Caen

49.18286, -0.37068

Caen Travel Guide

City Map

City Introduction

Caen is a city in the department of Calvados in northwestern France. The metropolitan area of Caen is one of the largest in Normandy, and it was the Dukes of Normandy who started the city’s growth from the 9th century. William I, nicknamed the Conqueror, left his mark on the city with the construction of the Château de Caen around 1060. The castle became the seat of the duke’s court, and after his death, William the Conqueror was buried in the Abbaye aux Hommes in Caen, where you can still see his tomb.

More recently, Caen was occupied by German troops in 1940, and the occupation lasted until 1944, when the Battle of Caen was fought between the Western Allies and Germany from June to August. During the battle, the Allies bombed the city, which was heavily destroyed, and French civilians were killed as a result. At the end of the war, not much remained of Caen’s old buildings, but a reconstruction was initiated. It lasted until 1962, and after that you could again see some of Caen’s fine buildings in the streetscape.

There are several sights in Caen today. Château de Caen can be seen in the heart of the city, and it is one of Western Europe’s largest fortifications. The castle was built around 1060 by William I, who conquered England in 1066. In the large castle and surrounding area, you can see the fortress walls and the foundations of William I’s residence. You can also choose to visit the art museum Musée des Beaux-Arts de Caen and the regional museum, Musée de Normandie.

There are two interesting old churches in Caen. They were both built at the initiative of William I in connection with his marriage to Matilde of Flanders. The churches are Église St.-Étienne, also known as Abbaye aux Hommes, and Église de la Ste.-Trinité, also known as Abbaye aux Dames. The Abbaye aux Hommes was completed in 1060, while the Abbaye aux Dames was completed in 1063. Both churches are among Caen’s greatest sights, and there are also several other large churches in the city.

In front of the Abbaye aux Hommes is the beautiful urban space consisting of Place Louis Guillouard and Esplanade Jean-Marie Louvel. In the center of the esplanade, you can see Caen’s town hall, which is located as a southern annex to the Abbaye aux Hommes. Nearby you can see the city’s modern theater building, Théâtre de Caen, and the Jardin des Plantes de Caen, the city’s botanical garden. A little to the northwest is the Memorial de Caen, which is a memorial to the history, battles and peace of the Second World War.

Other Attractions

Day Trips

Le Havre, France

Le Havre

Le Havre is a city in northern France, located at the mouth of the River Seine by the English Channel. The city and its port were founded in 1517-1518 by King François I as a naval port. Le Havre grew rapidly, not least due to the shipyard, which was established in 1524, and a fishing fleet emerged. Le Havre’s cathedral was built from 1536, and in 1541 the Italian Girolama Bellarmato laid out a modern town plan with a rectangular ground plan and bastions.

More about Le Havre

 

Le Mans, France

Le Mans

Le Mans is a city in north-west France, probably known by most for its prestigious motor race, which is run over 24 hours each year. The race is a good reason to visit Le Mans, which is also an ancient city whose history goes back to Roman times with the name of Cenomanus. The city became Roman in the year 47 BC, and it became a part of the province of Gallia Lugdunensis. Among other things, the Romans built an amphitheater, which can still be seen, and baths. Le Mans was also surrounded by city walls from the 200s.

More about Le Mans

Geolocation

In short

Caen, France Caen, France[/caption]

Overview of Caen

Caen is a city in the department of Calvados in northwestern France. The metropolitan area of Caen is one of the largest in Normandy, and it was the Dukes of Normandy who started the city’s growth from the 9th century. William I, nicknamed the Conqueror, left his mark on the city with the construction of the Château de Caen around 1060. The castle became the seat of the duke’s court, and after his death, William the Conqueror was buried in the Abbaye aux Hommes in Caen, where you can still see his tomb.

More recently, Caen was occupied by German troops in 1940, and the occupation lasted until 1944, when the Battle of Caen was fought between the Western Allies and Germany from June to August. During the battle, the Allies bombed the city, which was heavily destroyed, and French civilians were killed as a result. At the end of the war, not much remained of Caen’s old buildings, but a reconstruction was initiated. It lasted until 1962, and after that you could again see some of Caen’s fine buildings in the streetscape.

There are several sights in Caen today. Château de Caen can be seen in the heart of the city, and it is one of Western Europe’s largest fortifications. The castle was built around 1060 by William I, who conquered England in 1066. In the large castle and surrounding area, you can see the fortress walls and the foundations of William I’s residence. You can also choose to visit the art museum Musée des Beaux-Arts de Caen and the regional museum, Musée de Normandie.

About the Caen travel guide

Contents: Tours in the city + tours in the surrounding area
Published: Released soon
Author: Stig Albeck
Publisher: Vamados.com
Language: English

About the travel guide

The Caen travel guide gives you an overview of the sights and activities of the French city. Read about top sights and other sights, and get a tour guide with tour suggestions and detailed descriptions of all the city’s most important churches, monuments, mansions, museums, etc.

Caen is waiting for you, and at vamados.com you can also find cheap flights and great deals on hotels for your trip. You just select your travel dates and then you get flight and accommodation suggestions in and around the city.

Read more about Caen and France

France Travel Guide: https://vamados.com/france
City tourism: https://visitca-en.fr

Main Page: https://www.vamados.com/

Buy the travel guide

Click the “Add to Cart” button to purchase the travel guide. After that you will come to the payment, where you enter the purchase and payment information. Upon payment of the travel guide, you will immediately receive a receipt with a link to download your purchase. You can download the travel guide immediately or use the download link in the email later.

Use the travel guide

When you buy the travel guide to Caen you get the book online so you can have it on your phone, tablet or computer – and of course you can choose to print it. Use the maps and tour suggestions and you will have a good and content-rich journey.

Gallery

Gallery

Other Interesting Guides

Similar to Caen Travel Guide