Day 5 - Caen and Bayeux

We had decided to do our Normandy trip on Monday since May 1 is a holiday in France and many of the museums and tourist spots in Paris would be closed for the day. I set my alarm for 6:15 because we needed to get ready and be out the door by 7:30. Unfortunately I failed to notice that my alarm was set for 6:15pm, not am. I woke that morning and laid in bed for a few minutes before deciding to check my phone to see what time it was. When I saw that it was 7:10, I had a little freak out! I woke David up and we both jumped out of bed and got ready in a hurry! No need to worry, though; David went with Josh to get the rental car but because Lenae had had another rough night, she didn't get down to us until quarter after eight. As the day went on I got the feeling that the only reason they decided to come that day was because they had agreed to rent the car with us. I felt so bad for her because it was obvious she wasn't doing well.
It was a beautiful drive two and a half hour drive out to Caen which would be our first stop of the day. We passed such beautiful countryside - fields of the most gorgeous yellow flowers, old homes, and even some chateaus.

Right when we pulled into Caen the rain started up and it was cold!!! Our first stop was the Chateau de Caen, a castle built around 1060 by William the Conqueror who successfully conquered England in 1066.

Not sure what David is looking at.

Caen Castle is one of the largest medieval enclosures in Europe and stood as a place of power where the Dukes of Normandy and Kings of England regularly held their major assemblies. During the Hundred Years' War, it was an English stronghold and was later used as a barracks during World War II.

The wall which dominates the city was drawn as early as William's time; the towers have existed since William's son Henri Beauclerc's time.

Thank goodness by the time we entered the keep, the rain had stopped and we were able to roam around without getting drenched. The parish church of Saint George, which was built by William's son Henry I, has a central position in the enclosure.

The Exchequer of Normandy built in the 12th century which seated the Court of Normandy.

David had a hard time keeping his eyes open for pictures today!

The foundations of William's residence.

Ruins of the keep.

While we were up on the ramparts, checking out the ruins below us, an old French man came up to us, holding flowers in one hand and a baguette in the other. He started talking to us about the castle and its history. I was especially excited to talk to him about William's wife Matilda of Flanders. After he left, David told us that was very unusual behavior for the French, to initiate a conversation with strangers, especially in cities outside Paris. But that's how our trip was - other than the young, rude waiter, so many wonderful interactions with the French people.

From the ramparts we also got a spectacular view of the city of Caen, including the Abbey of St. Etienne off to the right of David.

And the beautiful Church of Saint-Pierre, a Roman Catholic church dedicated to Saint Peter.

We went back down the ramparts to view the castle remains one last time. A picture of the moat...

and the keep.

In this picture one can see the round towers at each corner. Standing there, looking at the ruins, I was somewhat overwhelmed with where I was and the men and women that had walked where I was walking. William the Conqueror, Henry I, even the famous Richard the Lionheart had attended a royal court celebration with his brothers and father, Henry II, in the aula of this castle on Christmas in 1182. Such a wonderful way to spend our morning.

After the castle we wandered through the little streets nearby until we found a restaurant that was actually open and ready to serve lunch.

Before we left Caen, we drove around looking for David's old apartment where he lived while serving a few months of his mission in this city. The Star of David caught my eye on this building.

And here it is, what David thinks was his old apartment building.

Our next stop of the day was the city of Bayeux to view the 1,000 year old Bayeux Tapestry on display at the Musee de la Tapisserie de Bayeux.

A statue in the museum to help us get into the medieval groove.

Honestly, the tapestry was absolutely amazing!!! The "tapestry" isn't actually a tapestry at all but an embroidered cloth nearly 230 feet long and 20 inches tall. It consists of some fifty scenes depicting the events leading up to the Norman conquest of England concerning Harold, Earl of Wessex and briefly King of England, and William, Duke of Normandy and ultimately King of England. The tapestry is displayed on the outside of a large U curve and we got these cool little handheld listening devices that did an outstanding job of describing the various scenes and interesting features.

The Bayeux Tapestry is considered one of the greatest masterpieces of medieval European art.  According to its conservator, it is "...one of the supreme achievements of the Norman Romanesque...Its survival almost intact over nine centuries is little short of miraculous...Its exceptional length, the harmony and freshness of its colors, its exquisite workmanship, and the genius of its guiding spirit combine to make it endlessly fascinating."

The Bayeux Tapestry covers the period 1064 to 1066. King Edward the Confessor of England sent Harold to Normandy to inform Norman Duke William that he, William, was chosen by Edward to be his successor. The tale includes honor, dishonor, and deceit, and ultimately ends with the defeat of Harold at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The final bit is missing and many believe that it probably showed the coronation of William the Conqueror as William I of England.

The borders are just as interesting as the main story. We saw lots of animals and what were obviously mythical creatures as well as ordinary scenes from daily living such as farming, boat building, and of course war.

The Bayeux Tapestry was created around 1070 and it was long thought that it was commissioned by Queen Matilda, wife of William the Conqueror, or even made by the queen and her ladies in waiting. However, current thinking is that it was commissioned by Bishop Odo, half brother of William the Conqueror. He was the bishop of Bayeux but after the conquest he was appointed earl of Kent and held much power in England. Many believe the tapestry was done in England and displayed there before being hung in the new cathedral in Bayeux, which was dedicated in 1077.

The numbering of the panels was added in the 18th century when the 9 panels of the tapestry were attached to a further piece of fabric to protect the cloth.

Some of the images were pretty graphic, like shown below where the victors pulled off the clothes of the dead soldiers!

The culminating scene showing the Battle of Hastings with Harold dead and the Normans victorious.

Good 'ole Guillame, the French equivalent of William.

We didn't have much time to spend in Bayeux after the tapestry but we did want to check out the Bayeux Cathedral, the original home of the tapestry.

The site of the cathedral is an ancient one and was actually once occupied by Roman sanctuaries. The present cathedral was consecrated on July 14, 1077 in the presence of William, Duke of Normandy and King of England. It was here that William forced Harold Godwinson (that same Harold from the tapestry) to take the oath, the breaking of which led to the Norman conquest of England.

We also decided to grab something to eat and as we looked for a little restaurant or cafe, I have to admit I absolutely fell in love with this little city! I told David that the next time we come to France, we are spending at least a day or so in Bayeaux. There was something about it that just spoke to me.

We came across this little shop owned by a local artist. Her specialty - poppies!

After taking lots of pictures all around the outside of her store, I headed inside to make some purchases and the guys grabbed us what turned out to be the equivalent of weight watchers crepes. Disgusting!

As we headed back to our car, I took a peak in this little courtyard and just had to take a picture. Everything about Bayeux was perfection (except the crepes). I will return one day!