Caen

From World travel guide

Caen is the capital of the Basse-Normandie region and Calvados département of northern France. Population 115,000.

1 understand
2 Get in
3 Get around
4 See
5 Do
6 Buy
7 Eat
8 Drink
9 Sleep
10 Get out
11 External links

[edit]

understand

Caen is a college city, very active. In summer, tourists (mainly British and German) gather in Normandy for WWII remains and the Memorial for peace. Caen is a modern city, 80% leveled in 1944 and rebuilt in the 50s and 60s. However, some old buildings remain, especially churches.

[edit]

Get in

[edit]

by car

from Paris, by A13 highway (2 hours)
from Cherbourg-Octeville by N13
from Rouen, by A13 or N175
from Rennes by A84
from Tours and Le Mans, by N138, via N158 at Sées.

[edit]

by train

trains leave every 2 hours from Saint-Lazare station in Paris to Caen and Cherbourg. 2 hours long, 25 €.

[edit]

En ferry

Ferries cross the Channel from Southampton (UK) to Ouistreham, 15 km north of Caen.

[edit]

Get around

bus verts will get you around Normandy pretty easily. Within Caen and its close suburbs, use the bus and tramway network, called twisto.

[edit]

See

Memorial for peace: a modern museum focusing on second world war and the Cold War: http://www.memorial.fr
L'abbaye aux Hommes (Men's abbey) and l'abbaye aux Dames (women's abbey), wonderful example of romanic architecture
Fine arts museum
Museum of Normandy, within the Castle
Caen Castle / Château ducal de Caen - 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
rue Froide and Saint-Sauveur church
Caen is 10 km away from the D-Day beaches