Car Hire in Caen

Located just a couple of miles from the English channel, Caenis world famous for being the home of William the Conqueror. The town itself was founded by William the Conqueror in the 11th century and has become popular with tourists all over the world, who enjoy the castle, roman ruins and beautiful architecture on offer.

Caenhas a number of hotels, restaurants and cafes and is a wonderful place to come on holiday, to use as a base to explore the north ofFrance, or to visit for the day. Getting aroundCaenand the surrounding area is easiest if you hire a car, and with 1000 years of history, you won’t be short of things to do in and around the town.

Caenis also a little under two hours from the capital, so those hiring a car can go and enjoy the sights and sounds ofParisfor the day if they want.

Things to do when hiring a car inCaen

Caen Memorial Musuem

TheCaenMemorialMuseumis one of the most popular tourist destinations in the town and visitors will be able to see why. Featuring a number of different exhibitions about the war, and a permanent exhibit which features D-Day, by the hour, the museum is a must see for World War Two enthusiasts, and is a real eye opener for just about anyone.

Children under ten and seniors go for free, but adults will have to pay the rather steep 17 euros to get in. We believe it’s well worth the money though.

Caen Castle

This time free to visit,CaenCastlewas once the most feared medieval fortress inEurope, and was built in 1060 by William the Conqeuror. It’s massive, and is one of the largest ever built. Inside the castle you can vivit the Musee des Beaux-Arts, which is one of the best museums for fans of European Art.

Musee De Normandie

Also found in the castle walls is theMuseumofNormandy, and it gives a fascinating insight into the history of the region ofNormandy, from well before the two World Wars to the present day. Free to visit and free parking makes it ideal for those who have hired a car.

Abbaye-aux-Hommes

One of two wonderful abbeys built by William the Conqueror and his wife, the Abbaye-aux-Hommes was built to make up for the sin of their marriage. They were found to be distant cousins resulting in their excommunication by the pope. Williams tomb can be found in the church here, although his remains have long since been destroyed by those angry at his rule.

Atlantic Wall Museum

Also known as the Grand Bunker museum, this museum gives a stunning insight into all the obstacles met by allied troops invading the beaches ofNormandy, and how they fought through the inland resistance put up by German troops.

Only 6 euros for adults and 3 euros for children, this museum has free parking for your hired car and is well worth a visit.

Beaches

With the D-Day beaches very close toCaen, a visit would not be complete without driving to one of the beaches to imagine the scale of what happened there in the past.