In 2025, the City of Caen celebrates its 1000th anniversary! A thousand years of history that will be celebrated through a rich cultural program!
The Program
Find below the 6 major highlights of the Caen Millennium. For more details on all the labeled events, visit our dedicated page:
The major highlights
The Inauguration of the Millennium
Caen began celebrating the city’s 1,000-year history from March 20 to 23, 2025.
The Castle, an emblematic place, chosen for its historical importance, appeals to both the collective memory and the hope for the future of the people of Caen. The Caen Castle, one of the largest medieval fortresses in Europe, reopened its doors after two years of work, in its best light, in the heart of the city.
History Days
From March 21 to 28, 2025, extending the inauguration of the Millennium, the History Days offer a major popular event around the highlights of the history of Caen and its territory, from the Middle Ages to today.
Within three historic sites of the city: the Castle, the Abbaye aux Dames and the University, the week’s program combines scientific rigor and interactive and fun events through numerous events.
The Operatic Parade
May 9, 2025, 5 stations, 5 kilometers for 5 hours.
This parade consisted of a caravan, a series of 5 monumental works and marked 5 stations. Each monumental work symbolized a period of history or a tangle of significant events in the construction of the city and the lives of its inhabitants.
The Maritime Weekend
From June 27 to 29, 2025, there were 3 days of activities, races and demonstrations, 3 places to celebrate water: the Presqu’Île de Caen, the Bassin Saint-Pierre and the Canal from Caen to the sea.
For one weekend, the sea was the spotlight in Caen: 48 rigs representing the 48 communes of Caen la mer were present and the Caen-Ouistreham canal was promoted through large-scale, free events.
The Aquanauts show
From September 19 to 21, 2025, the aquatic show at the Bassin Saint Pierre.
In September, the port of Caen hosted a show that is the first of its kind in France, the Aquanauts. Circus artists and synchronized swimmers joined forces to offer an aquatic show based on fire, water and air. Only two cities have offered this show, bringing together more than 120,000 spectators: Prague and Stockholm.
The Art trail
Since the summer of 2025, as part of the Caen Millennium, works of art created by international, national and local artists are housed in the heart of the heritage of Caen and Caen la mer.
The outdoor art trail was unveiled in 2025. An art trail in the city will also close the Millennium.
The Vigils
Every morning and every evening, 365 days a week, a person is brought to watch over Caen and its surroundings for an hour, from a shelter object overlooking the city. Link by link, a human chain of 730 watchmen will form throughout the year.
From March 21, 2024 to March 20, 2025, a participatory work created by choreographer Joanne Leighton was offered by the GIP Millénaire Caen 2025. It invited anyone from Caen, of one of the communes of Caen la mer or simply passing through the region to live an experience that is both intimate and collective and to take the time to withdraw from the hustle and bustle of everyday life for an hour.
Photo credits: Caen la mer Tourisme / Les Conteurs / Millénaire de Caen / le7emeStudio.fr / Michel Dehaye / Jonas Lindqvist / Le Ballon Vert / Tempora
