Come and discover our special visits with our tour guides.
Caen stone
Explore the history of Caen’s beautiful blonde!
Caen stone is a limestone rock with qualities that have been known since Antiquity. Its finest ambassador was without doubt William the Conqueror, who took it with him during his conquest of England in the 11th century. It was used to build prestigious monuments and buildings not only in Caen (the two abbeys and the castle), but also in England (Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London), Belgium, Holland, Germany and Italy. The stone was again used for restoration work on Saint-Peter’s Church, among others.
- Duration : 2 hours
- Walking tours
- School groups
The Reconstruction
Caen was at the centre of air raids during the Second World War, and many districts were completely destroyed. The Reconstruction programme headed by the urban planner Brillaud de Laujardière gave a new face to the city: new transport routes, enhancement of the historic heritage, the construction of residential areas and new monuments (the University, Saint-Julien’s Church). This is an invitation to understand and explore the metamorphosis of the city as it was reborn from its ashes like a phoenix.
- Duration : 2 hours
- Walking tours
- School groups
Private mansions in Caen
Caen was the home of a large number of noble and bourgeois families who had private mansions built for them. Despite the destruction from air raids in 1944, you can still admire a number of them in the city-centre districts. Each house can be placed in its original urban context. The different types of private mansions are an opportunity to retrace the history of urban planning in pre-war Caen.
- Duration : between 2 and 3 hours
- Walking tours
The Anglo-Norman villas on the Côte de Nacre
If there is a feature characterising the Normandy beaches, it is surely the seaside architecture, with Lion-sur-Mer and Hermanville-sur-Mer as fine examples. You can admire in particular the Art Nouveau villas or the eclectic inspiration behind the English, Scottish, Norman and Gothic styles. A charm-filled visit along the sea front…
- Duration : 2 hours
- Walking tours
The Battle of Caen
A visit to understand the decisive days when the city’s destiny was played out. The battle to liberate Caen led to 12 days of fires, 44 days of siege and 72 days of air raids, with nearly 2,000 dead and 80% of the area destroyed. The visit explores the daily lives of the inhabitants of Caen in June and July 1944, in their mourning and hope.
- Duration : 2 hours
- Walking tours
- School groups
Sword Beach, one of the D-DAY landing Beaches
Relive the Occupation and the Liberation of Ouistreham-Riva-Bella. This is a chance to take a look at a sometimes little-known event and yet one that is unique in French history, of “Kieffer’s green berets”, the 177 French soldiers from the N°4 Franco-British Commando who landed on the morning of 6 June and liberated the city.
- Duration : 1 hr 30
- Walking tours
- School groups
The port of Caen
Caen harbour is a flourishing area taking part in the changes to the urban and suburban areas of Caen. This original and fascinating visit will take you from the centre of Caen to the ferry terminal of Ouistreham-Riva-Bella to explore the history of the port, as linked to the history of the city, and the site’s economic activity (shipbuilding, sailing, cross-Channel ferries).
The visit is organised in partnership with the Caen Chamber of Commerce.
- Duration : 2 hours
- Coach trips
- School groups
The port of Ouistreham Riva-Bella
Discover the Port of Ouistreham and its various facets: fishing port and its traditional fish market, marina and its 650 rings nestled in a green setting, commercial port and its amazing cargo ships, commercial harbour and its surprising ballet of cargo boats, and finally a cross-Channel port with the liners of the company Brittany Ferries which liven up the outer harbour in the stoneware of their 3 daily rotations.
In option: visit of the lighthouse and visit of the backstage of the ferry terminal.
- Duration : between 1 and 2 hours
- Walking tours
- School groups
The SMN : from Birth to Retirement, life in a company town
The visit is an opportunity to relive the daily life of an inhabitant of Le Plateau (a company town just outside Caen), set up by the SMN (Société Métallurgique de Normandie, the major metallurgical company in lower Normandy until 1993, and providing accommodation to over 6,000 workers at its height), with all the key stages of life, including work and leisure activities under the paternal eye of the industrial company.
- Duration : 2 hours
- Walking tours
- Free visit
Rates
* 8hrs guide + 1hr lunch break.
The above prices below are for departure from and return to Caen and are subject to changes in the VAT rate. Rates apply to the guiding service only. Entrance fees to sites (except Ladies’ Abbey) and meals (if the guide has lunch with the group) are extra and must be booked in advance. There is no supplement for foreign-language guides. Guided coach tours are conducted in your own coach. For tours, one guide is required for every 30 people. Booking fees apply per stay and per group, not per service ordered.
Booking contacts
Nathalie PETIT
n.petit@caenlamer-tourisme.fr
+33 (0)2 31 27 14 10
Céline GIGUET
c.giguet@caenlamer-tourisme.fr
+33 (0)2 31 27 97 58
