Did you know about the story of Caen limestone (and its quarries)?
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2006 restoration of the Church of Saint-Pierre in Caen, using freshly quarried Caen limestone. (Photo: Martin’ / Wikipedia)
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Normandy in general, and the city of Caen in particular, are famous for far more than just their role in World War II. One of the lesser-known treasures of the region is Caen limestone, a formerly popular construction material which can be found in many famous buildings, and which even made it to America – and the quarries of which saved thousands of civilians in World War II.
“Caen stone” is a light creamy-yellow Jurassic limestone quarried in the Caen area. It was first used for construction during Roman times, but its architectural career really began with the reign of William of Normandy, who conquered England in the 11th century following the Battle of Hastings. William the Conqueror’s original castle in the then-tiny town of Caen was constructed of local stone. He liked the stone so much he had it imported for the building of his new castle in London after taking the crown of England in 1066.
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Westminster Palace in London. The famous clock tower on the right is partially built of Caen stone. (Photo: Terry Ott / Wikipedia)
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Caen stone became a popular construction material in England under the rule of the House of Normandy, and retained its popularity afterwards. Canterbury Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London and the tower of the Palace of Westminster (holding the famous Big Ben bell) are among the many notable English buildings partially made of Caen limestone.
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Bayeux Cathedral, built also with Caen limestone
(Photo: Author’s own)
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In its homeland, the stone can be found in, among other places, the Abbaye-aux-Hommes, the Caen abbey where William the Conqueror was buried, and its sister abbey, the Abbaye-aux-Dames, founded by William’s wife. It was used also in the construction of the Notre Dame Cathedral of Bayeux which was consecrated in 1077 by Bishop Odo, William’s half-brother, and which used to house the famous Bayeux Tapestry. (Some of the sites above can be visited on our Britain at War Tour and some of our Normandy tours, such as the Highlights of Normandy Tour.) The stone even made it to America, with the narthex (entrance area) of the Old South Church in Boston using it.
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The Abbaye-aux-Hommes in Caen, built with Caen stone
(Photo: Author’s own)
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The extraction of Caen stone left an extensive labyrinth of passageways under the city, but reserves were largely depleted by the end of the 19th century. Some of the quarries were later used for commercial mushroom growing, but many were filled in to make the area safer for construction. The remaining quarry section gained new importance after the D-Day landings in Normandy and the subsequent grueling battles for the city. (Capturing Caen – Part I) Thousands of locals (some sources state seven to eight thousand) found refuge there from the heavy bombardment of the city, living in precarious conditions with no stable supply of light, food or fresh air, but surviving nevertheless.
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Refugees in a limestone quarry somewhere near Caen during World War II
(Photo: Mémorial de Caen)
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Even though Caen stone is in much shorter supply now than historically, its use has not stopped completely yet. Excavation restarted in the 1980s, and some of the stone was used for the Mémorial de Caen, a large World War II museum and memorial we visit on our Highlights of Normandy Tours.
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On the occasion of the upcoming 80th anniversary of V-J Day, also known as Victory over Japan Day, we are offering exclusive discounts. We give you 15% off for 2025, 25% off for 2026, and 35% off for 2027, if you pay in full until September 2, 2025. The tour price is refundable up until 90 days before departure. This offer is valid only for new bookings and cannot be combined with other promotions.
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