Tuesday, April 29, 2025 - 08:59 by ce-press
This year marks Caen’s millennium and with it has come some exciting new developments which will add to its attraction as a small-ship cruise port.
The castle has reopened after two years with a new landscaped park and immersive experience into the history of both the castle and the city. “As a small boutique port, we can arrange private access to many of our sights throughout the year,” explains Morgan Pravos, cruise manager Caen-Ouistreham Normandy cruise.
A new berth, replacing the previous one at Quai Gaston Lamy, which can take ships up to 165m in length, is due to be inaugurated when Grand Circle’s Clio arrives for a two-night stay and turnaround on June 4 to 6. There will be a cycle and pedestrian walkway at the new pier to connect it to the medieval historic centre. On the Millennium maritime weekend of June 27 to 29, there will be 48 sailing ships visiting the city including the iconic Le Belem.
In addition, it has been possible to increase the navigable width of the Caen canal by 10m width for the end of summer 2026 with the replacement of the Colombelles bridge, which will be welcomed by cruise captains, says Pravos. This will not stop calls for the 2026 season, as the port remains fully open.
The port has a second dedicated cruise pier Quai de Calix for ships up to 175m, which is a second power situation just before the bridge which has an air draught of 33m.
This year, the city will receive five calls, but 12 are already booked for 2027, three short of the port's target of 15 per year. Pravos explains: “We want to provide a personalised experience for all the calls that come to Caen. This includes free shuttle buses, free cycles and tourist kiosk on the pier and a special welcome funded by the cruise club.
Cruise in Caen is all about community : “Investment in the new cruise pier will come from the city because it is important that both passengers and locals be connected to both the port and the city. It's also one of the reasons why we created our cruise club 10 years ago with all the port and tourism stakeholders, to build the perfect experience for cruise guests.”
