You can't miss it. The centerpiece of Bayeux is its magnificent cathedral, Notre Dame. The 1,000-year-old church towers over every other construction and is probably the second most visited attraction in Bayeux. Oh, if these walls could talk!
The church was consecrated in 1077 in the prescense of William the Conqueror. It was also home to the Bayeux Tapestry for nearly 400 years. The crypt, located beneath the choir, is decorated with frescoes of angels playing bagpipes and trumpets -- feel free to take a look.
While the church itself is worthy a visit, I find a story involving the church to be most fascinating. The story was told by the innkeeper of my hotel, passed down from her father who lived through the Nazi invasion and D-Day liberation:
During the Allied invasion, the people of Bayeux feared bombing and destruction of their town. The townspeople gathered in the cathedral's crypt for safety. As the Allied forces moved into town, the town's priest ran outside the church yelling to soldiers, "There are no Germans here." Thus, the Allied forces marched on leaving the town safe from ruin.
I haven't found anything to corroborate this story, but it makes visiting the church even more special!
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