Many years ago we had a couple of hours in Bayeux before catching our ferry home from Caen and were really sorry that we had not allowed longer to explore the town. It is one of the few places in the area to have escaped the ravages of World War II, meaning that there are plenty of picture postcard buildings which, combined with its cobbled streets, make it the perfect sort of town just to wander around. The obvious attraction is of course the famous tapestry but there is so much more to Bayeux that it is an excellent choice for a few days tagged on to the beginning or end of a holiday or, as we later did, a place for a long weekend.

The 70-metre long Bayeux Tapestry must be the most famous piece of needlework in the world. It is thought to have been commissioned by Bishop Odo for the opening of Bayeux Cathedral in 1077 and tells the tale of the Norman conquest of England. Our children were quite young when we visited but they were captivated by the gory detail of the Battle of Hastings – decapitated bodies, limbs flying around and plenty of blood! The tapestry can be found at the Musée de la Tapisserie de Bayeux where you can watch a short historical film and view a reproduction of the tapestry before heading with your audio guide to see the real thing.

Your ticket also allows entry to the Musée Baron Gerard which, as well as having a display of local lace and porcelain, also houses a collection of art from the 15th to the 19th centuries including several Impressionist works. Be aware, however, that it closes for an hour and a half each lunchtime. If you would like to see more of the local lace you will enjoy visiting the Conservatoire de la Dentelle where it is fascinating to watch the lace-makers at work. Also worth visiting is the Norman-Gothic cathedral of Notre Dame.

Bayeux is home to the Musée Memorial 1944 Bataille de Normandie, which contains one of the region's most important and poignant collections of D-Day memorabilia. Again the museum closes for lunch although re-entry is permitted if you have not had time to do it justice.

The town is also home to the largest of the Commonwealth military cemeteries with almost 5000 graves of Allied and German soldiers. It is an extremely moving experience to visit the war cemetery, and it brings home the vast scale of the devastation. For those interested in military history, Bayeux is an excellent base from which to explore the D-Day beaches of Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword.