Calvados district, Normandy, France

Places to visit near Caen

Caen is a city in Calvados district, Normandy, France, home to about 110,624 people. Within 50 km by road there are 142 places to visit — 61 forts & heritage, 58 churches, 6 museums and 5 beaches & coast. The must-see places are Collégiale du Saint-Sépulcre (1 km), Musée des Beaux Arts (1 km) and Château de Caen (1 km).

Updated · Distances are road estimates · Open Caen on the map

Caen, Normandy
Caen, Calvados district, Normandy, France. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

Caen at a glance

Location
Calvados district, Normandy, France
Population
about 110,624
Coordinates
49.1859° N, 0.3591° W
Places within 50 km
142 (142 must-see)
Best time to visit
October to February for forts & heritage; October to March for beaches & coast; year-round for churches and museums

Top places to visit near Caen

Ranked by how worth the drive they are from Caen: must-see places and the closest well-loved spots first. Open a place for photos, today’s visitor status, timings and directions.

More places near Caen

Things to see near Caen, by type

Forts & heritage near Caen

118 forts & heritage within 100 km of Caen. The closest is Église Saint-Gilles (1 km). Best time: october to february.

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Churches near Caen

107 churches within 100 km of Caen. The closest is Collégiale du Saint-Sépulcre (1 km). Best time: year-round.

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Museums near Caen

16 museums within 100 km of Caen. The closest is Musée des Beaux Arts (1 km). Best time: year-round.

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Beaches & coast near Caen

12 beaches & coast within 100 km of Caen. The closest is Phare de Ouistreham (17 km). Best time: october to march.

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Wildlife, forests & gardens near Caen

11 wildlife, forests & gardens within 100 km of Caen. The closest is Jardin Botanique (35 km). Best time: november to march for sightings.

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Parks near Caen

6 parks within 100 km of Caen. The closest is Parc Michel d'Ornano (1 km). Best time: year-round, evenings.

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A one-day trip from Caen

5 of the best places within 60 km, in driving order so you don’t double back: about 5 km on the road.

  1. Start in Caen
  2. 1 km Église Saint-Sauveur · church, Calvados
  3. 1 km Château de Caen · church, Calvados
  4. 1 km Musée des Beaux Arts · museum, Calvados
  5. 1 km Collégiale du Saint-Sépulcre · church, Calvados
  6. 1 km Église Saint-Gilles · heritage site, Calvados
  7. 0 km Back to Caen

Plan a longer trip from Caen — the planner adds a place to stay each night and keeps the route to one loop.

From travellers near Caen

No traveller has reported from around Caen yet. Been to one of these places recently? Open it and post what you found — is the waterfall flowing, how crowded was the temple, is the beach safe — so the next visitor knows before they drive.

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How to reach Caen

    All places near Caen by distance

    Within 15 km of Caen

    15–50 km — half-day trips

    50–100 km — one-day trips

    Count by type (within 100 km)

    Places near Caen by type
    TypeWithin 50 kmWithin 100 kmNearest
    Forts & heritage61118Église Saint-Gilles (1 km)
    Churches58107Collégiale du Saint-Sépulcre (1 km)
    Museums616Musée des Beaux Arts (1 km)
    Beaches & coast512Phare de Ouistreham (17 km)
    Wildlife, forests & gardens311Jardin Botanique (35 km)
    Parks26Parc Michel d'Ornano (1 km)
    Other attractions46Abbaye d'Ardenne (5 km)
    Hill stations & viewpoints23Mont Pinçon (39 km)
    Caves12Grottes de l'Anguillère (17 km)
    Lakes, dams & reservoirs01Vieux Bassin (63 km)
    Buddhist sites01Vajradhara-Ling (71 km)
    Temples01Temple for Peace (71 km)
    Treks01La Forêt d'Ecouves (95 km)

    Caen: questions travellers ask

    What are the best places to visit near Caen?

    Collégiale du Saint-Sépulcre (church, about 1 km), Musée des Beaux Arts (museum, about 1 km), Château de Caen (church, about 1 km), Église Saint-Gilles (heritage site, about 1 km), Église Saint-Sauveur (church, about 1 km), Monument à Charles Demolombe (monument, about 1 km).

    How many tourist places are there within 50 km of Caen?

    142 places on Spotwander: 61 forts & heritage, 58 churches, 6 museums, 5 beaches & coast, 3 wildlife, forests & gardens.

    Which is the nearest fort to Caen?

    Église Saint-Gilles, about 1 km by road; Monument à Charles Demolombe (1 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest church to Caen?

    Collégiale du Saint-Sépulcre, about 1 km by road; Château de Caen (0 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest museum to Caen?

    Musée des Beaux Arts, about 1 km by road; Mémorial Pégasus (11 km) is next.

    What is a good one-day trip from Caen?

    Start in Caen, visit Église Saint-Sauveur, then Château de Caen, then Musée des Beaux Arts, then Collégiale du Saint-Sépulcre, then Église Saint-Gilles, and drive back — about 5 km by road in all.

    What is the best time to visit places near Caen?

    October to February for forts & heritage; October to March for beaches & coast; year-round for churches and museums.

    Towns near Caen

    Sources: places from OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata and GeoNames; Caen’s location and population from GeoNames; see also Caen on Wikipedia. Data sources & credits.