Caen
Caen is a historic city in northern France, the capital of Normandy and the administrative centre of the region and of the Calvados department. Set on the River Orne, close to the English Channel, it has around 112 thousand inhabitants, with 220 thousand in its wider urban area. Known for its automotive and pharmaceutical industries, it has a commercial port and a ferry link with Portsmouth. Its major landmarks are the 11th-century abbeys: the Abbaye aux Hommes, where William the Conqueror is buried, and the Abbaye aux Dames. The best time to visit is summer, when temperatures are mild.
