48 hours in Caen

Normandy/2024

In the Calvados region, the city of William the Conqueror and Matilda of Flanders has a country-by-the-sea feel. Between the Orne and Manche rivers, Caen offers a lovely escape through its medieval streets, Renaissance heritage and post-war buildings. With its resolutely student spirit, Caen is preparing to celebrate its millennium in 2025.

"Caen in a few words? It's clear stone and transparent light. It's also about green spaces, of which there are many, and cultural dynamism. Caen has museums, two theaters, two art cinemas, a Frac [Fonds régional d'art contemporain, NDLR], an artothèque... That's quite a lot for a medium-sized town," replies Emmanuelle Delapierre, director of the Musée des beaux-arts de Caen, in a soft voice. Not to mention Les Écuries, a new multidisciplinary cultural venue. For Caen's millennium in 2025, the museum is preparing a major exhibition "that will allow us to see and revisit a thousand years of history and invite us to look to the horizon, as far as possible", explains its director. In the meantime, you can feast your eyes on the museum's temporary exhibitions and top-flight collections. The museum is well guarded behind one of Europe's largest medieval enclosures, the Château de Caen. Built on a promontory around 1060 by William the Conqueror, this ducal castle, currently being landscaped, was home to the Dukes of Normandy and Kings of England. History! It's rich here, happy and sad, like the lyrics of rapper Orelsan, who has dedicated a song to his town. The scars of the Second World War have healed in the town's lively streets. But something imperceptible has remained in the air. The spirits have forgotten nothing. On June 6, 1944, almost 50% of Caen was destroyed by the Allies in their bid to wipe out the Nazis. The city was gradually rebuilt, and the blonde Caen stone harmonized the whole - the same stone used in Westminster Abbey and St. Paul's Cathedral in London. The same is true of the university, designed in 1948 by architect Henry Bernard (responsible for the Maison de la Radio in Paris and the Palais de l'Europe in Strasbourg). Part of the building is listed as a historic monument. Today, the university is home to some 34,000 students. Founded in the 16th century, it continues to shape the city, which was once teeming with printers. There are still some 17 publishing houses and as many independent bookshops specializing in children's books, comics, well-being... Alas, not a single one is dedicated to gastronomy! So take solace in the Memoranda bookshop, covered floor-to-ceiling in old and second-hand books. Upstairs, a friendly café hides away at the end of a steep staircase, which a sign reads "Don't take it for a toboggan, hold on tight". Here, you can enjoy an "elven remedy" herbal tea, accompanied by a homemade scone or chocolate cake, right in front of you. Then you're free to leaf through a recipe book on Caen tripe. For forty years, the people of Caen have been coming to explore the shelves and chat with each other - and even flirt or get to know each other. Here, a different kind of time, gentle and slow, settles in and makes you want to visit the other reading venues. These include the Nouvelle Librairie Guillaume, with its 1903 wooden storefront, and the Alexis de Tocqueville library, with its giant bubble façade designed by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas and his OMA studio. With your nose in the books, you'll almost forget everything else! The astonishing Men's Abbey, founded by William the Conqueror, is an imposing sight, while further on, the Ladies' Abbey seems more humble. On this day, its Trinity Church is open late into the evening. There's no one there, except a hushed silence. Here again, there's a singular "je-ne-sais-quoi", a very special feeling. beyond the sacred. Caen definitely has a special dimension. "It's also a city that breathes between its meadow, its racecourse and its Valley of Gardens," notes lifestyle stylist Laurence du Tilly, author of numerous cookery books. Her three guest apartments - Chez Laurence du Tilly - occupy a private mansion just a stone's throw from Place Saint-Sauveur, where the Friday market is held. Yes, Caen breathes. Here and there, you can smell the scent of roses, and look beyond the high walls to see century-old trees in the beautiful residences. And then there's the botanical garden and the "sleeping cemeteries". "In Caen, you're in the city, in the country and by the sea all at the same time," sums up the designer. The English Channel is 10 kilometers away, with its long beaches. Closer by, the Orne offers calm waters for kayak and electric boat trips without a permit from the Au fil de l'Orne nautical base (April to October). Nature fills the city. The proof is in the pudding: ladybug eggs are distributed to eco-responsible gardeners to combat aphids. A symbol of good fortune.