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Press Kit Press Release press kit press release 7 5 th anniversary of the liberation of bayeux Freedom started here... In June, Bayeux will be celebrating its liberation. The streets of the town, spared from the bombings of 1944 and liberated on 7 June by British troops, are decorated with banners in the colours of their liberators every year. For this 75th anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy in 2019, a large variety of activities and ceremonies are being organised. a festive anniversary for all the family With concerts, shows, military parades, processions, theatre plays, guided tours, exhibitions… From 31 May until 29 June the town council, voluntary organisations, the tourist office and local shops and businesses will be inviting locals and tourists alike to celebrate the Liberation of Bayeux. From the traditional Freedom Ball to the football match between inhabitants of Bayeux and British soldiers, not forgetting a flyover of Bayeux by the Patrouille de France (national air display team), this anniversary promises to be unforgettable ! the town pays its respects Notwithstanding the popular activities, the town has never forgotten the sacrifice made by thousands of French and foreign soldiers, nor the civilian losses resulting from the conflict. So ceremonies are being held with the British Legion at the Cathedral and the British Military Cemetery to honour the men and women who perished during the fighting. freedom started here On 7 June 1944, the day after the Allied Landings on the beaches of Normandy, Bayeux was liberated by British troops who entered the town at dawn. They had landed the previous day in the zone code-named “Gold Beach”. The small Calvados town, the “hospital town” which had been spared from bombing attacks, experienced a summer like no other. Until the liberation of Paris on 25 August 1944 Bayeux was the administrative capital of the liberated parts of France. contents th the programme of the 75 in bayeux p. 3-4 th the exhibitions of the 75 in bayeux p. 5-6 the official ceremonies yesterday and today p. 7 june to august 1944 a summer like no other p. 8 bayeux, freedom started here p. 9 the scars of war p. 10 practical information p. 11 contacts p. 12 PRESS KIT - 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LIBERATION 2 PRESS CONTACT : +33(0)2 31 51 60 47 - [email protected] the programme of the 75th in bayeux + 75th Souvenir stamps ! Get your souvenir stamp from the Amicale philatélique bayeusaine : - At the tourist office the 6th and 7th June from 10.00 AM to noon and from 2.00 PM to 6.00 PM - At the freedom Ball, place de Gaulle, the 7th June from 7.00 PM - On the market, place Saint-Patrice, Saturday 8th June (morning) friday 31st may saturday 8th june GOSPEL CONCERT 11€/8€€ by the Accueil des Villes Françaises MILITARY PARADE The « Accueil des Villes Françaises » organisation celebrates peace and 200 soldiers of the Sherwood Rangers, one of the British units which freedom in a gospel concert by the Arbolesco group. took part in the liberation of Bayeux in 1944, will parade in uniform all Saint-Patrice Church 8.00 PM the way along the main street of the town, preceded by a brass band. Saint-Patrice street > Saint-Jean street From 11.00 AM Tickets: 1 rue des cuisiniers or on the spot to noon thursday 6th june saturday 8th june THE POPPIES SONG COMMEMORATIVE by the town of Bayeux FOOTBALL MATCH Sound-light-poetical installation by Fredandco. Giant poppies and by the Bayeux Football Club and musicians join together in a quest to find harmony at nightfall. the association Bayeux libéré On 14 July 1944 the Bayeux football team played against the Hôtel du Doyen 10.00 PM and 11.00 PM Sherwood Rangers team, whose members had landed on Gold Beach just a few days earlier. The Franco-British match ended up with Bayeux being beaten 5-2. 75 years later the Bayeux Football th Club, the Bayeux Liberated Association and the Sherwood Rangers friday 7 june military team will hold a replay of the match at the Henry Jeanne stadium ! FREEDOM BALL Henry Jeanne Stadium Kick-off at 3.00 PM by the town of Bayeux Swing, brass and a big band with the Hot Swing Sextet and Glenn’s Swing Orchestra, both of them major bands on the swing scene. To go back in time, dance to the rhythms of the th th th th 1940s and share the sense of jubilation following the liberation. the 5 , 7 , 8 and 9 june Place de Gaulle From 7.00 PM Unicorns, almost written by Restauration on place Owen Sheers, directed by John Retallack English only From 20€ Unicorns, almost is a new one–man play about the life and work of World War II poet Keith Douglas. Unicorns, almost conjures Douglas back into confrontational existence before an audience. Echoing the frequent direct address of his poems, Douglas’s pressure to speak to us is twofold: a desire to remind us of the horrors of war and what it steals from us, and a frustration that despite having seen his poems into print they have remained, for the last 70 years, largely unread. Salle Toulouse-Lautrec 10.00 AM, 3.00 PM and 5.00 PM (3 performances/day) PRESS KIT - 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LIBERATION 3 PRESS CONTACT : +33(0)2 31 51 60 47 - [email protected] the programme of the 75th in bayeux + #Mission100e by La Renaissance Le Bessin newspaper (Place de Gaulle, from 5.00 PM) For the 75th anniversary of the La Renaissance Le Bessin newspaper (23 June 1944 - 23 June 2019) come and leave us a little souvenir with #mission100th. All you have to do is write down something you remember about D-Day and put it in the time capsule. It will be buried in a symbolic place somewhere in Bayeux and opened in June 2044 for the paper's 100th birthday ! from june 3 to 14 (except on June 6) th 75TH SPECIAL GUIDED VISIT sunday 9 june BAYEUX 'S MIRACULOUS SURVIVAL : FROM THE OCCUPATION TO GENERAL DE GAULLE'S SPEECH CHARGED BAYEUX LIBERATION by the tourist office of Bayeux Intercom PROCESSION by the tourist Relive the daily lives of the townspeople in 1944 through memories office of Bayeux Intercom and stories. Archive photographs, buildings used by Germans or the Hundreds of historic British and American vehicles will parade resistance together with graffiti will all plunge the visitor into the along the main street of the first town to be liberated in mainland atmosphere of the period. France, preceded by a pipe band. Departures at 10.30 AM and at 2.00 PM from the tourist office (duration 1h30) Town-center From 11.00 AM Tickets from the tourist office from june 4 to 11 LICHTJESROUTE Eindhoven and Bayeux are celebrating freedom by lighting up the streets in a celebratory installation symbolising friendship 75 years after both towns were liberated. The illuminations will be switched on 4 June ! Vaucelles round about, Eindhoven boulevard, from Saint-Patrice street to Saint-Jean street, Larcher street, place de Gaulle the 7th, 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th june GUIDED TOUR OF THE BRITISH THE PARADE WILL BE OPENED BY 8 MILITARY CEMETERY (TOURS IN FRENCH ONLY) by the Bayeux Museum outreach department ALPHA JETS FROM THE PATROUILLE DE FRANCE WHO WILL FLY OVER Wander along the paths of this place of memory and go back in history in the company of the outreach department of Bayeux Museum. THE PROCESSION AND GREET THE AUDIENCE WITH THEIR TRADITIONAL Departure at 4.00 PM in the Cemetery, Fabian Ware boulevard THREE-COLOUR VAPOUR PLUMES ! saturday 29 june BY-PASS FESTIVITIES by Bayeux Shopping Businesses along the Bypass are celebrating ! Try your luck from 6 to 21 June to win trips in Jeeps or other vintage vehicles. Over 300 trips to be won. From 10.00 AM to 8.00 PM PRESS KIT - 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LIBERATION 4 PRESS CONTACT : +33(0)2 31 51 60 47 - [email protected] the exhibitions of the 75th in bayeux 18 may 2 june 18 may 22 september EXPOPAIX DE GAULLE 1940-1944, ENQUÊTE by Artistes en Normandie D’ARCHIVES DE GUERRE 65 artists have come together for this 6th edition. The guest of honour By the town of Bayeux CHARGED will be Ruta Jusionyte (Lithuania), a major figure in the “Magical Realism” artistic movement which inspired artists such as Joan Miró. An original exhibition resulting from an international search for archive images retracing the career of General de Gaulle between Hôtel du Doyen Everyday 10.00 AM > 6.00 PM 1940 and 1944. Amongst the archive images you can see a 1940s desk graced by the typewriter which was used to type the famous Monday > Saturday, Espace culturel E.Leclerc text of de Gaulle’s Appeal to the French of 18 June 1940. 9.00 AM > 8.00 PM Musée Mémorial de la Bataille de Normandie Everyday 9.30 AM > 6.30 PM 18 may 22 june PAIX by les Peintres Amateurs du Bessin 35 local amateur artists present a selection of works on the theme of peace to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Normandy Landings. Espace Saint-Patrice Everyday 10.00 AM > noon and 2.00 PM > 6.00 PM (Saturday 10.00 AM > 6.00 PM) 24 may 30 september CULTIVONS LA PAIX by Paroisse Notre-Dame du Bessin + Saturday 1st June, Premiere screening In the face of war, violence and hatred, the cultivation of peace is a of a new 26-minute ARTE documentary task for everyone.
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