Abbaye aux Dames, Caen
Plan your visit
Historic Caen: From William the Conqueror to Medieval Streets
8 attractions · 5h 48min · transit route
Tickets ~€9.5
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About Abbaye aux Dames
The Abbaye aux Dames is a Romanesque abbey founded around 1060 by William the Conqueror and his wife Matilda of Flanders as penance for their marriage, which the Pope had forbidden due to their blood relation. The abbey's Church of the Holy Trinity (Sainte-Trinité) was consecrated in 1066, just before William departed for his conquest of England, and contains Queen Matilda's tomb with its original black marble epitaph from Tournai. The 18th-century convent buildings now serve as the headquarters of Normandy's regional government, but guided tours provide access to the elegant classical architecture and a remarkable 11th-century crypt featuring a forest of columns.
Abbaye aux Dames — Planning Your Visit
Opening Hours
Ticket Prices
Guided Tour
RecommendedTours daily at 2:30 PM and 4:00 PM. Duration: 60-75 minutes in French and English.
Two Abbeys Pass
Combined ticket for Abbaye aux Dames and Abbaye aux Hommes. Seasonal availability.
In day plans, the recommended ticket is pre-selected and included in the total price.
Combine with 7 nearby attractions for a full day
From €9.5 / person — all tickets and transport included — transit route with total cost breakdown
Unlike William the Conqueror's remains at the nearby Abbaye aux Hommes (where only a single femur survives after Protestant forces scattered his bones in 1562), Queen Matilda's skeleton remained remarkably intact. During the same Wars of Religion attack, the quick-thinking Abbess Anne de Montmorency gathered Matilda's bones and hid them, preserving them for posterity. A soldier who had stolen Matilda's sapphire ring was so moved by remorse in the abbess's presence that he knelt and returned the precious jewel.
Travel Plans for Abbaye aux Dames
Historic Caen: From William the Conqueror to Medieval Streets
Caen
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