Bayeux is a
communeThe commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the
CalvadosThe French department of Calvados is part of the region of Basse-Normandie in Normandy. It takes its name from a cluster of rocks off the English Channel coast...
department in
NormandyNormandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
in northwestern France.
Bayeux is the home of the
Bayeux TapestryThe Bayeux Tapestry is an embroidered cloth—not an actual tapestry—nearly long, which depicts the events leading up to the Norman conquest of England concerning William, Duke of Normandy and Harold, Earl of Wessex, later King of England, and culminating in the Battle of Hastings...
, which depicts the events leading up to the
Norman conquest of EnglandThe Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
.
Administration
Bayeux is a sub-prefecture of Calvados. It is the seat of the
arrondissementArrondissement is any of various administrative divisions of France, certain other Francophone countries, and the Netherlands.-France:The 101 French departments are divided into 342 arrondissements, which may be translated into English as districts. The capital of an arrondissement is called a...
of Bayeux and of the
cantonThe cantons of France are territorial subdivisions of the French Republic's 342 arrondissements and 101 departments.Apart from their role as organizational units in certain aspects of the administration of public services and justice, the chief purpose of the cantons today is to serve as...
of Bayeux.
Location
Bayeux is located seven kilometres from the coast of La Manche (
English ChannelThe English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
) and 30 km north-west of
CaenCaen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel....
. The city, with elevations varying from 32 to 67 meters above sea level – with an average of 46 meters above sea level – is bisected by the river Aure. Bayeux is located at the crossroads of
RN 13The N13 is a trunk road in France between Paris and Cherbourg.-Paris to Évreux, km 0 to km 91:The road begins at Porte Maillot, one of former gates in West Paris', in direct alignment with the Champs-Élysées. Continuing on this alignment, the road reaches La Défense after crossing the River Seine....
and the train route Paris-Caen-Cherbourg. The city is the capital of the
BessinThe Bessin is an area in Normandy, France, corresponding to the territory of the Bajocasse tribe of Gaul who also gave their name to the city of Bayeux, central town of the Bessin.-History:The territory was annexed by the Duchy of Normandy in 924....
, which extends north-west of Calvados.
Etymology
The city was known as
Augustodurum in the Roman Empire. It means the
durum (Celtic word
duro- 'door', 'gate', Welsh
dor, Breton
dor 'door', 'gate') dedicated to
AugustusAugustus ;23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14) is considered the first emperor of the Roman Empire, which he ruled alone from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD.The dates of his rule are contemporary dates; Augustus lived under two calendars, the Roman Republican until 45 BC, and the Julian...
, Roman Emperor. The Celtic word
duron, Latinized in
durum was probably used to translate the Latin word
forumA forum was a public square in a Roman municipium, or any civitas, reserved primarily for the vending of goods; i.e., a marketplace, along with the buildings used for shops and the stoas used for open stalls...
(Compare
FréjusFréjus is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.It neighbours Saint-Raphaël, effectively forming one town...
Forum Julii, dedicated to Julius (Caesar)).
In the Late Empire it took the name of the Celtic tribe who lived here : the
Bodiocassi, Latinized in
Bajocassi,
Bajocasses, and this word explains the place-names Bayeux and
BessinThe Bessin is an area in Normandy, France, corresponding to the territory of the Bajocasse tribe of Gaul who also gave their name to the city of Bayeux, central town of the Bessin.-History:The territory was annexed by the Duchy of Normandy in 924....
.
Bodiocassi has been compared with Old Irish
Buidechass 'with blond locks'.