I lived for six months in Normandy, in the beautiful city of Caen. In that time I explored the area, but I preferred to wait until the end of the experience to tell you what to see in Caen, precisely because it was a constant discovery.
This small Normandy city became like a second home to me, and I fell in love with it for two reasons.
The first is the people: in Caen I found fantastic friends and colleagues who made me love this region of northern France.
The other reason is the city itself. Although it was heavily damaged in the Second World War, Caen still keeps all its medieval charm.
A castle, magnificent abbeys, museums, monuments and a great quality of life make Caen a truly beautiful, human-scale city. Perhaps it’s not among the best known in France, but it has played a central role in French history more than once. I’ll tell you all about it!
Want to know more about what to see in Caen?
Then read on.
Let’s go!
Caen and William the Conqueror
You’ll realise at once that Caen is a medieval city from its churches and, above all, from its magnificent castle.
The town was founded by William, Duke of Normandy, in the 11th century, as capital of the duchy alongside Rouen. Caen’s role was crucial in the conquest of England: after the Battle of Hastings in 1066 the city greatly increased its political and religious weight.
The story of William the Conqueror is therefore closely tied to that of Caen, because it was he who wanted the two great abbeys you can still visit today.
But who was this figure?
William the Conqueror was the illegitimate son of the Duke of Normandy, named heir by his father at about eight years old. Given his youth, his position long remained unstable. To strengthen his power he married Matilda of Flanders, related to the King of France. The Pope forbade the union on grounds of consanguinity, but the marriage went ahead anyway and proved long and solid: in the end the pontiff granted his pardon and blessing, on condition the couple build two abbeys.
So William and Matilda founded in Caen the Abbey of Men and the Abbey of Women.
Let me tell you about them!
1 – The Abbey of Men, a medieval jewel
The Abbey of Men (Saint-Étienne) was consecrated in 1077 and still holds the tomb of William the Conqueror. Though it was destroyed, plundered and restored several times, it keeps its original medieval forms.
The beauty of this church in pale stone, the famous Caen stone, lies in its simple, solemn forms, but also in its history, which followed that of the city.
Born as a Benedictine abbey, it fell into ruin during the Wars of Religion, when there was even talk of demolishing it (fortunately it didn’t happen). In those difficult years William’s tomb was desecrated more than once: today almost nothing remains of his remains, but the memory of the great conqueror has stayed alive in the city.
And the story of the Abbey of Men doesn’t end there. During the French Revolution the church was turned into a temple of the cult of Reason; then the abbey buildings became first a school and finally the town hall of Caen, which it still is today.
The Second World War was one of Normandy’s darkest pages. Caen was at the heart of the famous battle, because the landings took place just a few kilometres away and the city was about three-quarters destroyed. During the bombing, many citizens took refuge in this very church. Whether through their prayers or the Allies’ respect for its historical value, the Abbey of Men was not hit and remained miraculously unharmed. The people are so attached to it that it’s impossible to visit Caen without going inside.
And believe me, it’s really worth it!
2 – The churches of Caen
I’m sorry to disappoint you, but there’s no cathedral in Caen. Despite the city’s importance, nearby Bayeux and Lisieux already had their cathedrals; and in William’s day his brother Odo was Bishop of Bayeux, so there was no reason to weaken his position by appointing a new bishop.
Even so, Caen is rich in beautiful churches, so much so that it’s nicknamed “the city of a hundred bell towers”.
But which are they?
As I said, there’s the church of the Abbey of Women (La Trinité), where Matilda of Flanders was buried. It’s less intact than the Abbey of Men, being more reworked and damaged by the bombing, but its exterior remains exquisitely medieval.
The church of Saint-Pierre, right in front of the castle, is picturesque. The city was once full of canals, and its apse was mirrored in the water: for this reason it was painted by hundreds of artists, among them the great William Turner. Until a few years ago it was blackened by smog, but restoration has given it back its whiteness (perhaps even too much!).
Another unusual church is Saint-Jean, which will remind you a little of our Tower of Pisa: its façade and bell tower lean because of the clayey soil, and they’ll make your head spin!
Finally, Notre-Dame de Froide-Rue (Saint-Sauveur), unique of its kind because it was born from the merging of two once-separate churches: two different styles coexist inside, and it’s one of the rare two-nave churches in the world.
3 – The sad story of Saint-Étienne-le-Vieux
As you may know, I have a sort of obsession with ruined churches.
They matter so much to me that I’m trying to have the old church of my village rebuilt, and I’ve visited many on my travels, such as in Lisbon, at Soissons and at San Galgano.
The story of the church of Saint-Étienne-le-Vieux is one of the saddest I’ve heard. The building, medieval in origin, was reworked after the Hundred Years’ War, in the 15th century. It fell into ruin through neglect as early as the 19th century, but it was decided not to demolish it because of its artistic value. The war was not kind: hit squarely by a bomb in 1944, the church was left in ruins. No one has restored it since, and today it’s a warning of what war can do to our heritage: erasing thousand-year-old pages of art and beauty.
The museums of Caen
Want to know what to see in Caen besides the churches?
There are at least three museums not to miss: the Museum of Fine Arts, the Museum of Normandy and the Mémorial.
The first two are inside the castle walls: the Museum of Normandy is housed in the former governor’s lodging, while the Museum of Fine Arts is opposite, in a modern building. Good news: entry to the permanent collections of both museums is free (you only pay for temporary exhibitions), so you can visit both without spending a thing.
4 – The Museum of Normandy
The Museum of Normandy encompasses the history of the region from prehistory to today: from Bronze Age finds to Celtic and Roman ones, up to the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, when the area became famous for cattle-raising, precious lace and trade with England.
The local crafts will amaze you: pots, tools of rural life, folk songs and the elaborate headdresses that Norman women wore until the last century. The temporary exhibitions, often devoted to local history, are worth it if only for the hall that houses them, set against the castle walls.
5 – The Museum of Fine Arts of Caen
Having worked there for six months, I can confirm my first impression: the Museum of Fine Arts of Caen is a real gem.
It holds masterpieces of French, Italian and Flemish painting, chief among them the Marriage of the Virgin by Perugino (c. 1503-04): it was from this panel that his pupil Raphael drew inspiration for his famous version of the same subject, now at the Pinacoteca di Brera. There are also Abraham and Melchizedek by Rubens, the Madonna and Child by Van der Weyden and works by Cosmè Tura, Veronese, Philippe de Champaigne, Simon Vouet, Bruegel the Younger, Monet and Bonnard.
I warmly recommend adding it to your list of things to see in Caen: you won’t regret it.
6 – The Mémorial de Caen
The Mémorial de Caen deserves a separate mention. It’s outside the old town and is a large museum dedicated to the Second World War and, in particular, to the Normandy landings and the battle of Caen.
To see it all you’ll need at least three hours, and you probably won’t manage every room. As sad and bleak as this page of European history is, this museum must be seen, especially by the new generations who can’t even imagine what war is.
7 – The castle of Caen
Visiting Caen without stepping inside its beautiful castle is like going to Paris and not seeing the Eiffel Tower.
This huge fortress, one of the largest in Europe, is bound up with the city’s history, its identity and even its urban layout. It was founded by William the Conqueror and enlarged several times. What will surprise you is discovering that at first the whole city lay within the walls: the two abbeys were therefore well outside the built-up centre.
The best part? Climbing the towers and walking the ramparts: the view is splendid and you’ll finally understand why Caen is called “the city of a hundred bell towers” (and there’s a lovely view of the church of Saint-Pierre too). My advice is to walk the walls at sunset, when the Normandy sky turns a fiery red you’ll struggle to forget.
How to reach Caen from Italy
This is a slightly sore point: getting to Caen isn’t that simple, especially if you’re not setting off from a big city. Caen has a nearby airport, but it’s served by few and fairly expensive airlines.
On our trips from Rome to Caen we always did this: a Ryanair flight (at dawn!) from Ciampino to Paris-Beauvais, and from there either a direct BlaBlaCar, or the train/bus to Caen via Paris. I told you it wouldn’t be easy! If you’re already in France it’ll all be much easier, but the simplest way is still to go through Paris.
Where to eat in Caen
After all this history, are you hungry?
Finding somewhere to eat in Caen isn’t hard: in the lovely Vaugueux quarter, at the foot of the castle, there are plenty of restaurants and typical spots serving wonderful galettes and other local dishes. It’s the oldest quarter of Caen and has kept many 15th-century houses. Along the marina too you’ll find bars, breweries and restaurants for every budget.
For street food, take a stroll down rue Écuyère; or grab a quick meal at the Place Saint-Sauveur market on Friday mornings, or along the harbour on Sundays, where a little food truck serves exceptional Thai food.
What to eat in Caen
But what are the typical dishes?
Try the andouille (an offal sausage) and the tripe “à la mode de Caen”, famous throughout northern France (I already mentioned it for Troyes). The fish is delicious, since the sea is very close, and the region is famous for its oysters. The galettes (actually a Breton dish) are excellent too.
For drinks, there’s Calvados, the apple brandy that takes its name from the department Caen is the capital of, and cider. If you want a local aperitif, ask for an Embuscade (“ambush”), a cocktail of beer, wine and Calvados invented in Caen: from experience, don’t have more than two, or you risk breaking into the Marseillaise!
If you have another day in Normandy, from Caen you can easily reach Honfleur, the harbour the Impressionists fell in love with.
And you, in Caen will you be won over first by William’s story or by the sunset on the ramparts?
