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By Tango7174 – Wikimedia

Top 10 Things to do in Caen

Caen is a port city and capital of Calvados department in northern France’s Normandy region. It is also known for its historical buildings built during the reign of William the Conqueror; his remains were laid here.

The centrepiece being the Château de Caen, a circa-1060 castle built by William. It is atop a hill and features a Romanesque abbey of Saint-Etienne and Saint-Trinite.

The history of this city is stored in a memorial museum that tells the events of World War II, the 1944 Battle of Normandy and the cold war.

This city, therefore, plays an important role in the history of France and is a pleasant place to visit. It is also among the oldest university cities in France. Your visit to this city will be packed with fun activities to do.

Here are the top 10 things to do in Caen.

1. Take a tour of the Mémorial de Caen

This place is recommended for those that visit the city for the first time and would like to start with top tier sight-seeing.

This historical museum is located at the Esplanade General Eisenhower and has themed exhibitions depicting the reconciliation and peace of the world.

The museum was established in 1988 on the 44^th anniversary of D-Day and was set aside as the Memorial de Caen.

It is on top of an underground bunker that was used by the German General Wilhelm Richter in coordinating the defence of Normandy’s beaches on D-Day.

There is a 70-metre long tunnel leading to the bunker. The galleries at the museum depict the development of events during the conflict, the French occupation, the holocaust and the post-war era.

This museum is referred to as the museum of peace with a message of hope.

Apart from the old artefacts from the cold war, there are recent exhibitions like the East German Trabant car and a piece of Berlin wall.

On June 6 every year, this museum commemorates the fallen resistance fighters and allied soldiers.

Practical Information

Address: Esplanade Général Eisenhower, 14050 Caen,

Website:

2. Château de Caen

Gatehouse to the Chateau By Urban – Wikimedia

The Chateau de Caen was built by William the conqueror in 1160 and was a massive landmark as it is still today. Although the adjacent buildings no longer stand, one can get an idea of the layout of the houses in the park.

The ruins of the buildings like the foundation of William’s residence, the walls and the arduous gatehouses still stand.

They served in protecting the compound from hundreds of wars in the 1400s, going up the rampart one will get a breath-taking view of Caen. The vast lawns have become a favourite place for many to relax, it is home to a museum and a café where visitors can replenish.

This renown tourist attraction is said to be one of the most impressive municipal museums in Caen. It truly represents the history of this beautiful city with rich archaeological ethnographic collections.

The museum was officially opened in 1963 and has since been among the top attraction to tourists in the city.

Practical Information

Address: 14000 Caen

Website:

3. Abbaye aux Hommes

The Abbaye de Aux Hommes was founded in 1063 by the Duke of Normandy and as it stands today, is a great landmark masterpiece.

A tour of this grand building will leave you awestruck by the detailed architecture, there are stern simple walls of the western facade crowned by more decorative gothic towers. The wooden choir stalls and the pulpit were designed in the 1600s.

One will be quick to notice the beautiful Norman Romanesque architecture and understand why it is a tourist magnet.

When William the Conqueror built the estate, he was seeking to be absolved from marrying Matilda of Flanders who was his cousin.

The cellar of the buildings beneath the refectory still functions as expected and most parts of the buildings survived from WWII damage. The construction of the abbey was done using a type of Jurassic limestone that is yellow and is native in Caen.

Practical Information

Address: Esplanade Jean-Marie Louvel, Caen, Normandie, 14000

Website:

4. Musée des Beaux-Arts de Caen

The Museum of fine arts in Caen is located in a former 14^th century Castle. There are at least 350 works that tell the history of French and European art from the 1300s to date.

Some exemplary works that you will find exhibited include those by Claude Monet, Eugène Boudin, Gustave Courbet, Nicola Poussin, Rubens, Tintoretto and Veronese.

If you are a fine arts enthusiast or a student then the pieces in here that depict realism and romanticism will capture your attention.

There is also a nouveau contemporary section and a sculpture garden in front displaying pieces by Huang Yong Ping, Auguste Rodin and Antoine Bourdelle.

The museum has both permanent and temporary exhibits. For special exhibitions, please check their website for dates.

Practical Information

Address: Le Château, 14000 Caen

Website:

5. Musée de Normandie

Artifacts displayed in the Museum By Ptyx – Wikimedia

There is another museum at the castle and this museum covers thousands of years’ worth of history of Normandy. The museum of Normandy is located in what previously served as the governor’s residence.

The museum is divided into sections; in the pre-history section, you will get to see ceramic that is believed to be more than 7,500 years old, tools and arrowheads that were excavated from Vierville as well as items used for burial rituals excavated from Ecajeul.

The other section is classical history, here you will get to view a Roman sculpture discovered in 1943, the mother goddess of Saint Aubin Sur Mer. There is more on how the Vikings settled in Normandy back in the 10^th century. On display are the traditional Norman costume and savoir-faire, cider and cheese-making tools and their evolution.

Practical Information

Address: Castle – 14000 Caen

Website:

6. Juno Beach

Juno Beach is located east of sword beach and is a favourite of many that love nature, the sand and other fun water sports. There is a little bit of history about this beach, during World War II it was one of the beaches that were part of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings in June 1944.

For detailed history about the events that took place here, please visit Juno Beach centre.

7. La Colline aux Oiseaux

The Rose garden by Par Stefi123 -Wikimedia

This place is one of the most beautiful and peaceful gardens you will visit in Caen. A fun fact about this garden is that it was previously a dumping site and was full of incinerators.

It was reclaimed and is now a feast for your eyes, the garden was officially opened in 1994 to remember the D-Day and it got its name Hill of the Birds. This was because the garden attracted a flock of birds when it was a waste field.

It is now one of the best recreational areas and attracts families and couples. There is a large rose garden, a boxwood maze, a scale model of Normandy and many small gardens that celebrate cities in Normandy and Caen’s famous twin towns.

There is a zoo too and is ideal for young kids who can pet the tamed farm animals. Spending time here will recharge you together with your loved ones for that day you choose to have a relaxing day.

Practical Information

Address: Le Château, Caen, Normandie, 14000

8. See the Magnificent Église Saint-Pierre

There are several incredible landmarks in Caen and one of them is Eglise Saint-Pierre church. It is easy to identify the building by its flying spire which is 76 metres high. This spire was fixed after it got destroyed during WWII.

Different parts of the church were built between the 13^th and 16^th century, the oldest parts being the choir, tower and facades. One feature to look out for is the rose window with unique luminesces of stonework.

The choir inside stands out with its vivid grotesque vault and you will also notice the late Gothic style mobile chapels.

9. Timber-Framed Houses

There are only two timber-framed houses left in Caen, most of them were demolished after a law was passed in 1524 ban the construction of such houses since they were a fire hazard.

One of the houses can be found near Saint- Pierre Church, the Maison des Quatrains has a stone foundation and timber walls and ceiling.

The other one is on the 52 and 54 Rue Saint Pierre, here you will find a pair of four-storey houses from the 15^th century. The houses are characterized by high street shops and have beautiful carvings on the wood.

10. Spend quality time at Jardin des Plantes

By Benh LIEU SONG – Wikimedia

Final on the list is another garden perfect for that day you want to relax on the outdoors. This is a botanical garden filled with flowers and other greeneries.

There are over 8,000 tree species in the 5000m2 garden sectioned into an arboretum, medicinal garden, horticultural collection among many others. It can also be a good learning activity for young ones.

There are Japanese pagoda trees from 1750 in the upper section of the garden.

A glass and iron greenhouse used to be in this garden but got destroyed in the war.