The Bayeux Tapestry + Monet's Normandy

One last France post to share this summer. This post includes one of the world's most historic embroidery creations and the colorful décor and style in the home of one of France's most iconic artists, Claude Monet. In addition to our visit to Paris in June, we made a drive through Normandy for a couple of days. This has been on my bucket list for years. I already shared our visit to the D-Day military sites in Normandy, but had to create a separate post share a few last favorites from Normandy.

Bayeux - The Town and the Tapestry

When a friend heard I planned to visit the D-Day sites in Normandy, she encouraged me to stay in Bayeux. Considering one of the world's most famous fiber-arts-textiles is in Bayeux (pronounced BI-O), namely the Bayeux Tapestry, it made sense to give it a go. And I'm so glad we did!

The town of Bayeux was delightful! It's a beautiful, old French town with an amazing Cathedral and so charming to explore. The town (even the Cathedral tower) was decked out in flags from the WWII allied countries in prior to D-Day celebrations that coming weekend.

Bayeux ended up being one of my favorite stops of our trip.

We stayed at the Churchill Hotel right on the main pedestrian street and an easy walk to the Cathedral and the Tapestry museum. We had an incredible meal at Le Domesday restaurant right by the Cathedral. (I fell in love with Breton Galettes during this trip.)

The Bayeux Tapestry is a visual tableaux (piece of narrative art) depicting the epic history behind the Norman Conquest of England by William the Conqueror and Co. in the year 1066. Mr Witucki, my high school European History teacher, would have been so proud of me for going to see it. That fact that it's still around to see is amazing, considering it survived almost 1000 years of history including dramatic events in the past 250 years such as the French Revolution, Napoleon and the Nazis.

And for all of us appreciators of the fiber arts, here is an important fact: the Bayeux Tapestry is not actually a Tapestry - it's an embroidery.

And it's a HUGE piece of embroidery made with naturally dyed colored wool yarn stitched onto a piece of unbleached linen. The piece is about 20" high (51 cm) and over 224 feet (68.38 meters) (!) long made from 9 linen panels stitched together. Both the overall design and the charming details are extraordinary. For example, notice the horses smiling at each other as they ride the boat over the English Channel for battle in the photo above.

(Photography was not allowed in the museum so both images are from the Bayeux Museum website.)

The Tapestry is preserved and displayed in a beautiful museum in Bayeux. The presentation is excellent with audio narration explaining what is happening in each panel of the piece. As with every piece of art or creation, it's always so much more beautiful and inspiring in person. This was no exception!

Considering it's almost 1,000 years old, the Bayeux Tapestry is in remarkably good condition. It's an iconic piece of art from the Middle Ages - not because it was the only embroidery of it's kind, but because it is the only one that has survived intact. You can read more about and see pictures of the Bayeux Tapestry here.

If you go to Bayeux, check out the nearby Bayeux Broderie shop - an embroidery shop nearby. You can even learn how to do the "Bayeux" Embroidery Stitch that is used in the original Tapestry.

Monet's Home at Giverny

Another very favorite stop on our journey was the artist Claude Monet's home and gardens at Giverny.

This was Monet's home in his later years and the home has been preserved to look like it did when Monet lived there.

The gardens are gorgeous but the interior of the home is equally fantastic with bright colors, beautiful prints and furnishings in every room. And lots of windows letting in light and fresh air with views of the gardens.

One of my favorite rooms was the cheerful, yellow dining room with blue tile around the fireplace. You know that this girl who loves patterns also loved the high-contrast tile floors in the entry and dinning room itself. Lots of Japanese prints on the walls in the dining room and throughout the house - one of Monet's favorites and a source of inspiration for him.

The kitchen was bright and dreamy this time with classic blue and white tile on the walls and fireplace with lots of brass and copper accents throughout the room. And you know I loved the blue and white gingham curtains in the windows.

Upstairs the bedrooms were busy yet tasteful - perfect examples of late 19th century style. I especially loved the little sewing and mending room at the top of the 2nd floor landing. (Good to know that Monet had access to a sewing machine if needed.) I think that might be one of the most happily situated sewing machines I've ever seen - especially with the view overlooking those incredible gardens.

Another highlight of the visit - Monet's water gardens with the beautiful iconic green bridge and water lilies, so famous in many of his best known paintings.

But I think my favorite interior space was Monet's studio. Sunny, airy and dreamy - an inspiring spot for creating. The paintings on the walls are reproductions of some of his most famous paintings to create the look and feel of what the studio would have looked like with Monet was painting in his prime.

One last destination on the drive from Giverny to Bayeux and the D-Day sites was Honfleur. This delightful harbor city is on the coast where the Seine river meets the English Channel. Le Harve - the city across the mouth of the river - has become the large commercial center entering France, leaving historic Honfleur preserved in it's past self. The town is easily accessible and fun to wander (and eat) in.

My biggest disappointment - I really wanted to explore Mont Saint-Michel (a medieval city built on an island off the coast) but only had time to take a picture from a distance. It was still magical to see that incredible silhouette on the horizon. I guess I'll just have to go back someday. (Hopefully!)

If you're looking for more sewing and other inspiration for a visit to Paris or the Normandy region, you can read my other France recommendations here:

A Visit to Paris - overview

Sewing and Shopping inspiration in the Paris, St. Germain neighborhood

Sewing and Shopping inspiration in the Paris, Marais neighborhood

Visiting Normandy - the D-Day military sites