Day 20 Bayeux

This was to be a big day, starting with an early breakfast before joining a tour going to the D-Day landing places.  Many years ago, whilst on a study break by myself, I had briefly stopped by the area, but did not spend enough time there.  Finally I had my chance.
Our bus driver/guide from Gold Beach Tours was Alex, a friendly muso from Brighton in England.  He had a wealth of knowledge about World War 2 and was obviously very passionate about it. He had useful information to share with our tour companions, an American family from Birmingham, Alabama.  The father, who was about our age, had a relative who was involved in the landing.
Our first stop was at Sainte-Mere-Eglise, where the paratrooper was hooked by his chute on the cathedral steeple, and went on to stay in the village and marry a local girl, so the story goes. The chute (obviously replaced every now and then) is still there, with an effigy of the soldier attached.
The next stop was the museum at Utah Beach, followed by a picnic at Angoville, before driving to Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery. We witnessed the lowering of the flag, which happens every day at 5 pm.  It was quite moving.
We arrived back at Bayeux at 6 pm, just in time to visit the awe-inspiring Notre Dame cathedral.  It is huge, and very old.  We went down to the crypt dating from the ninth century - it did smell a bit musty!
After a couple of drinks back at the hotel we went out in search of cheap food and ended up at Le Drakkar, which wasn't cheap.  But it was worth it to have a salmon steak and a kir.  Back to the hotel and bed at 10.30 pm.