Come face to face with history at the Mémorial de Caen! Inaugurated in 1988 and part of the International Network of Museums for Peace, the Mémorial, located on Esplanade Eisenhower in Caen, a martyr city that was almost totally destroyed by bombings in the Second World War, is a 20th-century history museum dedicated to peace.

From the origins of the Second World War to the Cold War, from the Holocaust to the Battle of Normandy, and from the end of the Second World War to the fall of the Berlin Wall, the museum explores the world before and after 1945. The bloody events of the century are analysed using documents, photos and archive footage, as well as historical artefacts that once belonged to civilians or soldiers.

What events paved the way for the Second World War? How did people live under the Occupation? What forms of resistance and repression were there? The Mémorial de Caen aims to answer all these questions.

Its focus on education makes it a first-rate museum for teaching the younger generations and passing on the duty of remembrance.

Good to know: the Mémorial also organises guided tours of the D-Day beaches, including Omaha Beach, Le Hoc headland, the American cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer and Arromanches artificial harbour.

Capital of Lower Normandy, Caen is also the city of the dukes of Normandy. In spite of the bombardments of June 1944, the City of Art and History has preserved its beautiful architectural heritage. The Abbaye-aux-Hommes abbey founded by William the Conqueror, whose Saint-Etienne church is a wonderful example of The Romanesque art, the Abbaye-aux-Dames abbey founded by the queen Mathilde, the Saint-Pierre church, the Duke's castle which boasts numerous viewpoints of the city, and the many mansions, such as the Renaissance Escoville residence, are some of the sites to be seen or visited.

Not to be missed, the Caen Memorial is a Peace museum tracing history from 1918 to our days.

A contemporary building created within the walls of William the Conqueror's ducal castle houses the Caen Museum of Fine Arts, in the capital of Calvados.

From the 14th century to the present day, around 350 paintings provide a complete overview of European painting. The French, Italian, Flemish and Dutch collections spanning the 16th and 17th centuries, as well as a unique set of etchings, make it one of France's most important museums.

The collections covering the 16th and 17th century include Perugino, Veronese, Tintoretto, Poussin, Champaigne, Rubens and Ruysdael; for the 18th century, Boucher, Rigaud and Tiepolo; for the 19th century, Romantic and Realist painters such as Courbet, Delacroix and Géricault, Impressionists like Monet and Boudin; then Cubists and contemporaries such as Braque, Dufy and Soulages.

Don't miss the prints room, with a total of around 50,000 works making up the Mancel Collection, and an extensive programme of activities for adults, families and young people.

To round off the visit, a walk in the sculpture park is a must, to see masterpieces by Rodin, Bourdelle, Marta Pan, Huang Yong Ping and Alain Kirili.

The first museum designed to commemorate 6 June 1944 and the Battle of Normandy, the D-Day Museum in Arromanches-les-Bains opened in 1954.

Built opposite the still visible remains of the artificial harbour built for the D-Day landings, the museum tells the story of the Allied forces' arrival, known as Operation Overlord, and describes how Arromanches harbour worked.

In the night of 5 to 6 June 1944, the first parachute drops preceded the arrival of a fleet of around 5,000 Allied ships on the Norman coasts, from which 130,000 American, British and Canadian soldiers disembarked. One by one, at a cost of very heavy losses, the strategic targets were reached: Bénouville Bridge, Pegasus Bridge, the Merville battery and Sainte-Mère-Église. The Battle of Normandy had begun. The D-Day Museum tells the whole story of this great page in history, and gives an idea of the logistical challenge that was the Allied forces' D-Day adventure on the beaches of Normandy, including the construction of the artificial harbour, which was carried over the sea in pieces and assembled in front of Arromanches. This masterpiece of engineering played a key role in victory in Europe.

In the heart of Normandy, the Bayeux Tapestry Museum, along with the Battle of Normandy Memorial Museum and the Baron Gérard Museum of Art and History, is one of the three sites of the Bayeux Museum brand, designed to tell the story of the town.

Almost 70 metres long and 50 centimetres high, the famous 11th-century tapestry tells the epic story of the conquest of England in 1066 by William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy, before his accession to the English throne following the Battle of Hastings.

Housed in the former Grand Seminary, this masterpiece of Romanesque art, sometimes called "Queen Matilda's Tapestry", also tells the story of life in medieval Europe. This perfectly preserved piece of cloth, which weighs no less than 350 kilos, has been listed on the UNESCO "Memory of the World" register since 2007. In late 2025, this exceptional exhibit will be relocated to a new, purpose-built museum building.

An audioguide in 16 languages, along with a commentary adapted for youngsters, helps people understand its history and how it was made. As well as the scenes depicted in wool yarn on this piece of linen, the museum also tells its story through a permanent exhibition and a film.

Spared during the war, the medieval town of Bayeux has preserved a rich architectural heritage. The historic centre is superbly intact and is a wonderful place for walkers, with its Gothic cathedral and old narrow streets lined with mansions and old timber-framed residences. Not to be missed, the Guillaume-le-Conquérant centre is home to the famous Bayeux tapestry, said in France to be by Queen Mathilde, his wife. Made in the 11th century, this woollen embroidery of 70 metres in length and 50 centimeters in height, redraw the conquest of England by the duke of Normandy, William the Conqueror.

Bayeux is also home to the Battle of Normandy Memorial Museum which offers a complete overview of this event in history.

The tradition of bobbin lace in Bayeux, a medieval town in the Bessin area, dates from the 18th century. Entirely devoted to bobbin lace, the Lace conservatoire situated in the historic centre of the city is a workshop that perpetuates the know-how of traditional lacemakers.

In Bayeux, Calvados, not far from the D-Day beaches, you can visit the leading museum about the Battle of Normandy, from its beginnings to the end of August 1944.

As they fought to restore freedom to Europe, the Allied armies had to drive back the enemy and forge a path to liberate the capital, an aim which they achieved on 25 August, at a cost of very heavy civilian and military losses.

With a display and a themed trail in chronological order designed for all audiences, the museum tells the story of these two-and-a-half months of strategic fighting.

There is an explanatory film for visitors, who can also see period objects, cannons, handguns, machines and military costumes from various army corps.

A must-see museum, to be combined with a visit to the D-Day Museum in Arromanches-les-Bains or the Mémorial de Caen, before going to discover the D-Day beaches.

Situated on the Cider trail, the village of Beuvron-en-Auge is an essential place to visit of the Pays d'Auge. Its central square and its timber-framed covered market hall are surrounded by magnificent houses. Near the main square, there is a magnificent 16th-century timber-framed manor house with carved beams.

Cabourg is an elegant seaside resort of the Côte Fleurie (Flower coast) has preserved its cachet, with its beautiful villas, its Grand Hotel, its Casino, pleasant pedestrianised seafront, its beautiful fine sand beach, and its romantic Marcel-Proust walk.

Dotted with apple trees, the Pays d'Auge and its hilly prairies extend over the Calvados, the Orne, and the Eure départements. In the spring, when apple trees are blooming, the landscapes are particularly bucolic. In the Calvados, walkers will come across numerous farms and half-timbered manor houses. Really charming, these timber-framed buildings constitute a wonderful heritage that should not be missed! Open to visitors, the Crèvecoeur-en-Auge castle and the Saint-Germain-de-Livet castle are worth a visit. This area, with its numerous stud farms, is famous for race horse breeding.

The Pays d'Auge is also famous for its gastronomic products. Cider, calvados and the Camembert, pont-l'évêque, and livarot cheeses, will definitely be a hit with fans of fine food.

The Balleroy castle, a majestic 17th-century building, is home to a hot-air balloon museum.

The fishing port of Port-en-Bessin, with its typical trawlers moored alongside the quays, is very picturesque.

Birth place of William the Conqueror, Falaise's main attractions are the castle, where the duke of Normandy was born in 1027, as well as its fortified surrounding wall with its portals and towers.

Furnished interiors, the Miniature Furniture museum, and a garden featuring water fountains are some of the features of the Vendeuvre castle dating from the 18th century.

A combination of green prairies, woods, and abrupt hillsides, the Suisse Normande (an area reminiscent of Switzerland) is a destination that is very popular with nature lovers. Between Thury-Harcourt and Pont-d'Ouilly, the Orne valley is the perfect destination for sports enthusiasts. Around the picturesque village of Clécy, the rocky cliffs lining the river attract numerous rock-climbers. The Orne valley is also great for practicing water activities, such as canoeing and kayaking. An unspoiled place combining sport and nature!

Well-known all over the world, Deauville is a high-society seaside resort renowned for its festivities and its prestigious establishments. Big hotels and luxury shops, charming villas, racecourse, casino and thalassotherapy centre are just some of its key features. Following the long fine sand beach, the Planches boardwalk is lined with beach huts carrying the names of American stars. Prestigious events, such as the American Cinema festival, horse races, the world polo championship, and yearling sales contribute to its fame.

In the heart of the wild and peaceful Swiss Normandy (Suisse Normande), in the district of Saint-Philbert-sur-Orne, stands Oëtre rock, a natural viewpoint (with viewpoint indicator) offering a superb panoramic view over the Rouvre gorges and surrounding wooded landscapes. A footpath leads down to a lower terrace where you can admire the rock's human profile shape.

This classified site is the departure point for a number of walking trails.

Capital of the Pays d'Auge, the city of Lisieux offers a beautiful religious heritage, with its Gothic Saint-Pierre church, and its Sainte-Thérèse basilica built in the 20th century and containing magnificent mosaics.

When you hear the name of Le Havre, its port is the first thing that springs to mind. Yet this city in Seine-Maritime has many tales to tell. Much of the city was destroyed by bombing in 1944, and was rebuilt after the war by Auguste Perret. Many of its monuments are symbols of this rebirth today. The city centre's resolutely modern and surprising architecture earned Le Havre UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 2005!

Charged with putting the city back on its feet, the architect created bright and functional homes, as evidenced by the Perret Show Flat: a visit there will take you right back to the 50s. Built in memory of the bombing victims, the majestic Church of St. Joseph, which has a New York skyscraper feel to it, overlooks the entire city. An architectural masterpiece of the 20th century, the building is one of France's listed Historic Monuments (Monuments Historiques), and is distinguished by its impressive 107-metre-high octagonal lantern tower! Inside, the innumerable multi-coloured stained glass windows are truly admirable...

Another exceptional place to discover is the Hanging Gardens, which are certified Remarkable Gardens (Jardins Remarquables) and Botanical Gardens of France and French-speaking Countries (Jardins botaniques de France et des pays francophones). Located in a former fort in Sainte-Adresse overlooking the Bay of Seine, its themed landscaped gardens offer a splendid view of the sea and Le Havre!

Consisting of two buildings in the shape of a volcano, the Oscar Niemeyer Centre, built in the late 1970s by the famous Brazilian architect, and the André Malraux Museum of Modern Art, with its remarkable Impressionist and Fauvist collections from the 19th and 20th centuries, will delight lovers of art and culture. Interested in finding out how the Le Havre bourgeoisie lived in the 18th century? Head to the Ship-owner's House (Maison de l'Armateur), a five-storey museum house where rooms with exotic wood floors unfold around an octagonal skylight.

Your visit to Le Havre would not be complete without a trip to the port, which stretches for some thirty kilometres. Founded at the beginning of the 16th century at the behest of Francis I, it is one of France's largest commercial ports today. You will be able to see huge cargo ships and liners that have come for a stopover. Board the Ville du Havre II and enjoy an outing exploring the port and the Bay of Seine.

At the entrance to Le Havre harbour and near the harbour master's office, in a contemporary building where light and space reign supreme, stands the André Malraux Museum of Modern Art.

In the city rebuilt by the architect Auguste Perret, the museum which was inaugurated in 1961 by André Malraux, Minister of Culture at the time, and restructured between 1995 and 1999, has one of France's most extensive Impressionist collections, including works by Renoir, Monet, Pissarro, Sisley, Degas, Boudin and more.

Its architecture, a masterpiece of modernity, is emphasised by a monumental sculpture, Le Signal by Henri Georges Adam, which stands proudly on the museum forecourt.

The MuMa offers a tour of 14 unmissable exhibits (works by Van Dongen, Dubuffet, Vallotton, Renoir, Manet, Monet, Degas, etc.), paintings from the 15th to the 20th century, collections of sculptures, photographs and graphic arts, as well as a young visitors' trail and themed walks, not forgetting temporary exhibitions and special events.