La Vélomaritime - Voie verte de Caen à Merville-Franceville

At the end of a lively canal, an entire town awaits you. In the heart of Caen, the marina is a stopover offering a medley of history and modernity. Berth at the foot of William the Conqueror’s castle, amidst an urban decor of pubs, restaurants and stores. An entire city breathes and lives around your boat. And the road that takes you there is equally eventful: the canal, from Ouistreham, offers a tour of port facilities and historic sites, such as Pegasus Bridge and the Château de Bénouville. At just 3 knots, you slowly enter the region’s very lung.

Ornavik Historical Park: a journey through time! Immerse yourself in the history of the birth of Normandy during a guided tour. Explore medieval buildings reconstructed with scientific rigor, and discover the fascinating story that links Rollon the Viking to William the Conqueror. Practical information - Duration: 2 hours - Free parking - Continuous on-site catering during opening hours

The Pegasus Memorial Museum, located between Caen and the sea, tells the story of when the very first liberators from the British 6th Airborne Division landed on Norman soil on the night of the 5th to the 6th of June 1944. Period documents, films and objects. Guided tours of the museum, of Pegasus Bridge and of the reproduction of a WWII glider. Guided tour in French or English lasts: 1h30. Novelty: you can now access all museum information on your smartphone via QR Codes on the panels inside the museum grounds. Available in 10 languages: French, English, German, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Swedish, Danish and Czech.

The département of Calvados' leading natural preserved site, the Orne estuary is of major ecological interest. It provides a habitat for a remarkable array of fauna and flora, including many rare species, protected regionally or nationally. Marked walking routes, orienteering tables, information panels and observatories offer visitors the ideal environment to discover the estuary. In the heart of this natural site, the Maison de la nature et de l’estuaire (Nature and estuary centre), the property of the Calvados Council, invites you to discover the estuary's many treasures.

The Nature and Estuary Visitor Centre is the property of the Calvados Council and is managed by the CPIE Vallée de l’Orne. It is a genuine gateway towards nature for one of the vastest natural protected areas in Calvados: the Orne estuary. This interpretation centre offers a fascinating insight into this preserved and highly diverse natural environment. It also organises temporary exhibitions associated with the coast and/or our region’s biodiversity, together with a programme of events, offering visitors a fun way to improve their understanding of nature! A certified ‘Family +’ attraction. Come and get back to nature over a breath of Normandy’s fresh sea air!

The bridges of Ranville and Bénouville were recaptured in the early hours of the night of the 5th to the 6th of June 1944 by the British 5th Parachute Brigade, whose emblem was Pegasus. The bridge over the canal was renamed Pegasus Bridge in memory of this great military feat. Free access to the site, visit free of charge.