Spring 2022

Think of Caen and most likely the things that pop into your mind will include William
the Conqueror, whose power base was here, and Caen Memorial.
Caen is the biggest city in, as well as the capital of, lower Normandy. It’s a town
with a vibrant vibe, history, grand architecture, a fantastic foodie culture and a real
community spirit – it’s all about the markets.
There is a market every day of the week here but the two big ones are on Friday and
Sunday mornings…
The Market of
Saint-Sauveur
The Friday morning market in Place Saint-
Sauveur is a stone’s throw from the famous
Abbaye aux Hommes, built as a penance
by William the Conqueror. The Pope
excommunicated the then Duke of Normandy
for marrying his cousin Matilda of Flanders
in 1053, but he was forgiven by founding the
Abbey in 1063, whilst Matilda founded the
nearby Abbaye aux Dames in about 1060.
Both buildings, each to the side of the castle
of Caen, were paid for with booty stolen
from England. And both Matilda and William
were interred in their abbeys. Marble
plaques mark the spots, though William’s
now only contains a single thigh bone, the
rest of his bones were scattered during the
French Revolution.
The Good Life France | 17