Destinations

Step into History: Hotel Churchill

In a world of fast-paced hotel one-ups-manship, one establishment won’t try to woo you with brand-name designers, the latest gadgets, or a long list of celebrity clientele. At Hotel Churchill, a three-star 32-room family-friendly retreat located directly in the dead center of Bayeux, fly-by-night trends are out - it all boils down to remembering your roots. 

“Bayeux was part of the British sector,” explains Churchill co-owner Rima Hebert. “It was the line between the British and the American sectors during World War II. We called the hotel Churchill to honor that.” 

Located in what used to be a nursing school in the early 1940’s, Hotel Churchill is a living monument to France’s liberation from the Nazi forces. Over 100 black and white photos, many of which are on loan from the Memorial of Peace in nearby Caen, decorate the hotel lobby and winding stairway leading up to the Churchill’s guest rooms. Instead of focusing on the carnage and occupation of France, the photos depict small glimpses of everyday life from a time when the world was at war. 

“We bought the hotel in 2003 and 2004 was the 60th anniversary of the liberation of France,” explains Hebert. “We wanted to show pictures that had to do with music, that had to do with festivity because of the liberation…There’s a photo of a cross-maker, a nurse, we have somebody cooking, somebody doing the laundry. We didn’t want to show the destruction but to show the good parts, if there were good parts during that period.” 

Churchill’s distinct position as a museum/hotel hybrid brings in its fair share of history as well. Thanks to free weekly WWII lectures provided by a local historian, the hotel attracts an unlikely mix of scholars, students, veterans, tourists, and those simply escaping Parisian city life. In a few instances, Hebert says, the Churchill itself has even acted as a link for those looking to reconnect with their past. 

“There’s a photo in the front  that’s signed. The little girl in it was 7 then,” recounts Hebert. “She came to the hotel during the 60th anniversary, saw it, and told her husband ‘This is me.’ He said, ‘you’re joking,’ and so she did research and found the two soldiers in the photo living in the United States. One had died, but the other was still living, so she went to the States to visit. The soldier later came back to our hotel to visit. It was quite a story.” 

In addition to offering a portrait of history internally, the Churchill maintains close ties with WWII tours in the area. Normandy Sight Seeing Tours – the only tour company in Bayeux to offer half-day tours of the D-Day landing beaches and the American Cemetery – picks up just outside of Churchill’s door. Offering group and private tours, the company uses a build-your-own-tour model, allowing patrons to customize a full or half-day excursion by picking their own combination of WWII destinations.  


Hebert is quick to remind guests that Bayeux’s cultural history extends far beyond its role in WWII. The Bayeux Tapestry, a 230-foot embroidered depiction of the Norman conquest of England that dates back more than 900 years, hangs in the Centre Guillaume Le Conquerant (Square of William the Conquerer) footsteps from the Churchill and the Bayeux Cathedral, consecrated in 1077, is located a few minutes away. Those looking for a glimpse of contemporary Bayeux culture needn’t look further than the Churchill’s first floor. Part breakfast nook (featuring an array of cow-themed portraits by area Arromanches artist VanLuc), part boutique store, Churchill’s first level carries quintessentially French products ranging from locally produced caramels to Hediard teas and opens directly onto one of Bayeux’s main commercial strips. 


Rooms at the Churchill are clean, quaint, individually decorated by Hebert herself, and almost as idyllically French as the downstairs boutique. Rooms range from singles (95 - 100Î) to four-person deluxe rooms (140 - 160Î) and all come with cable television, Wifi access, and a bathroom large enough to swallow restrooms in most moderately-priced Parisian hotels. The Churchill is closed from December through February, but for the rest of the year Hebert recommends booking one to two months in advance, especially during the high season of late April through mid-October. Families with small children are welcome, baby cribs are available upon request, and the hotel frequently offers specials for WWII vets, so ask about ongoing offers upon booking.  

Though the Churchill lacks amenities available in pricier establishments – you won’t find elevators here – you’ll be pressed to find a place that’s more accommodating, conveniently located, English-friendly, and affordable. Besides, hauling one’s own luggage up a flight or two of steps is just as authentically French as flitting through cobblestone streets to see The Tapestry, perusing war photos minutes away from where the battles actually happened, or having a morning croissant amongst locally-inspired technicolor cow portraits. “We don’t want to look like every other hotel chain,” Hebert admits. “This is what France actually is.” 

Hotel Churchill

4-16 rue Saint Jean

Tél : +33 2 31 21 31 80 

Fax : +33 2 31 21 41 66

www.hotel-churchill.fr

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