Mick and I did not know too much about Caen before we decided to spend a day here on our way to our next house sit. Mick though knew much more than me!

Caen was absolutely smashed in WWII during the Battle of Normandy. Many civilians were killed during the Battle for Caen which lasted from June to August 1944 (almost exactly 75 years ago).  Most of the city was destroyed as a result of Allied Bombings and the city has had to be rebuilt.

This photo board shows how the church Saint Pierre lost its spire and bell tower – and you can see in my photo how it has now been replaced.

As we strolled along the Rue Saint-Pierre we noticed these two half-timbered building and a photo board showing how the street looked before the bombings: the street was full of them.

Mick and I had decided not to visit the famous war memorial here, and instead spend our time looking at some of the earlier history of the city which involved William the Conqueror.

We followed this street for some time so we could visit one of the abbeys here – Abbaye-aux-Hommes. There is also an Abbaye-aux-Dames (but our time was limited). The Mairie (on the left) is now attached to the Abbey.

We paid €4 each to enter and explore the courtyard and visit a permanent display to the city’s history in WWII.

Many thousands of civilians sheltered here for the duration of the Battle of Caen, and just how they survived that summer is amazing.

This Abbey was founded in 1063 by William the Conqueror, while the other one in the city was founded by his wife. The pair had them built in atonement for their sin (singular),  and in the hope of preventing their excommunication from the Church. They were in love and got married, but they were cousins.

William’s body is buried inside the Abbey’s Church – Saint Stephen’s.

Out the front of the Mairie there was a beautiful park and garden and another Church. The city seemed full of them.

And another one…

This time with a carousel beside it.

And….

Another one.

But they highlight the style of architecture common in these old buildings that (mostly) survived the bombings. Not sure if it is a common Normandy style, but we might find out. We are going to spend the rest of the month in the region and hopefully we will get to see a lot.

Our next stop is Bayeux, where we will spend a few days based right in the city’s centre. We are hiring a car there as well which will give us flexibility to visit some of the famous locations around there involved in WWII history.