Historical sites and museums in Normandy

Discover history during your stay in Caen.

There are many sites, museums and monuments to visit in Caen and Calvados. Between history, art and heritage, these places will not fail to impress you...

Faced with the current situation that we are going through related to Covid-19, the period is ideal to go in all tranquility to these places full of history, without the crowds that there can usually be.

 

Our hotel in Caen: the ideal starting point for your visits

As a couple, with family or friends, stay in our hotel in Caen and discover history. Caen is an excellent starting point for a visit to the beaches and memorials of D-Day in Normandy.

Ideally located in the city centre of Caen, the Best Western PLUS Hotel Le Moderne offers a great location. Discover without further delay our rooms entirely renovated in 2019.

You will find below some of our ideas for visits:
 

Château de Caen - 800 metres from our hotel

Built in 1060 by William the Conqueror, the castle of Caen is one of the largest medieval monuments in Europe.

In the Middle Ages, the castle was a royal fortress. Then it served as an English stronghold during the Hundred Years War and as barracks for an infantry regiment during the Second World War.

Today, it houses the Museum of Normandy and the Museum of Fine Arts of Caen that you can visit. The Normandy Museum offers a glimpse into the culture and history of the region. The Museum of Fine Arts is considered one of the most beautiful art museums in France. The collection focuses on European paintings from the 16th and 17th centuries and also extends into the 19th century with impressionist pieces.

 

Caen Memorial - 4km from our hotel

Founded in 1988, the Caen Memorial tells the story of the Second World War, the landing and the Battle of Normandy.

Beneath the memorial is a bunker which was General Richter's command post during the German occupation. The Caen Memorial is intended to be a museum for peace, with the aim of educating the public and promoting the concept of reconciliation.

Guided tours are offered as well as numerous events such as permanent or temporary exhibitions, conferences, etc.

 

Cabourg and its Belle Époque seaside resort - 25km from our hotel

Cabourg beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in Normandy and is more than three kilometres long. If you are a lover of water activities, it is the ideal place to practice windsurfing, sea canoeing, volleyball and other activities such as golf.

Cabourg distinguishes itself with its splendid majestic villas that you will be able to admire. Built in half-timbered or elegant Haussmann-style stone, these villas were built at the end of the 19th century. With their high doors, colourful stained glass windows and flowered gables, they offer charm, beauty and picturesque side.

 

Bayeux and its preserved medieval town - 30km from our hotel

Bayeux is best known for the Bayeux Tapestry, which you can discover at the Tapestry Museum. A masterpiece of medieval art from the 11th century, this tapestry is in fact a work of embroidery. 70 metres long, it retraces the history of the conquest of England in 1066 by the Duke of Normandy, through the Battle of Hastings.

Also take time to discover the old town of Bayeux where you will find beautiful half-timbered houses, elegant manor houses and majestic mansions. In the centre is Notre-Dame Cathedral, one of the finest examples of Norman Gothic church. Built over several centuries (from the 11th to the 15th century), admire the mixture of Romanesque and Gothic architectural elements.

 

Omaha Beach and the American cemetery of Colleville - 50km from our hotel

Omaha Beach extends over 10km between Port-en-Bessin, Vierville-sur-Mer and Colleville-sur-Mer, up to the mouth of the Vire River. A visit to this site will give you a frightening impression of the deadly battle of Normandy, one of the bloodiest scenes of the D-Day fighting. Along the coast, observe the remains of German bunkers and military pillars.

The American cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer overlooks Omaha Beach. More than 9,000 headstones are perfectly aligned, making it the largest American cemetery in Normandy.

Near Omaha Beach and the American cemetery is the Overlord Museum, which traces the history of the Allied landings up to the liberation of Paris. Here you can discover the museum's collection, which includes war vehicles, tanks and cannons, as well as the personal objects of the soldiers.