The Caen Memorial

"If we had to describe the Caen Memorial in just a few lines, we would have to say that it is above all a 'Museum for Peace'. Caen, a martyred city in this agonised land of Normandy, can and should be home to this true plea for peace.

Surrounded by contemporary architecture, we discover the various conflicts of the 20th century presented in a highly original way. Step by step and with great fascination, we follow the events that led to these wars. The whole world is displayed over 14,000m² and none of the spaces you visit will leave you indifferent. So let's take a whistle-stop tour...

The period of history that the Memorial recounts begins in 1919. We are in the aftermath of the First World War and the events that will inexorably lead us to the Second World War, whose end begun in Normandy, unfold before our eyes. We are then told about "France, the dark years" and its 50 million victims. This figure alone has the impact of a bomb. Admirably presented against an audio backdrop, we find ourselves in a very dark time that we are fortunate not to have lived through. As we drift along the course of history, we discover the daily life of the population, ration books, radio stations, propaganda posters and women's & men's clothing from 1942 to 1944...