Caen

Caen {{ #if: |""|}} Country: France Region: Lower-Normandy {{ #if: Blason ville fr Caen (Calvados)2 svg.JPG|Blason of the City|}} More Information: CS Group Wikipedia {{ #if: |[[:wikivoyage:{{{wikitravel}}}|Wikivoyage]]}} {{ #if: Caen|Wikivoyage}} {{#if:CS Ambassadors in the Area|style="background:#eeeeF7;text-align:center;font-size:110%;border:1px solid #a3bfb1" colspan="3"| City-Ambassadors: CS Ambassadors in the Area|}}

Caen is a city in France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie (Lower-Normandy) region. It is located 15 km (6 mi) inland from the English Channel. Caen is known for its historical buildings built during the reign of William the Conqueror, who was buried here, and for the Battle for Caen—heavy fighting that took place in and around Caen during the Battle of Normandy in 1944, destroying much of the town. Situated between land and sea, with beaches just 10 minutes away and 2 hours from Paris, on the Mont Saint-Michel road, Caen is a thriving and dynamic city offering a rare wealth of heritage and culture.

HISTORY OF CAEN

A ducal estate founded by William the Conqueror in the 11th century, the city has retained through the ages the splendour and radiance desired by the Duke-King. On 26 July 1346 his English troops stormed the town and sacked it, killing 3,000 of its citizens and burning much of the merchant's quarter. Whilst sacking the town, English officials searching the archives of the city, found a copy of the 1339 Franco-Norman plan to invade England, made between Philip VI of France and Normandy. This was subsequently sent back to England and used for propaganda purposes to justify the continuation of the war, and also the supplying/financing of the conflict. Only the castle of Caen held out, despite attempts at besieging it by the English soldiers. A few days later the English left, marching to the east and to their victory at the Battle of Crécy.

Abbeys, a château then private houses, universities and other academies bear witness to the city's development over the centuries and following the terrible bombings of l944. Rising from its ashes like a phoenix, the symbol of its university, Caen has also been able to preserve its magnificent architectural heritage, which emerged unscathed from World War II.

Enriched with 1000 years of history, the soul of the city is today found nestled in the ancient quarters of its centre and reveals itself to those who take the time to pause there. Narrow streets lined with lively shops, a marina right in the heart of the city and an array of parks and gardens that have long charmed experts are waiting to welcome you today.

Let Caen conquer you !

More informations about the History of Caen on the wikipedia:Caen !

WHAT TO VISIT ?

File:Abbaye hommes caen.jpg The Men's Abbey

File:Chateaucaen.jpg The Castle

The Town Hall

File:Caen maison de malherbe.jpg The House of Malherbe

File:Escoville 4.jpg Escoville Hotel

File:Collegiale-saint-sepulcre.jpg The Saint Sepulcre

File:Eglise20Saint-Pierre.jpg Saint Pierre's Church

File:Maison des quatrans.jpg The House of the Quatrans

File:710 imgInstitutionModif huang-yong-ping--mbarts-de-caen--photo-martine-seyve-4-.jpg The Sculpture's Square

More informations about the places to visit in Caen on the wikivoyage:Caen and/or check the Official Website of the Office of Tourism.

TIPS

Free Internet/Wifi Access

Here are some places where you can get some free Internet/Wifi access:

• Bibliothèque de Caen - Adress: place Louis-Guillouard - Tel: 02 31 30 47 00
• CyberTandem - Adress: 8 rue Nicolas Oresme - Tel: 02 31 29 54 54
• EPN de la Pierre Heuzé - AMVD - Adress: 1, rue Montcalm - Tel: 02 31 93 23 91
• MJC Venoix - Adress: Allée de Livermead 19 bis, rue Galliéni - Tel: 02 31 73 72 51
• Centre d'animation de La Prairie - Adress: 11, avenue Albert Sorel - Tel: 02 31 85 25 16

Nice & Cheap Places to Eat

Very Nice & cheap restaurants

• La part du colibri: it is a bio-restaurant, very good and healthy near the river "Orne", 51 quai Juillet
• Comme Un Dimanche: it is a small restaurant where you can buy the furnitures: chairs, the tables, and even somme books. Rue guillaume le conquérant

Very Cheap restaurants

• La corne d'or: good kebab, boulevard alliés, near the "Tour Leroy"
• Le Belem: good and cheap restaurant, near the river "Orne", 11 rd-pt Orne

Nightlife

For Nightlife, you have following areas of interest: -- Port (harbour) with: Pubs (O'Donnels, London Café), Restaurants (bois & charbon, bistrot basque).

...It's nice to start there or in the rue écuyère.

-- Rue écuyère: Vertigo

Some nightclubs or bars nice to go in the Center of Caen:

• Ché (close to the castle)
• L'excuse near place saint sauveur
• Farniente
• What's café
• L'îcône

Pools: -- L'Orient-Express (close to the canal/channel)

COUCHSURFERS

File:090116112624356139.jpg

There are about 250 Couchsurfers in Caen and its area. You can check the CS Group of Caen or simply a couchsearch to find and contact them.

Meetings

There are sometimes some meetings organised in Caen, just check the CS Group of Caen to see what happen in the city and/or the Regional CS Group of Basse Normandie (Lower Normandy) to see if there is any event in the area.

Coffee or a Drink

Here is a list of persons who are ready to have a drink with you and/or show you the city:

TRANSPORTATIONS

How to get to Caen

• By Car: 2h30 from Paris, 1h15 from Cherbourg, 1h30 from Rouen, 1h15 from Rennes, 15 min from the nearest beaches (Luc-sur-Mer and Ouistreham), 30 min from the D-Day's beaches, 45mn from Deauville-Trouville, 45 min from Lisieux, 1h30 from Evreux, 1h30 from the Mont-Saint-Michel, 30mn from the "Norman Switzerland".

• By Carpooling: You can find a driver or passenger to share the ride and cut on travel cost. In France carpooling is very popular and is called "covoiturage". Try Envoiture.fr to get to Caen.

• By Train: The main train in Lower-Normandy is Paris-Evreux-Lisieux-Caen-Cherbourg. Paris-Caen = 1h45 without stops (no TGV, fast trains, only trains called "Corail").

• By Boat: Caen-Portsmouth = 4h, from the Harbour of Ouistreham (the nearest coast from Caen) with the company Brittany Ferries. Here is the Official Website of the Company.

• By Plane:
  • 3 flights Air France by Britair per day from Monday to Friday and 2 flights per day on saturday and sunday. These flights go to Lyon with some correpodances to France, Europe and the Maghreb.
  • Flight to Brighton/UK, 3 flight a week with Skysouth
    

Here is the Website of the Airport of Caen with a list of all cities desserved from Caen.

Bus and Tramway

There is a good bus' and tramway's network inside the city. You can check on the Official Website of Twisto, the company which share the common transportations, to have more informations. There are some bus called "Bus Verts" (Green Bus) which help you to reach the countryside around Caen and the nearest coast. Check the Official Website of "Les Bus Verts" if you need more informations about that.

Bicycles

There are many bicycles everywhere to rent in the city, called the "Veol". It's with the same system of bicycles as in Paris or Lyon. You can check the Official Website of the "Veol" if you need some more informations.

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY

File:110 F 5944636 1f9rXG7PRPiG210JXW9Jql5PCPR0x9Lo.jpg

• Police Station:

Police Secours : 17 or 112
Hotel de Police : 02 31 29 22 22
Gendarmerie : 02 31 35 53 53
Police Municipale de Caen : 02 31 30 45 00

• Health Urgency:

Samu : 15 or 112
Hospital Urgency : 02 31 06 48 39 or 02 31 06 48 25

• Hospital:

Hospital of the City : 02 31 06 31 06
Regional Hospital : 02 31 27 27 27

• Fireman Station:

Pompiers : 18 or 112

• Embassy:
• Emergency Doctor:

SOS Médecins : 08 20 33 24 24

LOCAL MEDIA MENTIONS

File:Article CS - Calameo 2 Février 2011 - Caen.png

Calameo, local newspaper, February 2nd 2011

INTERESTED LINKS

• Regional CS Group: Basse-Normandie (Lower Normandie)
• City CS Group: Caen

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• Caen on Wikivoyage
• Caen on Hitchwiki
• Caen on Wikipedia

File:Panorama caen.JPG