Is Caen Castle free to visit?

Access to the grounds and ramparts is free; only the museum collections inside the enclosure require a ticket.

Who built Caen Castle?

It was founded around 1060 by William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy, with the stone keep and Exchequer hall added around 1120 under Henry I Beauclerc.

Is the keep of Caen Castle still standing?

The keep was levelled after the French Revolution; visitors can now see its remains and foundations uncovered by archaeological excavations.

What can be visited inside the enclosure?

The site includes the governors' lodge, the Exchequer hall, the church of Saint-Georges and the ramparts, as well as the Museum of Normandy housed there.

Castle of Caen

Caen

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Tickets and prices

Free for The château park is open access for everyone

Prices and tickets on the château’s website

Where: Caen

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To make a day of it

Open within 20 km

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This week in the agenda

Château de Caen stands in Caen (Calvados), in the Normandie region of France. The building is listed as a historic monument (dating recorded in the Mérimée database: second half of the 11th century, 12th century, 14th century, 15th century, 16th century, 17th century, 18th century, 19th century). Its opening hours and prices have not been verified at the source yet.

Founded around 1060 by William the Conqueror, Caen Castle overlooks the city from a fortified enclosure that ranks among the largest in medieval Europe. Nearly a thousand years of history unfold here, from ducal residence to military barracks, through the keep levelled after the Revolution, the governors' lodge, the Exchequer hall built under Henry I Beauclerc, and the Romanesque church of Saint-Georges. The ramparts can be walked freely, while part of the interior buildings houses the Museum of Normandy.

This place also features in William the Conqueror’s castles

What to know

The castle grounds and ramparts are open daily with free access, except on 14 July.
Entering the fortified enclosure requires no ticket, unlike the museum collections housed inside it.
The site covers a large enclosure with several separate buildings, so visitors should expect some walking.
The original keep was levelled after the Revolution, leaving only ruins and archaeological traces today.

Practical information

Opening hours

Parc du château: tous les jours de 7h30 à 22h30
pavillon d'accueil et billetterie: en semaine 9h30-12h30 / 13h30-18h, les week-ends et jours fériés 11h-18h, les 24 et 31 décembre jusqu'à 16h
ouvert tous les jours en juillet et août, lundi de Pâques et lundi de Pentecôte, du mardi au dimanche le reste de l'année

Annual closures : 14 July; 1 January; 1 May; 1 November; 25 December (reception pavilion closed on certain public holidays)

Prices

Free for The château park is open access for everyone

Visit duration: Not verified
Wheelchair access: Not verified
Dogs: Not verified
Parking: Not verified

On site

Gift shop

Where this château is

Caen · Calvados · Normandie

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This châteauChâteaux within 40 km

Address

Rue des Fossés du Château

Directions open from wherever you are, by car or public transport.

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Heritage status: Listed historic monument (classé); Mérimée record PA00111127
Period of construction: second half of the 11th century, 12th century, 14th century, 15th century, 16th century, 17th century, 18th century, 19th century

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Frequently asked

Castle of Caen: how much is admission?: Free for: the château park is open access for everyone.
Is Caen Castle free to visit?: Access to the grounds and ramparts is free; only the museum collections inside the enclosure require a ticket.
Who built Caen Castle?: It was founded around 1060 by William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy, with the stone keep and Exchequer hall added around 1120 under Henry I Beauclerc.
Is the keep of Caen Castle still standing?: The keep was levelled after the French Revolution; visitors can now see its remains and foundations uncovered by archaeological excavations.
What can be visited inside the enclosure?: The site includes the governors' lodge, the Exchequer hall, the church of Saint-Georges and the ramparts, as well as the Museum of Normandy housed there.

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Sources

Identity, location and official references from Wikidata and the Mérimée register.