La Vélomaritime - La Vélo Francette : Voie verte de Caen à Ouistreham ( Canal de l'Orne)

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.

This genuine plant museum, located in the heart of the town, offers several thousand species, some of them rare. Plant collection, typical Lower Normandy flora, exotic plant greenhouses. Medicinal garden, rockery, horticultural collections and children's play area. Horticultural tips for private gardeners from 8 to 12 a.m. and from 1.30 to 5 p.m. from Monday to Friday except public holidays, either on site or over the phone. Closure subject to seasonal variations. Unaccompanied visit lasts 1h30 to 2 hours. Guided group tours of the greenhouses and the garden by appointment.

Located in the immediate vicinity of the D-Day Landing beaches, the Mémorial de Caen visitor centre is among the must-see sites focusing on the Battle of Normandy and 20th century history. From the origins of World War II to the end of the Cold War, museographical displays tell of these dark pages of 20th century history. Caen, bombarded during the summer of 1944, a liberated yet martyred city, deserved a tribute well worthy of the suffering it endured. Such is the aim of the Mémorial de Caen, but via action with a perpetual perspective - that of reconciliation. Over your visit, you will discover the historic events that marked World War II, from the onslaught of Nazism to the Normandy landings, via the Holocaust. Several films ensure a comprehensive and diversified visit. A museum area is specially devoted to the Cold War and to press illustrations. Constantly renewed for over ten years, the centre is at the heart of current reflection on the place of History in our societies. New film, ‘1944: Saving Europe’. Audio guides are available in French, English, German, Spanish, Italian and Dutch. Guided tours available through the trail focusing on World War II. You can also complete your visit over a guided tour of the D-Day Landing beaches or a city tour of Caen.

One of France’s finest Fine Arts Museums in the field of 16th to 20th century European painters, boasting an exceptional collection of engravings and organising temporary international exhibitions. In 2017: Marc Desgrandchamps, Dutch and Flemish painting in the 16th and 17th centuries. Opening of a Cubist exhibition room. Land art in the heart of the sculpture park, hosting ‘Ceiling Light’ by Jaakko Pernu, alongside Bourdelle, Rodin, Marta Pan, Huang Yong Ping and Morellet. Activities for visitors of all ages from age 3: family tours, workshops, tasting sessions, conferences, concerts, dance, cinema, etc. Fine arts book store and gift shop, restaurant-café Mancel, library. Unaccompanied tour lasts: 2 hours. Or guided tour in French or English: 1 hour. 2017 exhibition, ‘L'attention au réel. Art flamand et hollandais. Collections du musée d'Art et d'Histoire de Genève et du musée des Beaux-Arts de Caen’. (Attention to realism, Flemish and Dutch art. Collections from the Geneva Museum of Art and History and the Fine Arts Museum in Caen. Ticket sales at the Church of St. George within the castle enclosure.

Founded in 1063 by William the Conqueror, the Benedictine abbey of Saint Etienne (Saint Stephen) in Caen was consecrated in 1077. The 18th century monastic buildings housing the cloister, the wood-panelled rooms hung with paintings, and the Guardroom are today home to the Caen Town Hall. William the Conqueror is laid to rest in the abbey church. Guided tours : - In French, from October 1st to March 31th from monday to friday at 10:30am and 2:30pm. On Sundays (only during school holidays) at 10:30am, 2:30pm and 4pm. - From July 1st to August 31th : in french, every day at 10am, 11am, 12:30pm, 2pm, 3pm, 4pm and 5:30pm. In English every day at 11am, 1:30pm and 4pm.

Founded around 1060 by Matilda, wife of William the Conqueror, this abbey for Benedictine nuns enjoyed great renown from the 11th century to the French Revolution. Its abbey church - the Holy Trinity church. Its 18th century convent buildings are now home to the Lower Normandy Regional Council. Guided tours every day at 2.30 p.m. and 4 p.m. Visits in both French and English - 1 hour 15 minutes.

The Ornavik historic park near Caen is a vast project to reproduce a 10th-11th century Norman village. Find out all you ever wanted to know about the birth of Normandy, thanks to the site’s Carolingian village, Viking area and castle mound. Not only does Ornavik offer you an opportunity to learn history, but also to relive it! As soon as you enter the park, you will find yourself totally immersed amidst traditional craftsmen, warriors, merchants, aristocrats and other period characters. The project is made possible thanks to the steadfast commitment of around a hundred volunteers, support from local companies and funding from regional authorities.

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 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.

Set off and conquer the town’s red and white guardian: Ouistreham lighthouse! Take a deep breath and defy the 171 steps of its spiral staircase. Your efforts will be duly rewarded. From a height of 38 metres, marvel in the 360° panorama over the town and the horizon - as far as the eye can see. Make sure you take home a panoramic picture. And don’t forget, you can see them, but the boats out at sea can also see you, from 16 nautical miles away! You’ll probably see the Mont Saint-Michel or the Normandy - the Brittany Ferries car ferries that link Ouistreham Riva-Bella with Portsmouth - pass by. Open on Saturdays and Sundays from 2.30 to 6pm in July and August. Unaccompanied tour: €3

The most easterly of the D-Day Landing Beaches, Sword Beach is the codename given to those stretching from Colleville-Montgomery to Ouistreham Riva-Bella. It is the only beach upon which French troops landed on D-Day. Led by Commandant Kieffer, 177 French soldiers from the 1e Bataillon de Fusiliers Marins Commandos, landed on Sword Beach along with British troops on the 6th of June 1944. The French commando liberated part of Riva-Bella, whereas the British troops were in charge of the east beach sector and Ouistreham’s harbour and town centre.