The 11th-century Bayeux Tapestry has been moved from its museum in northern France for the first time in more than 40 years ahead of the artwork's loan to the UK.

Some see it as a celebration of ties between the two countries but there are those in France who describe the move as a "true heritage crime".

The 68-meter-long tapestry, which depicts the Norman conquest of England in 1066, was taken to a secret storage location from its museum in the French town of Bayeux in Normandy.

The authorities in Calvados, northern France, which supervised the delicate maneuver with Normandy's regional cultural affairs body (DRAC), said more than 90 people were involved in the removal, which took seven hours and 15 minutes.

"The tapestry, packed in a crate, reached its storage location," said the prefecture last Friday.

The operation had been planned for Thursday, prompting the French government to announce a delay as a result of nationwide strikes and protests against French President Emmanuel Macron.

But because of the intricate planning involved, the removal - the first from the museum since 1983 - went ahead as planned under a shroud of secrecy, according to sources.

"The conditions and timing of the operation were kept secret to organize the transfer under optimal security conditions for the artwork and with minimal impact on the residents of Bayeux," the Calvados prefecture added.

'True heritage crime'

France's loan of the artefact, which was added to UNESCO's "Memory of the World" register in 2007, has sparked an outcry from heritage experts concerned over the ancient embroidery's already fragile state.

Since 2020, experts have meticulously documented 24,204 stains, 9,646 holes and 30 tears in the artwork.

In 2021, DRAC said "it was not possible to transport the work before restoring it."

In July, Macron promised to loan the tapestry to the British Museum in London in September 2026 for 18 months to celebrate the relationship between France and Britain, with the tapestry set to land on British soil for the first time.

Critics argue the transfer to the UK risks causing damage to the priceless piece. More than 73,000 people have signed an online petition urging Macron to stop a "true heritage crime".