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Caen, Ouistreham

The city of Caen is the capital of lower Normandy. Caen is an industrial town as well as being a premier cultural centre. Its buildings built from yellow Caen stone, its open spaces, its modern constructions and its lively pedestrian shopping precinct make it an attractive town and a popular tourist resort. The town centre was rebuilt following the war with the churches of St Peter and St John, the university, Benedictine Abbey all being fully restored to their former glory. Caen itself is situated 12km away from the port of Ouistreham.

Ferry Guide

The ferry terminal is located just seawards of the entrance to the Caen Canal, which in turn is next to the mouth of the River Orne. There is plenty of other maritime activity with a fishing port and its associated market, followed by the entrance lock to the Caen Canal. The canal sees regular use by ocean going cargo vessels which need the assistance of a tug fore and aft for locking. Pleasure craft also use the canal; there being marinas and boatyards along it, including one in the centre of Caen. The ferry terminal itself was custom built for Brittany Ferries operations and offers a cafe, post office and tourist office.

Our Guide

The ferry port is located in the town of Ouistreham. Its prime location on the seafront offers magnificent view over the long sandy beaches where the Normandy landings took place. Ouistreham is at the mouth of the River Orne and beside the canal from Caen. The combination of facilities in the town of Ouistreham and at Riva Bella's beach make this an excellent seaside resort. With it's abundance of water sports, Ouistreham is internationally renowned as a yachting centre. The port still holds its maritime links close, still being a busy harbour with a healthy fishing fleet as well as offering regular ferry links to the UK which commenced on the 6th June 1986. The canal regularly sees cargo ships en-route to Caen, as well as an increasing number of cruise ships which can sail to the city centre. The route to Caen is 12km long, and requires ships to navigate through a lock at Ouistreham before sailing south to the city.

Riva-Bella has almost been adopted by Ouistreham, the two towns having forged close ties. The seaside resort was formed as a result of the abandoned buildings from the German invasion. The fine sandy beach proves extremely popular during the warmer months and is both lively and friendly. There is now a famous water therapy centre, and the new Queen Normandy Casino. The beach is ideal place to spend some time before your crossing, with activities such as mini-golf and karting on offer in the summer season.

Perhaps the region is best known for its involvement in the D-Day Normandy landings. Its importance has been reflected with the opening of the 'Le Memorial de Caen' in June 1988 which includes an information and research centre. The peace museum, which is unique in Europe, uses audio-visual techniques in the presentation of the historic events. Divided into five sections the centre details the occupation, the world war, D-Day and the Battle of Normandy. A message of hope for peace in the future completes the presentation which is both moving and informative. Not to be missed.

The city of Caen itself is well worth a visit. Only a short drive from Caen is the eighth wonder of the world, le Mont St Michel. The Abbey of Mont-St-Michel is perched precariously on a 264-foot high rocky islet connected to the mainland by a causeway. Surrounded by over half a mile of massive walls and reached by a steep climb up winding streets, it remains one of the greatest sightseeing attractions in Europe. The Mont-St Michel is also known for its tides, the highest on the continent, which race towards the isle at the speed of 'galloping horses'.

Accommodation

Our hotel of choice in Caen is the Hotel Moderne which is located in the town centre. Part of the Best Western group the hotel is spacious and has individually decorated rooms in a traditional French style which offer satellite TV, mini-bar and telephone. There is also a very good restaurant offering panoramic views over the city centre. We found the staff very courteous and enjoyed our stay.

If you are looking for accommodation close to the ferry port we can recommend the Mercure Cote de Nacre, which is a stone's throw away. Part of the famous Accor hotel chain, it is in an enviable location close to the town centre and only 500m away from the beaches. The 49 rooms have recently been renovated, and the 'Les Trois Mats' restaurant must be tried!

Restaurants

Send us your recommendations!

Transport

By Car: Caen is well served by roads, the A13 auto route to Rouen and Paris, the N13 (soon to be entirely dual carriageway/auto route) to Bayeux and Cherbourg, the N158 heading south to Le Mans and thence to the Loire Valley, and the A84, which is rapidly advancing with many sections now open, to Rennes and the good roads south from there.

By Train: There are regular "Corail" services to Paris and local services to Cherbourg, Falaise, Le Mans and Tours.

By Bus: Within the city there is a good network of bus services and an excellent new tramway system throughout the town. Bus Verts offer regular services between Caen and the Ouistreham ferry port.

By Tram: The centre of Caen has it's own tram network, for which you can buy single or day tickets.