Caen & Bayeux

We began our journey through Norman history in Caen, where William the Conqueror had once lived. He lived in the castle there, which we visited, and had an abbey built on either side of it – Abbaye aux Hommes and Abbaye aux Dames. Apparently these abbeys were built in exchange for papal approval of his marriage – ah, politics! Besides having a decent castle and a couple nice churches, we also discovered that Caen is home to the most delicious apricot flan the world has ever known! We made it our little project to try a new French treat every day of our trip – a loathsome task, really, but one we bore patiently! Of all the treats we tried, that apricot flan was the most exquisite – if I had the chance, I’d go back to Caen just to have another piece! Our diet while traveling consisted mainly of sandwiches, so it was fun to add a little variety in the form of treats (although I can’t complain about the sandwiches – French bread & cheese and Brendan’s skill as a sandwicheur are an award-winning combination!).

Abbaye aux Hommes

Castle ruins

Waiting in the front seat while Daddy makes sandwiches in the back

The Sandwicheur!

From Caen we headed to Bayeux, home of the famous tapestry that chronicles the Norman conquest of England. I loved seeing the tapestry. It is displayed in a glass case, and is accompanied by an audio guide that explains its images. The embroidery is fascinatingly detailed, even to facial expressions. Its story is more Norman propaganda than historical fact, but it’s still fun to see a little embroidered William confront the armies of the English king. We learned the real story (or something closer to the real story, at least) in listening to the Norman Centuries podcast. The tapestry makes William out to be the rightful heir to the throne – in reality his entitlement was questionable. Still, had he not succeeded in overthrowing the king, our podcaster assures us that England’s relationship to the continent would be quite different today. After our visit to the tapestry museum we stopped by the church in Bayeux and then went back to the coast to see Omaha Beach (where the Americans landed). We then drove south to Avranches, where we spent the night before one of my most anticipated excursions: a visit to Mont Saint Michel.

Scene from the Bayeux Tapestry
(I found this photo online - we weren't allowed to take pictures in the museum)

Church in Bayeux - Roman ruins in the foreground