The castle's vast 12th-century donjon (keep) was pretty much destroyed after the French Revolution in the late 18th century, so little remains today except its foundations and other vestiges of its once mighty form.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Le Mémorial – Un Musée pour la Paix
1.17 MILES
For a very insightful and vivid account of the entire war, with special focus on the Battle of Normandy, Le Mémorial is unparalleled – it's one of Europe…
16.41 MILES
The world’s most celebrated embroidery depicts the conquest of England by William the Conqueror in 1066 from an unashamedly Norman perspective…
29.42 MILES
Near the waterfront, this luminous and tranquil space houses a fabulous collection of vivid impressionist works – the finest in France outside Paris – by…
18.43 MILES
These mammoth German artillery pieces remain in their colossal concrete emplacements – the only in-situ large-calibre weapons in Normandy. The first…
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Musée d’Art et d’Histoire Baron Gérard
16.6 MILES
Make sure you drop by this museum – one of France’s most gorgeously presented provincial museums – where exhibitions cover everything from Gallo-Roman…
Normandy American Cemetery & Memorial
25.26 MILES
White marble crosses and Stars of David stretch off in seemingly endless rows at the Normandy American Cemetery, situated on a now-serene bluff…
0.15 MILES
Looming above the centre of the city, Caen’s magnificent castle walls – massive battlements overlooking a now dry moat – were established by William the…
16.57 MILES
Most of Bayeux’ spectacular Norman Gothic cathedral dates from the 13th century, though the crypt (take the stairs on the north side of the choir), the…
Nearby Caen attractions
0.06 MILES
Inside the Château de Caen, the Échiquier (more fully the Salle de l’Échiquier) – or the Exchequer – is a venerable building dating from the 12th century.
0.09 MILES
This excellent and well-curated museum takes you on a tour through the history of Western art from the 15th to 21st centuries, including works depicting…
0.1 MILES
Doubling as a very useful tourist information centre, this medieval church within the Château de Caen has gorgeous stained-glass works as well as several…
0.11 MILES
A handy primer for fathoming the character of the region, this two-part museum situated within the former Logis des Gouverneurs in the Château de Caen…
0.12 MILES
The Jardin des Simples is a garden of medicinal and aromatic herbs cultivated during the Middle Ages, some of them poisonous.
0.15 MILES
Looming above the centre of the city, Caen’s magnificent castle walls – massive battlements overlooking a now dry moat – were established by William the…
0.19 MILES
The 15th-century Maison des Quatrans is one of only two prewar buildings left in the city centre near Château de Guillaume le Conquérant, though it lost a…
0.25 MILES
Across from the Château de Caen, the soaring Église St-Pierre was built between the 13th and 16th centuries and was being renovated at the time of writing.