Ideally located in the heart of Normandy, two hours from Paris and just 10 minutes away from the beaches, Caen, William the Conqueror’s hometown, is a lively and dynamic city.
William the Conqueror’s city
Historically, it was largely due to William the Conqueror that Caen grew into a great city beside the River Orne. William’s wife, Matilda of Flanders, was also involved. Each commissioned a grand abbey, the Men’s Abbey for William and the Women’s Abbey for Matilda, both of which remain hugely impressive places to this day. Between them, the many-turreted Caen Castle was one of the most important in the duchy of Normandy; it now houses two museums.
Famously, the first crucial, successful action of the D-Day operations on 6 June 1944 was when the British 6th Airborne Division secured the bridges downstream of Caen, between the towns of Bénouville and Ranville. Bénouville Bridge over the Caen Canal was renamed Pegasus Bridge after the emblem of the mythological flying horse used by the British airborne forces.
Unfortunately, Caen would not be liberated rapidly. After bitter fighting and horrific destruction, Caen was liberated on 9 July 1944. Much of the town had been destroyed. That said, some of Caen’s greatest monuments survived and much of the town was rebuilt in fine Caen stone (incidentally, the Tower of London, commissioned by William the Conqueror in the 1070s, was also largely built from Caen stone). Everything considered, Caen’s city centre was well restored post-war and remains an attractive place to visit, with plenty of museums, shops, restaurants and public gardens, plus the lively nightlife you’d expect from a university town.
A green city
Today, the “green city” has a very welcoming appearance, with its Caen stone houses, its ancient monuments and its modern buildings:
- Jardin des Plantes: 2,000 rare botanical species
- Prairie and racecourse: 90 hectares of greenery with a bird sanctuary
- Jardins des Simples: aromatic and medicinal plants and a vegetable garden in the grounds of the medieval castle.
- Berges de l’Orne: 5 km of hiking trails
- Parc de la Colline aux oiseaux: 17 hectares of landscaped gardens (labyrinth, fountains, zoo, playgrounds and rose garden with 570 varieties).
- Parc Michel d’Ornano, the formal garden of the Abbaye aux Dames
- 4 dormant cemeteries: St-Pierre, 4 Nations, St-Nicolas, St-Jean and the Protestant cemetery of the University.
Caen also boasts a marina right in the city centre. It can be reached from Ouistreham via the Orne Canal (a 1.5-hour crossing). The basin is ideal for learning to sail.
How to get to Caen
Caen is conveniently situated two hours from Paris by train and a mere 15 minutes from the cross-Channel port of Ouistreham, which operates regular sailings to Portsmouth in the UK. The city also has its own airport in the neighbouring town of Carpiquet. Caen is within driving distance of popular Normandy attractions including Bayeux and its famous tapestry, the D-Day Landing Beaches, and the picturesque Pays d’Auge, home of cider and cheese. Beaches and towns where you can enjoy traditional seaside fun are also just on the doorstep. Caen even boasts its own yachting marina, the Bassin Saint-Pierre, right in the heart of town.
Weekend by rail
Our ideas for your stay in Caen
Explore Normandy at your own pace and enjoy a more responsible holiday. You’ll also find some of our best addresses: hotels, restaurants and places to visit, all accessible without a car.
The local culinary speciality
It’s impossible to talk about Norman gastronomy without mentioning the famous Tripes à la mode de Caen (Caen-style tripes)! This recipe was perfected in the 11th century by William the Conqueror’s personal chef and is still used today. Cooked in a special pan called a tripière, the recipe combines stomach and trotters. But don’t be put off by these ingredients, as the dish is renowned for its flavour and continues to charm gourmets.
Useful information for your stay
How do I get to Caen?
- By train: Caen station is around 2 hours 15 minutes from Paris Saint-Lazare and is also directly accessible from Bayeux, Lisieux, Cherbourg and Rouen stations. From the station’s ‘Rives de l’Orne’ exit, it’s just a 15-minute walk to the city centre.
- By ferry: There are daily return services between Portsmouth and Ouistreham. Caen – Ouistreham can be reached by bus (line 12, 12 express and ‘gare maritime express’ via the Twisto network).
- By plane: Caen-Carpiquet airport has regular flights from the south of France and even Ireland and the UK in summer.
- Long-distance buses run between Caen and several major French cities (including Paris).
- By bike: Caen is crossed by the VéloFrancette, a cycle route linking Ouistreham and La Rochelle.
Market days in Caen
Caen’s most emblematic markets are the one in Place Saint Sauveur on Fridays and the Saint-Pierre market around the marina on Sundays.
Caen, a Green Destinations city
Caen has been awarded the worldwide Green Destinations label. It rewards tourist destinations on the basis of environmental, socio-economic and cultural criteria. Other towns in Normandy have also been awarded the label: Bagnoles-de-l’Orne, Forges-les-Eaux and Granville.