Caen is the capital of the Calvados department in northern France. With a population of 115,000, it is the largest city in Lower Normandy.
Caen is a college city and thus very active. It is a modern city; four-fifths of it was demolished in 1944 and rebuilt in the 1950s and 1960s. However, some old buildings remain, especially churches.
In summer, tourists (mainly British and German) gather in Normandy for Second World War memorials and the Memorial for Peace. Caen is an excellent base for visits to the D-Day beaches.
Caen itself and the surrounding area saw intense fighting starting shortly after the landings on June 6, 1944. The village of Carpiquet, which is a bit west of Caen near the ring road and the E46 highway, has the Caen airport so it was strategically important and also saw heavy fighting.
- Memorial for peace. A modern museum focusing on Second World War and the Cold War.
- Abbey of Saint-Étienne. A wonderful example of Romanesque architecture.
- Abbey of Sainte-Trinité. A wonderful example of Romanesque architecture.
- Musée des Beaux-Arts de Caen. Fine arts museum.
- Museum of Normandy.
- Caen Castle. William the Conqueror's castle, one of the largest medieval castles in Europe.
- Saint-Pierre church.
- Saint-Nicolas church and cemetery.
- Escoville mansion.
- Saint-Jean church.
- Vaugueux district
- La rue Froide and Saint-Sauveur church.
Memorial for peace. A modern museum focusing on Second World War and the Cold War.
Abbey of Saint-Étienne. A wonderful example of Romanesque architecture.
Abbey of Sainte-Trinité. A wonderful example of Romanesque architecture.
Musée des Beaux-Arts de Caen. Fine arts museum.
Museum of Normandy.
Caen Castle. William the Conqueror's castle, one of the largest medieval castles in Europe.
Saint-Pierre church.
Saint-Nicolas church and cemetery.
Escoville mansion.
Saint-Jean church.
La rue Froide and Saint-Sauveur church.
- D-Day Landing Beaches. Caen is close enough to the D-Day sites to act as a base from which to explore the D-Day sites. It is a short train ride from Caen to Bayeux. From Bayeux train station, you can catch a bus to some of the D-Day beaches but services are infrequent; if you want to see more than one of the beaches you should rent a car or join a guided tour. On the bus website there is a map of the bus route to the D-Day beaches. Bus No. 70 takes you to Omaha beach, the American cemetery, and to Pointe Du Hoc. Bus No. 74 takes you to Arromanches beach, the location of the Mulberry harbors. Buses are few and far between. Also, buses do not run when there is heavy snow, so check the bus website beforehand during the snow season. Many companies offer guided tours to the battle sites from Caen or Bayeux, and the Memorial for Peace runs half-day tours of the landing beaches.
- Parc Festyland, Carpiquet (Near the ring road around Caen and the E46 highway which runs from Caen to Bayeux.. Theme park.
D-Day Landing Beaches. Caen is close enough to the D-Day sites to act as a base from which to explore the D-Day sites. It is a short train ride from Caen to Bayeux. From Bayeux train station, you can catch a bus to some of the D-Day beaches but services are infrequent; if you want to see more than one of the beaches you should rent a car or join a guided tour. On the bus website there is a map of the bus route to the D-Day beaches. Bus No. 70 takes you to Omaha beach, the American cemetery, and to Pointe Du Hoc. Bus No. 74 takes you to Arromanches beach, the location of the Mulberry harbors. Buses are few and far between. Also, buses do not run when there is heavy snow, so check the bus website beforehand during the snow season. Many companies offer guided tours to the battle sites from Caen or Bayeux, and the Memorial for Peace runs half-day tours of the landing beaches.
Parc Festyland, Carpiquet (Near the ring road around Caen and the E46 highway which runs from Caen to Bayeux.. Theme park.
- Sunday morning market. The market in Caen on a Sunday morning, around the Port de Plaisance is the 5th largest in France and is a great place to wander and buy some fantastic local produce.
Sunday morning market. The market in Caen on a Sunday morning, around the Port de Plaisance is the 5th largest in France and is a great place to wander and buy some fantastic local produce.
Caen's local delicacy is called tripes à la mode de Caen - tripe and vegetables stewed in cider - and is nicer than it sounds. The official recipe, closely guarded by a guild of tripe butchers, is written in the form of a poem. The Vaugueux is full of restaurants.
- Le Bouchon du Vaugueux, 12 Rue Graindorge, +33 2 31 44 26 26.
- Restaurant L'Avenue 21, 21 Rue du Vaugueux, +33 2 31 94 54 20.
Le Bouchon du Vaugueux, 12 Rue Graindorge, +33 2 31 44 26 26.
Restaurant L'Avenue 21, 21 Rue du Vaugueux, +33 2 31 94 54 20.
The Rue Ecuyère, near to the Rue Saint Pierre is famous for its bars. If you are looking for a pub, you will find some at the harbour located Quai Vendeuve.
- Le Vertigo, 14 Rue Ecuyère, +33 2 31 85 43 12. Open M–Sa: 11:30–01:30.
- L'Orient Express, 24 Rue du 11 Novembre, +33 2 31 72 81 64. M&ndashW: 18:00–03:00; Th, F: 18:00–05:00; Sa, Su: 16:30–05:00.
Le Vertigo, 14 Rue Ecuyère, +33 2 31 85 43 12. Open M–Sa: 11:30–01:30.
L'Orient Express, 24 Rue du 11 Novembre, +33 2 31 72 81 64. M&ndashW: 18:00–03:00; Th, F: 18:00–05:00; Sa, Su: 16:30–05:00.
- The little 17th-century harbor of Honfleur (65 km north-east)
- The Pays d'Auge, typical landscapes and villages, horse farms (Le Haras du Pin is the most famous one), cheeses, cider, roman churches and half-timbered houses
- Deauville, the century-old-sea resort for the upper-class
- The world-famous Mont-Saint-Michel, at the frontier between Normandy and Brittany
- The Channel Islands (Jersey, Guernsey)
- The little sea resort of Granville
- The fabulous landscapes of the Cotentin area
- Caen is away from the D-Day beaches