Voie verte de Merville-Franceville à Caen

The beach is accessible: - From the main parking lot - From Kite-r Evolution - From the playground - From Avenue Jean Mermoz - From the Avenue de la côte Fleurie - From the Parking des Mouettes -From the Magniez parking lot 3 first aid posts are open in July and August every day from 12:00 to 18:30 (02 31 24 22 39). A Tiralo is available for people with reduced mobility at the N1 first aid post at the same times. Toilets and showers as well as baby changing facilities are also available at this same station. To know the supervised and unsupervised areas, please refer to the attached document In July and August, you have the possibility to rent beach baskets directly on the spot, next to the first aid post N1 : - 6€ for half a day - 10€ for one day - 50€ for a week - 150€ for one month Unless special arrangements are made, dogs are allowed all year round on the beach but must be kept on a leash. However, from 1 July to 31 August, they are prohibited in the area between the western end of the bathing area of the N3 aid post and the eastern end of the bathing area of the N2 aid post between 9 am and 8 pm. They remain authorised all day long to the East of the N2 station. Horses are allowed on the beach under the following conditions: - From 16 June to 30 September from 5am to 9am and after 8pm: only between the eastern end of the town and the parking des Mouettes and between the Orne Estuary and the Kite-Surf marked out area and this only 2 hours before and 2 hours after the official low tide time. - The rest of the year: every day except Saturdays, Sundays, bridges and public holidays where they are only allowed before 10am and after 7pm on the whole beach. The main part is bordered by a pleasant promenade. The two extremities are wilder with the appearance of some dunes.

The wind whistles through the poplars as ducks and swans rub shoulders with the seagulls. Making fast in Ouistreham rimes with stopping over in a marina with a truly bucolic atmosphere. The marina is calm, spacious and well-equipped. As you arrive, you will encounter ferries and local fishing boats. Nestling on the banks of the canal that leads to Caen, just a stone’s throw from the famous Pegasus Bridge, the marina is an excellent departure point for visiting William the Conqueror’s city, the beaches and casinos of the Côte de Nacre coast, or even the birds in Sallenelles bay.

Near to Pegasus Bridge: 2,562 graves.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.