Getting there & Getting around

Getting there

Caen-Carpiquet Airport (02 31 71 20 10) is 5km (3.1mi) west of the city. Regular services, mainly offered by Brit Air and Chalair Aviation, fly to several French cities via Lyon; the only regular UK destination is Manchester. Call 02 31 52 17 89 for a taxi from the airport to town centre. Brittany Ferries (www.brittanyferries.com) sail from Ouistreham, 14km (8.7mi) northeast of Caen, to Portsmouth, England (6hr, two to four daily).

Bus Verts (08 10 21 42 14) serves destinations including Bayeux (1hr, three daily, Mon-Fri), Courselles-sur-Mer (30min, hourly, five Sun), Deauville-Trouville (1.25hr, hourly) and the ferry port at Ouistreham (25min, six daily, Mon-Sat; one Sun). It also runs daily buses to Le Havre (1.5-2.5hr, four to seven daily). Most buses stop at Caen's bus station and place Courtonne. When leaving or arriving in Caen by bus, your ticket will be valid for public transport to or from the bus station.

The A13, a toll road, connects Caen with Paris, while the toll-free A84 will get you into Brittany. Car rental places - mostly by the train station - include Hertz, Europcar, Avis and ADA.

Caen is on the Paris-Cherbourg train line. There are regular services to Paris' Gare St-Lazare (2.5hr, 10 direct daily), Bayeux (20min, 18-20 daily), Cherbourg (3.25hr, 12 daily), Pontorson (2.5hr, nine or 10 daily) and Rouen (2hr, six to 10 daily). Visit the SNCF Boutique (8 rue St-Pierre) for information and reservations.

Getting around

CTAC (www.twisto.fr) runs several of the city's efficient buses. In recent years Caen introduced a controversial 'guided light transit' (GLT) system - similar to a tram and thought unnecessary by much of the population during their construction. Lines run from the train station via the city centre and place St-Pierre, outside the tourist office. Opt for a value 24hr ticket over a single fare if you'll be using the system a bit.

For taxis call either 02 31 26 62 00 or 02 31 52 17 89.

Caen's modern heart is easy to navigate on foot. Avenue du 6 Juin links the centre, at the southern end of the chateau, with the canal and train station to the southeast.