Caen

Caen is the capital of the French region of Basse-Normandie, just two hours' drive from Paris. It has become a new metropolis, as you can reach the coast within 15 minutes. Its history stretches back more than 1000 years and there are still plenty of traces of the past. The most famous person from the city is William the Conqueror, who had both a fortress and two monastery churches built in the city. In one of the monasteries, St. Stephen's Abbey, he himself is buried.

However, Caen is also very well known for the major battles between the Allied forces and the Germans back in 1944. In the fighting, tens of thousands of people lost their lives and the city was completely destroyed. Caen has an interesting museum with an exhibition about the war and the soldiers' cemetery with its many white crosses.

Today you can discover the new, restored Caen, often referred to as a "green city", which took 16 years to rebuild. Caen is an ideal base for active tourists who want to explore Basse-Normandie and Calvados, but also the city itself with its student life and many shops. In addition to visiting the two abbey churches, which are architecturally interesting as they were built at the beginning of Gothic architecture in France, you can also visit the Town Hall (Hotel de Ville), the Art Museum (Musee des Beaux-Arts de Caen) and the Botanical Gardens (Jardin Botanique).

Like anywhere else in France, the city is teeming with good restaurants. Try something local, like cider-marinated ham or even a glass of Calvados (apple brandy, which is distilled cider).