surroundings in the heart of the Old Bayeux say a lot about the secrets of the city. Bayeux has existed since Roman times when, in the 3rd century A.D., a fortified enclosure of 400m was built around the city to protect it from invasions. Despite the lack of archival records, archaeologists believe it is likely that several churches were established on the present site of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Bayeux as early as the fourth century, forming what is known as a “cathedral group or complex”.
Nearly 500 years later, the Vikings destroyed the town of Bayeux, which was rebuilt almost immediately.
Elevation of a cathedral in the 11th century
It is only in the middle of the 11th century, in 1040, that two bishops builders, Hugues d’Ivry and Odon de Conteville, half-brother of William the Conqueror, launch the construction. It will be a cathedral of Romanesque style which is built following the conquest of England. It was consecrated on July 14, 1077 in the presence of the Duke of Normandy William the Conqueror, his wife Matilda of Flanders, the archbishop of Rouen Jean d’Ivry and the Norman high society.
Around 1070, the realization of the famous Bayeux Tapestry begins to decorate the nave of the cathedral with an embroidery worthy of the place.
The fortified cathedral
From 1337 to 1438, during the Hundred Years’ War, the towers were fortified and the north tower housed a guardhouse. In 1436, the cloister was destroyed to allow the creation of a library. Initially, the first floor was dedicated to a manuscript copying workshop, while the first floor was devoted to the library, which today contains more than 6,000 books. The battle of Formigny, a pivotal moment in the Hundred Years’ War, followed by the siege of Bayeux where the English soldiers were entrenched, put an end to the English occupation of Bayeux on May 16, 1450.
From Romanesque to Norman Gothic
During the wars of religion in the 16th century, the city and its cathedral were pillaged: the bells were melted down, the furniture and the organs were destroyed, the cathedral treasury and the library were looted.
During the 18th century, the fortified enclosure built by the Romans was removed for an urban renewal of Bayeux. It was during this period that the oldest surviving bell in the cathedral was cast. It weighs one ton and is located in the central tower. The removal of stained glass windows also takes place at this time to replace those damaged by hail.
After the Revolution of 1789, the cathedral was once again pillaged. Some valuable objects were saved: the Bayeux Tapestry, first exhibited in the library museum in 1835 and now in the former Major Seminary of Bayeux; the chasuble of Saint-Régnobert, 12th bishop of Bayeux in the 7th century; or the ivory box with silver fittings.
Restoration work in the 19th century
Throughout the 19th century, restoration work was carried out to refurbish the building. But it is also to avoid the risks of collapse as the central tower whose dome is demolished. The casting of three new bells weighing between 2 and 4 tons each was organized before the reconstruction of the dome of the central tower in 1866 with the addition of a second level topped by a copper dome.
This “cathedral complex” was classified as a Historic Monument in 1862.
The cathedral of Bayeux, like the rest of the city, was spared the fighting and bombing. Six years later, the gates on the cathedral square were removed. New restoration works were launched between 1975 and 1982.
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Frequently asked questions
Who lives in a cathedral?
The cathedral is the main church of the diocese, an ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop or archbishop. More generally, it is a bishop who officiates in a cathedral. Moreover, this is where its name comes from: the cathedra is the seat reserved for the bishop.
Why are cathedrals and basilicas called?
As mentioned above, the cathedra in Latin or cathedra, is the seat of the bishop. The Pope rather gives the title of basilica to a church because it may have been built on the tomb of a saint or his relics rest there. Sometimes, basilicas are also named because they are places of pilgrimage.
