Making Time for Gratitude: A Canadian Road Trip to Normandy’s D-Day and World War II Beaches

The D-Day connection to Caen

Caen (pronounced ‘Kahn’) is only 10 minutes from the D-Day beaches and was almost completely destroyed in WW2. When it was liberated by the Canadian 3rd Infantry Division on July 4, 1944, almost 75 per cent of the city had been levelled.  Incredibly, its famous Abbaye aux Hommes founded by William the Conquerer in 1063 survived, due to the red cross marking it as a hospital on its roof. Now a bustling university town with more than 30,000 students, Caen’s now restored streets are full of small shops, bookstores and half-timbered houses, including the red Maison des Quatrans at 25 Rue de Geôle, the oldest house in Caen, built in the 1460s. There are a pair of 16th-century half-timbered houses at 52 and 54 Rue Saint-Pierre, and some that survived the bombings in the medieval Vaugueux District, which is near the Cathedral.

Caen is famously known as the hometown of William the Conqueror, who became King of England in 1066, marking the beginning of Norman rule in England. After parking the car at my hotel, I walk through the shopping area to Chateau de Caen/Caen Castle for a striking view of the city. Built around 1060 by William the Conqueror, Caen Castle is now home to the Musée de Normandie (Normandy Museum) and the Musée des Beaux Arts (Museum of Fine Arts). It is free to enter the castle grounds.

Another main sight in Caen is Benedictine Abbey of Saint-Étienne, also known as Abbaye aux Hommes, founded in 1063. Although there is a tomb for William the Conquerer in the Church, it is believed that all that remains is a single thigh bone. William’s wife, Matilda of Flanders, commissioned a Women’s Abbey on the other side of the city.

Where to eat: Horace, located in the historic and charming Vaugueux district, near Caen Castle. Look for bookstores with cafes, like Memoranda Café.  For something more upscale, try The Carlotta.

Where to stay:  Le Clos Saint-Martin, a beautifully restored 16th-century historic mansion near the city centre. There are only six rooms on three floors; I stayed in the Blue Room on the second floor; however, there are no elevators. Street parking is available nearby.