Op Normandie - Bayeux Bypass

On June 7^th 1944 Bayeux was liberated by the 50^th (Northumbrian) Division. Their next objective was Tilly sur Sueles 10 km to the south east. The challenge for the liberating British forces was the main routes from Paris to Cherbourg, and to Coutances all went through the narrow medieval streets of the city.  This proved to be a choke point for the troops and heavy equipment moving through the Bayeux.

Bayeux 1944

 
The streets today are the same as in 1944 and the difficulty of movement can be seen.

The problem was solved by the Royal Engineers who began a bypass in June 1944, which was completed in 3 weeks, to form the first ring road ever in France. This provided the British with an effective logistic supply route around Bayeux from Arromanches, where the Mulbery Harbour was located.

Bayeux Bypass 1944

Bayeux Bypass 2015

 The work had a longer term benefit of protecting the historical heritage of Bayeux as the road was developed over the forthcoming decades.



Bayeux Bypass Aerial photo 1944