Caen, France Cruises

Caen, France Cruise Port

• The Mémorial de Caen is a war memorial and museum that commemorates World War II and is dedicated to showcasing the effects of war. It officially opened on June 6, 1988, which was the 44th anniversary of D-Day, by French President François Mitterrand; it has since added a gallery dedicated to the Nobel Peace Prize.
   
• Visit the Château de Caen, built around 1060 by William the Conqueror. It's still one of the largest medieval fortresses in Western Europe, and is now a museum housing the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Caen (Museum of Fine Arts of Caen) and Musée de Normandie (Museum of Normandy).
   
• The Abbaye aux Hommes (Men's Abbey) is Caen’s most important medieval site, and now part of the Caen city hall. Next door is where you'll find Église St-Étienne (St. Stephen’s Church), famous for a Romanesque nave and William the Conqueror’s rebuilt tomb.
   
• For a break from sightseeing, check out the Jardin des Plantes, a lovely botanical garden that creates some green within the city. It's separated into seven different areas, such as a theme garden, greenhouse, and orangery.