Ferry to Caen (Ouistreham)

Caen (Ouistreham)

For British visitors the ferry arrives at Ouistreham, at the mouth of the canal that links Caen to the sea, and the first thing to know is that you are minutes from one of the most famous bridges of the Second World War. In the early hours of 6 June 1944 glider troops under Major John Howard landed beside the Bénouville canal bridge and captured it intact, an action that opened the Normandy landings. The bridge is now known as Pegasus Bridge, the original span is displayed in the grounds of the Pegasus Memorial museum nearby, and the Café Gondrée next door is still run by the family who lived there in 1944. Caen itself has an older link with England: the pale limestone quarried around the city was shipped across the Channel and helped to build the White Tower at the Tower of London, parts of Westminster Abbey and Canterbury Cathedral.

The ferry port at Caen

Where the ferries leave from: The ferry terminal is at Ouistreham, at the mouth of the Caen canal, about 15 kilometres north of Caen.

By road: The terminal is signposted "Car Ferry" from the main roads around Caen. Allow around 30 minutes by car from the city.

By bus: Twisto bus 61 links Ouistreham with Caen, with a stop about 500 yards from the terminal, but it does not run for evening ferry arrivals or departures. FlixBus also runs a coach service between the terminal and Paris.

Facilities: The terminal has a cafeteria and bar, showers and a bureau de change.