Caen tourism and travel guide

Caen Hotels & holiday rentals

Places to visit nearby

Caen Excursions & Activities

Car hire in France

Caen Hotels & holiday rentals

Caen Excursions & Activities

Visit Caen: highlights and tourist information

France This Way comment: With a castle, two abbeys and an attracive historic centre Caen is a very pleasant town to explore

Caen is situated in the Calvados department and Normandy region.

Below you can see some of the places that we have visited and reviewed and can recommend when you are sightseeing close to Caen in Normandy.

Popular places to visit nearby include Cabourg at 21 km and Dives-sur-Mer at 22 km.

Caen, France: places to visit and attractions

Note that all distances below are 'direct' and real driving distances will be greater!

Creully

at 18 km (direction west-north-west)

The medieval Chateau de Creully is the highlight in Creully...

See Creully guide

Cabourg

Seaside resort at 21 km (direction east-north-east)

One time favourite of Marcel Proust, Cabourg has one of the longest and active...

See Cabourg guide

Dives-sur-Mer

at 22 km (direction east-north-east)

In the 'Village of William the Conqueror' at Dives-sur-Mer artisans and artists are brought...

See Dives-sur-Mer guide

Beuvron

Most Beautiful Village at 23 km (direction east)

Part of the Normandy Cider Route, Beuvron has lots of half-timberd houses and is...

See Beuvron guide

Houlgate

Seaside resort at 24 km (direction east-north-east)

The beach is certainly the main attraction at Houlgate, and there are also some...

See Houlgate guide

Arromanches

at 26 km (direction west-north-west)

Arromanches is well known as the town where the Mulberry Harbour was built during...

See Arromanches guide

Bayeux

at 27 km (direction west-north-west)

Best known for its world-famous tapestry, Bayeux also has an imposing cathedral...

See Bayeux guide

Les Jardins du Pays d'Auge

Garden at 30 km (direction east)

The gardens of the Pays d'Auge are a beautiful mature garden set around a...

See Les Jardins du Pays d'Auge guide

Cambremer

at 30 km (direction east)

Cambremer is a very picturesque small village, ideally explored as part of the Normandy...

See Cambremer guide

Villers-sur-Mer

Seaside resort at 30 km (direction east-north-east)

Villers-sur-Mer is one of several friendly beach resorts along the Normandy coast...

See Villers-sur-Mer guide

Falaise

at 34 km (direction south-south-east)

Best known for its castle, Falaise also has several other interesting monuments in the...

See Falaise guide

Deauville

Seaside resort at 37 km (direction east-north-east)

The resort of Deauville, established in the 19th century, is still one of the...

See Deauville guide

Trouville

Seaside resort at 38 km (direction east-north-east)

The long established resort at Trouville has retained lots of its 19th century villas,...

See Trouville guide

Chateau de Boutemont

Castle at 42 km (direction east)

Beautiful chateau and gardens in the Calvados department of Normandy...

See Chateau de Boutemont guide

... or see ALL recommended places to visit in Calvados

Find Caen hotels & holiday rentals

Reserve excursions near Caen

Map of places to visit near Caen

Markets in and near Caen

Market days in Caen: weekly market: Wednesday & Tuesday & Thursday & Sunday & Friday;

• Caen: market Wednesday & Tuesday & Thursday & Sunday & Friday (0km)
• Mondeville: market Thursday (3km)
• Herouville-Saint-Clair: market Wednesday (4km)
• Troarn: market Saturday (13km)
• Douvres-la-Delivrande: market Thursday (13km)
• Ouistreham: market Wednesday & Saturday - seasonal market only (14km)
• Ouistreham: market Thursday & Sunday & Friday (14km)
• Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer: market Thursday (17km)
• Courseulles-sur-Mer: market Tuesday & Friday (18km)
• Tilly-sur-Seulles: market Sunday (20km)

More information about Caen, Normandy

Tourist attractions near Caen, France

What to do at Caen? Some places with official tourist classifications and other places of interest to visit nearby that should provide inspiration if you are visiting Caen.

Most beautiful villages in France

(see also beautiful French villages)

• Beuvron (23km)

Recommended detour towns (fr: plus beau détour)

• Honfleur (50km)

Churches and religious monuments

• Abbaye de Caen (Caen) (1km)
• Prieuré de Saint Gabriel Brécy (Saint-Gabriel-Brecy) (19km)
• Prieuré (Saint-Gabriel-Brecy) (19km)
• Eglise de Saint Pierre (Rucqueville) (19km)
• Cathédrale Notre Dame (Bayeux) (27km)
• Abbaye de Cerisy-la-Forêt (Cerisy-la-Foret) (42km)

Remarkable gardens

• Jardins du château de Brécy (19km)
• Jardins du château de Vendeuvre (29km)
• Plantbessin (32km)
• Boutemont (42km)

Protected historical centre (fr: secteur sauvegardé)

(see also historical French towns)

• Bayeux (28km)

Sites of natural beauty

• Prairie (Caen) (1km)
• Jardin des plantes de Caen (2km)
• Pegasus Bridge (9km)
• Rochers des Parcs (31km)
• Forêt de Cerisy (39km)

Towns of Art and history

• Le Havre (48km)

Villages d'etape

(recommended place to break a long journey)

• Villers-Bocage (24km)

Villages in bloom 4* (fr: ville fleurie)

• Cabourg (21km)
• Touques (38km)

Zoo and/or wildlife park

• Parc zoologique de Jurques (35km)

Geography and distances

Caen is in the north of France - it is the prefecture (capital) of the Calvados department (general information: Caen is 201 kilometres from Paris).

Getting here

Most visitors arrive by car typically by ferry into Cherbourg or Caen on the Normandy coast For driving distances to Caen from anywhere in France see driving distances and route planner.

We have 19 other places listed as being close (less than kilometres from ): Authie, Blainville-sur-Orne, Bretteville-sur-Odon, Cambes-en-Plaine, Colombelles, Cormelles-le-Royal, Epron, Eterville, Fleury-sur-Orne, Giberville, Grentheville, Herouville-Saint-Clair, Hubert-Folie, Ifs, Louvigny, Maltot, Mondeville, Saint-Contest and Soliers.

This page in French: Visiter Caen