A Little History of Conquerors & Liberators
Back at Mont Saint-Michel, you were introduced to part of the 11th century story, where the English Harold rescued William’s men from the quicksand around Mont Saint-Michel.
Having no heir, King Edward of England chose as the next king of England his French cousin, William, over his British brother-in-law, Harold. But when Edward died, Harold turned rogue, betrayed his allegiance to William, and scurried back to England to crown himself king. Big mistake! William set out from Bayeux to reclaim his throne, leading an army of 16,000 troops, drawn to the quest through promises of sharing the spoils of the conquest. A fleet of 700 ships was built to transport the army across the Channel, along with 2,500 horses and all necessary supplies (including kegs of wine, of course).
William arrived in England, speaking only French, marched to Hastings, built a castle as a military base, and waited for Harold and his Saxon armies to return from the north. Harold was killed at the Battle of Hastings. And so William retrieved the crown, demolished all opposition, and became King of England.
Arrival in Bayeux: Look Around You
When you arrive at the small Bayeux station, walk out to the street and call a taxi to take you to your hotel.
Another option, depending on the location of your hotel, is to walk. The town is small. Walking from the station to the vicinity of the Tapestries takes only about 8 minutes. Wind your way around to your right from the station, then around the traffic circle, and walk into town along rue de Crémel.
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