Battery

Our last full day in France. We went to Bayeux for the day. Having checked various maps, I managed to find the car park I was aiming for. Initially it was full, but as we were driving out, a very kind frenchman pointed out a space in the corner, so we were set up.

Our first stop was the Bayeux Tapestry Museum. The Tapestry - all seventy metres of it - was displayed in a long line. We were given a machine with a commentary on it and we followed the tapestry with an explanation of the events portrayed in each panel, with the ability to pause the commentary to study the sections more closely. What a fascinating story, and some of the little details that you wouldn't normally notice just added to the experience. Well worth a visit if you get to that part of France.

After that we had a bit of lunch in a cafe and then went to the cathedral. A very impressive building from the outside, and with some superb stained glass windows on the inside.

We followed this with a visit to the British War Cemetery on the outskirts of Bayeux and then went on to the American Cemetary near Omaha Beach. Both beautifully kept and very hushed, repectful, moving places.

On the way back to the cottage, we stopped off at the battery at Long-sur-Mer. This consisted of four guns like the one in the picture and they over looked the beaches. They had been heavily bombed and shelled, but were still operational - although communications with the spotting station had been broken - through most of D-Day. They were finally put out of action after an artillery duel with some of the warships off the coast.

We finished the day in Arromanche with a meal at an hotel overlooking the beach. The food was delicious and a fine way to finish the holiday. Just the trip to Cherbourg and the ferry home to go.