Rouen to Caen and Bayeux: Private day trip

Start at Caen Castle, one of Europe's largest medieval fortifications built by William the Conqueror around 1060 and expanded by successive rulers into a massive defensive complex that controlled the Norman duchy. Explore the ramparts offering panoramic views over the city and visit the Museum of Fine Arts and Museum of Normandy housed within the castle walls, featuring collections from medieval art to Norman ethnography that tell the story of Norman culture and conquest. Walk to the Abbaye aux Hommes (Men's Abbey) with its stunning Romanesque Saint-Étienne church where William the Conqueror is buried beneath a simple marble slab, and marvel at the soaring Norman architecture that influenced cathedral building across Europe and England. Visit the Abbaye aux Dames (Women's Abbey) founded by Queen Matilda with its beautiful Holy Trinity church featuring remarkable Romanesque architecture and the queen's tomb, creating a perfect pair of royal foundations. End at the comprehensive Memorial Museum of Caen, a moving tribute to World War II history with extensive exhibits about D-Day, the Battle of Normandy, the Holocaust, and the path to peace that places the Norman landings in global context and explains how this Norman city became central to liberation. Stroll through the reconstructed city center showcasing both medieval heritage that survived the 1944 bombing and impressive post-war architecture that rebuilt this resilient Norman capital with modern urban planning principles. Verify the museum's entry hours and purchase tickets online in advance: https://www.memorial-caen.com/your-visit/rates/

Discover Bayeux and its world-famous Bayeux Tapestry, an extraordinary 70-meter-long embroidered narrative depicting the Norman Conquest of England in 1066 with remarkable detail and medieval storytelling techniques. Study this UNESCO Memory of the World masterpiece in the specially designed museum that protects and displays this irreplaceable medieval artwork, learning about the conquest from the Norman perspective through vivid scenes of battles, feasts, and the dramatic events leading to the Battle of Hastings. Visit the magnificent Bayeux Cathedral, a masterpiece of Norman Romanesque and Gothic architecture where the tapestry was originally displayed, featuring soaring towers, intricate stone carvings, and stunning stained glass windows that tell the story of Norman Christianity and power. Explore the beautifully preserved medieval center with its half-timbered houses, cobblestone streets, and traditional Norman architecture that survived both the medieval period and World War II virtually intact. Walk through the peaceful old town discovering artisan shops, traditional restaurants serving Norman specialties like calvados-flamed dishes and local cheeses, and the Bayeux War Cemetery where Commonwealth soldiers who died during the D-Day landings and Battle of Normandy are buried in peaceful remembrance of their sacrifice for freedom.