The 7 wonders of Caen
There may be a few translation errors. Our translator was particularly fond of Norman cider. It's hard to wake him up now...
Caen / Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com : jovannig via depositphotos
1 L'abbaye aux hommes (the men's abbey) in Caen
It is one of Caen's most emblematic monuments. It was founded in 1060 by Duke William the Conqueror (1027-1087) before the conquest of England 6 years later. It is dedicated to Saint-Etienne, and the relics of one of the first saints in Christian history were venerated here. A very important abbey throughout the Middle Ages, it was secularized by the French Revolution, which transformed the church into a temple dedicated to the goddess Reason. In the 19th century, the church became a parish church, while the monks' buildings became a high school. In 1944, during the terrible battle of Caen, the site became a temporary hospital. L'abbaye aux hommes became Caen town hall in 1965.
The esplanade, the gardens, the town hall on the left, the church on the right: magnificent Abbaye aux hommes in Caen, Normandy. Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.Com scrisman via dépositphotos
L'abbaye aux hommes is a group of buildings that retains many traces of the different eras of its history. The church has roots that go back to the middle Ages. It is very Norman, with its "lantern" tower above the transepts crossing. The ducal palace, which dates from the 14th century, is an exhibition venue. The cloister, in Tuscan style, is magnificent, as isthe guards' hall (where the town council sits). Remains of the ramparts that protected it in the Middle Ages can be seen, and a few utilitarian buildings have remained, such as the wine press, the cart-house and above all the bakery. Finally the esplanade Jean-Marie Nouvel (former mayor of Caen) is truly superb, with its formal gardens.
The chevet of the Saint Etienne church at the Abbaye aux Hommes in Caen / Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com: packshot via depositphotos
William the Conqueror; even death is full of the unexpected
Guillaume the Conqueror represented by a sculpture visible not far from Caen in Falaise where he was born / Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com: packshot via dépositphotos.
William the Conqueror is one of the few men in history to have successfully conquered England. The kings of Great Britain are his distant descendants. He rests in the church. Or rather, his femur rests in the church. Indeed, during the wars of religion in the 16th century, his burial was violated and his bones scattered. Only the femur, recovered by a certain Charles TOUTAIN, was saved and placed back in the church. A large femur, probably, since by the end of his life Guillaume had become so plump that the body had to be forced into the coffin. It's even said that the belly ended up piercing itself. Although his body has been moved several times, his tomb built and destroyed several times, Guillaume rests in the place he founded under a slab you'll easily find during your visit. All this to say that even death is full of the unexpected.
How to get to the Abbaye aux hommes in Caen:
Address: esplanade Jean Marie Nouvel / 14 000 CAEN.
Nearest parking: 16 Pl. Guillouard parking indigo Caen Hôtel de ville.
Bus / public transport : réseau twisto
Schedules and fares (from 4 euros)
2 L'abbaye aux dames (ladies' abbey)
The church facade of the abbaye aux dames in Caen / Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com: jovannig via depositphotos
While her husband founded the Men's Abbey, Mathilde, Duchess of Normandy, founded the Ladies' Abbey in the year 1062. It must be said that Mathilde and Guillaume, who were cousins and whose marriage was judged illegal by the Church, had to make themselves look good to the Pope of the time to have this marriage forgiven. So each founded his own abbey. For Mathilde, the church is dedicated to the Holy Trinity, and the abbey is reserved for women as its name suggests. Noble women, moreover, and who are Benedictines. The nuns' buildings were completely rebuilt in the 18th century. During the French Revolution, the nuns were dispersed and the premises closed. The Augustinian nuns returned in 1823. They ran the hôtel-dieu, which became a hospice, until 1983. In 1986, the Abbaye aux Dames became the headquarters of the Conseil Régional de Basse-Normandie, and since 2016 it has been the headquarters of the Conseil Régional de la région Normandie.
Magnificent staircase at Caen's Abbaye aux Dames / photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com: isogood via depositphotos
To see; the Church of the Holy Trinity, where, under a black slab, lies the tomb of Queen Matilda. The Sainte Anne building, the portal of the Hôtel Dieu, the cloister (not completely finished during the 18th century reconstruction work). One of the pleasures of discovering this monument is that you can see the best of Norman Romanesque art and the best of official and useful 18th-century buildings.
Mathilde, a woman of character
It has long been said that Mathilde was largely responsible for the famous Bayeux tapestry. Illustration chosen by monsieurdefrance: Alfred Guillard, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Mathilde of Flanders (1031-1083) was the wife of William the Conqueror. When she married him, he was still only William the bastard, having been born to his father, the Duke of Normandy, and a linen maid. Mathilde balked at the idea of marriage, but accepted because she was said to have been impressed by William. Becoming Duchess of Normandy in 1051, she was crowned Queen of England in 1068. She managed the affairs of the Duchy of Normandy during the frequent absences of her husband and the Norman nobles busy conquering England. These absences were sometimes prolonged, leading some chroniclers to say that the noblewomen of Normandy threatened to replace their husbands if they stayed too long in England.
How to get to Caen Ladies' Abbey.
Address: Place Reine Mathilde / 14 000 CAEN.
Nearest parking lot: Parking Courtonne, Rue des Prairies Saint-Gilles or Parking Vendeuvre, 13 Rue des Carmes in Caen
Bus / public transport : réseau twisto
Schedules and fares (free access church, guided tours of the abbey from 5 euros)
3 Le Mémorial de Caen / Caen Memorial
The Caen Memorial is dedicated to the history of the 20th century and to Peace. It was built in 1988 on top of a Nazi bunker (which can be visited).It has 5600 M2 of exhibition space, much of it dedicated to the Shoah and the Battle of Normandy. It has to be said that Caen was literally crushed by war in 1944, and thatNormandy paid a very heavy price in the liberation of France and Western Europe during the Battle of Normandy, which lasted nearly two months, from June 6, 1944 to August 20, 1944. Normandy's sacrifice is evoked by a phrase by the Norman poet Paul Dorey, engraved on the facade, which reads in the name of Normandy "Pain broke me, fraternity lifted me, from my wound gushed a river of freedom"..
The facade of the Caen memorial / Photo depositphotos.
The Caen Memorial is home to numerous exhibitions in addition to the permanent exhibition. Numerous multimedia tools allow visitors to immerse themselves in the horrors of history, and reach out to all generations. You can't come to Caen without visiting it. Nearby, you can discover the Parc de la Colline aux oiseaux;
Caen bombed in 1944. Illustration choisie par monsieurdefrance.com : Par Royal Air Force official photographer — This photograph CL 347 comes from the collections of the Imperial War Museums (collection no. 4700-19)Transféré de en.wikipedia à Commons., Domaine public, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11632265
How to get mémorial de Caen
Address: Esplanade Général Eisenhower / 14 000 CAEN.
Nearest parking lot: avenue Mountbatten / 14 000 CAEN
Bus / public transport : réseau twisto
Hours and fares at from €5 for students, €20.80 full fare.
4 Le château de Caen / Caen castle
The ramparts of Caen castle / Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com : phb.cz via depositphotos
It's one of Caen's oldest monuments. Founded by Duke William the Conqueror in 1060, shortly before the conquest of England (1066), it's one of Europe's largest fortified castles, covering over 5 hectares. Such a surface area that a small village grew up inside it. Although it fell into disrepair fairly quickly, it was nevertheless a place of refuge for the people of Caen in the Middle Ages, particularly during the 100 Years' War. It was transformed into a prison in the 15th century. In 1789, the people of Caen took over the château and its contents, and soon afterwards it became a barracks. The razing of the keep and the clogging of the moats gradually made it disappear from the landscape, to the point where, after the Battle of Normandy and during the rebuilding of the city of Caen, it was rediscovered by the inhabitants in the 1950s.
Le chateau de Caen. Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com: rscrisman via depositphotos
Fundamentally renovated, the Château de Caen is the place where you'll find 2 very interesting museums. The Musée de Normandie and the Musée des Beaux Arts de Caen. As its name suggests, the Musée de Normandie traces the history of what is now the Normandy region. It contains over 80,000 objects, from prehistory to the present day, and is housed in the former governor's lodgings. The Musée des Beaux-Arts has been housed in very modern, semi-underground premises since 1970. Yet it is one of the oldest art museums in France since it was created in 1801 to exhibit the property taken from émigrés, those French people (often nobles) who had fled the French Revolution and had their property confiscated.
How to get to Caen Castle
Address: château de Caen / 14 000 CAEN.
Nearest parking lot: 60 avenue de la Libération / 14 000 CAEN
Bus / public transport : réseau twisto
Hours and fares from 3.50 euros for the Musée des Beaux-arts.
The view of Caen from the castle ramparts / Photos chosen by monsieurdefrance.com alexat25 via depositphotos
5 Caen in the Middle Ages: the Vaugueux district, Saint Pierre church, the Maison des Quatrans
Wood-framed houses in Caen / Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com: Caen la mer Tourisme / Les Conteurs (Droits réservés OTC)
War hit Caen hard in 1944, but the past didn't burn away completely, far from it. There are still many traces of the Middle Ages in addition to the Abbey for Men and the Abbey for Ladies. The city is very rich in monuments, in small streets and pretty squares located in particular in the Vaugueux district near the beautiful Saint Pierre church, A very popular district, in the past, where Edith Piaf used to visit her grandparents who ran a café there. L'église Saint Pierre is truly magnificent. The Gothic bell tower, which dates back to the 14th century, is splendid. The stained glass rose is well worth a visit, as is the apse, which was created during the Renaissance. The choir is very old (13th century). It's a real jewel, with numerous sculptures in Caen stone.
Caen's Saint Pierre church and that stone that captures the light so well and is one of Caen's charms / Photo chosen by Monsieurdefrance.com: EBFoto via depositphotos
The best thing about Le Vaugueux is also its location: the district is bordered by the Château and the Quai de Vendeuvre and thus Caen's marina, enchanting in summer with its terraces.
Immanquable: the Vaugueux district / Photo chosen by Monsieurdefrance.com:Caen la mer Tourisme / Les Conteurs (Droits réservés OTC)
La maison des quatrans is well worth a visit. It's a superb timber-framed construction. It's worth noting that timber-framed houses are rare in Caen, not least because of the destruction in 1944. She has never missed the famous white Caen stone, which catches the light so well, even at sunset.
La Maison des quatrans in Caen / Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com: By Karldupart - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7813548
Also, consider discovering rue froide, one of Caen's oldest streets, with its boutiques. Whether it's the Vaugueux, the port district, rue Froide or rue des quatrans, nothing is far, it's all on foot and very pleasant.
.
How to get to the Vaugeux district
Address:Place Saint Pierre, Rue du Vaugueux / 14 000 CAEN.
Nearest parking lot: Caen château 60 avenue de la Libération / 14 000 CAEN
Bus / public transport : réseau twisto
How to get to maison des quatrans
Address : 25 rue de geôle / 14 000 CAEN.
Nearest parking lot: Caen château 60 avenue de la Libération / 14 000 CAEN
Bus / public transport : réseau twisto
Think also of making the detour to rue Froide, rue de la Monnaie etc... Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com: depositphotos
6 Caen and its parks
It's hard to get greener than Caen. It has some magnificent gardens to offer anyone who wants to enjoy them. Two places are unavoidable if you want to savor the Normandy city's natural side:the Jardin des Plantes Botanical Garden and Bird Hill.
Le jardin des plantes / Jardin botanique:
The Jardin des Plantes has an original history, since it grew out of a private garden created in 1689 by Jean-Baptiste Callard de la Ducquerie, in which he planted some of the rare plants he owned. Jean François Marescot continued his predecessor's work 20 years later with over 3,500 plants. The garden became a university garden, then a municipal garden in 1803. A botanical institute was created at the end of the 19th century. Today, the Jardin des Plantes Jardin Botanique is home to botanical treasures and a perfect place for a stroll. With a surface area of 3.6 hectares, it boasts 8,000 plants and welcomes thousands of visitors every year.
Le jardin des plantes de Caen / Photo chosen by monsieur de France: Caen la mer Tourisme / Les Conteurs (Droits réservés OTC)
How to get to Caen's Jardin des Plantes
Address: Place Blot / 14 000 CAEN.
Nearest parking lot: Venelle du jardin des plantes / 14 000 CAEN (there are numerous parking spaces all around, notably avenue de Creully)
Bus / public transport : réseau twisto
La colline aux oiseaux Park.
Another place is beautiful: la colline aux oiseaux. Situated very close to the Caen Memorial, It is located on a former landfill! Impossible to imagine when you discover this magnificent green space inaugurated in 1994 to mark the 50th anniversary of the Normandy Landings. It features various gardens, a rose garden, a labyrinth and an enclosure with regional animals. It totals 17 hectares, including an artificial lake.
Le parc de la colline aux oiseaux / Photo chosen by monsieur de France: Caen la mer Tourisme / Les Conteurs (Droits réservés OTC)
How to get to Parc de la colline aux oiseaux
Address: Avenue de l'amiral Mountbatten 14 000 CAEN.
Nearest parking: free parking.
Bus / public transport : réseau twisto
7 the port of Caen
This area has become one of Caen's most pleasant. Situated around the marina, it offers some lovely terraces to relax on. From here, you can follow the banks of the Orne or head for the sea in the direction of Ouistreham;
The Caen marina / Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com : 551581-Les_villas_du_bord_de_mer_en_famille-Caen_la_mer_Tourisme___Les_Conteurs_(Droits_reserves_OTC)
How to get to Caen marina
Address: quai Vendeuvre 14 000 CAEN.
Nearest parking: parking plaisance 1 / quai Vendeuvre 14 000 CAEN.
Bus / public transport : réseau twisto
Caen rue froide / Photo chosen by monsieur de France: Kim Menikh on Unsplash
What to see around Caen
The coast is packed with seaside architectural treasuresPhoto chosen by monsieurdefrance.com 551581-Les_villas_du_bord_de_mer_en_famille-Caen_la_mer_Tourisme___Les_Conteurs_(Droits_reserves_OTC)
What to discover in Caen la Mer?
Caen la Mer, That's the name of the Caen conurbation. A vast urban community with 48 communes, nearly 275,000 inhabitants including 34,000 students (that's one of the pleasures of going to Caen, the city is young) and nearly 10 kms of coastline. .
In addition to the 7 wonders (which are actually 9 if you counted right!), don't forget to visitthe boutiques on Rue Froide, discover the 11 hectares of greenery atLa vallée des jardins, admire the seaside villas at Ouistreham Riva Bella on what's known as the Côte de Nacre. The village of Colleville Montgommery, typical of the Caen plain, with its white Caen stone houses. For family fun, there's the Festyland park, with 27 rides including 2 roller coasters and 3 water rides. It is located route de Caumont in Bretteville sur Odon;
The landing beaches
They're often close to Caen, notably Sword located partly in Ouistreham thus in the Communauté Urbaine de Caen la Mer. The furthest away is Utah Beach, just under an hour away. All you need to know about what to see at the D-Day landing beaches is here.
The Normandy Landings took place near Caen / Photo selected by monsieurdefrance.com: depositphotos.
Bayeux
Bayeux is less than half an hour from Caen and well worth a visit. It is one of the very few towns in Normandy not to have been destroyed during the Liberation, and boasts numerous monuments including the splendid cathedral. It's also home to the famous Bayeu tapestry, probably commissioned, if not partially produced, by Queen Matilda to tell the story of the Norman conquest of England. It is considered the oldest comic strip in history;
The historic center of Bayeux / Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com : e55evu via depositphotos
Deauville, Trouville, Cabourg: the flowery coast
Normandy's most chic and renowned seaside resorts are not far from Caen, as they can be reached in less than an hour. A walk on the board in Deauville, a romantic moment in Cabourg or a discovery of Trouville, everything is possible while discovering the vast beaches of this very well-known part of Calvados.
Deauville's famous colorful parasols / Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com: encrier via depositphotos
A little further afield: Orne
A little-known yet magnificent département, a lesser-known but very typical Normandy: that's the Orne département. The part closest to Caen is less than half an hour away. From the Pays d'Auge to the monuments of Alençon, from the hedged farmlands of the Domfrontais to the famous manor houses of the Perche, the Orne is worth a detour, which we present to you here.
L'Orne is a splendor to visit in spring/ Photo chosen by monsieurdefrance.com: Depositphotos
How to get to Caen?
How to get to Caen by car
Caen is 3 hours from Paris via the A13 and 3.5 hours from Calais via the A13 and A26. Mont Saint Michel is just over an hour away. Rouen is 1H30.
How to get to Caen by train
Paris is 2H15 by train. The address of the Gare de Caen is place de la Gare 14 000 Caen.
How to get to Caen by plane
Caen-Carpiquet airportis located route de Caumont in Carpiquet.
Caen : websites and tourism info
Caen tourisme The Caen la Mer tourism website is here (Bravo! It's super well done! And thanks for the photos which were useful in making this article!)
Calvados tourisme The Calvados tourism website is here
Normandie Tourisme The Normandy tourism website is here.
