Liberty Tree (Arbre de la Liberté)
About Liberty Tree (Arbre de la Liberté)
This London Plane tree planted on March 30, 1797 stands as one of France's rare surviving Liberty Trees from the Revolutionary period. Originally transplanted from a row of trees prepared for King Louis XVI's visit to Bayeux, it was repurposed as a symbol of freedom by local politician Gabriel Moisson de Vaux. The tree rises 33 meters with a trunk circumference of 5-6 meters, its massive canopy covering 1,250 square meters and supported by masts and cables. Located in Place de la Liberté next to Bayeux Cathedral, it bears inscribed Crosses of Lorraine and the date '14 juin 1944' commemorating the Liberation. Classified as a Natural Monument in 1932 and labeled a Remarkable Tree of France in 2000, visitors can see it freely at any time. During summer evenings (mid-July to early September), a 360° light show projects onto the tree and cathedral.
Interesting Facts
During the Bourbon Restoration in 1851, royalists attempted to cut down this tree as a symbol of revolution. Local citizens of Bayeux fiercely defended it, and their attachment saved the tree from destruction — one of only four Liberty Trees originally planted in the city, it became the sole survivor.
During World War II, members of the French Resistance carved Crosses of Lorraine into the trunk. German occupiers later painted the entire tree in camouflage to hide it from Allied bombers — traces of this military paint were only fully removed during restoration work in the 1990s.
In 2021, the Bayeux City Council formally adopted the 'Declaration of the Rights of Trees,' a document proclaimed at the French National Assembly in 2019. This made Bayeux one of the first cities in France to legally recognize trees as living beings deserving protection.
Planning Your Visit
Opening Hours
Location & Practical Info
Address
Place de la Liberté, 14400 Bayeux, France
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