Darrell Kirsop is a local member in Caen in France from GuidedByaLocal

City:
Caen

Country:
France

Summary:
Having lived in Caen for around ten years now I know the city very well, and as a British citizen I have the advantage of speaking perfect English. My French is pretty good too! Unfortunately I’m pretty busy working most of the week, but evenings and weekends are generally flexible, and I’m always happy to help fellow Anglophones discover a little more in depth about this historic city – but strictly by prior arrangement over the net. What I propose is more of a briefing than a tour, though if time permits I’ll be happy to show you a few places, ranging from the ultra well-known like William the Conqueror’s tomb to lesser known delights such as the various abandoned graveyards dotted around the city – a photographers paradise on a sunny (or snowy) day. Typically I’d propose meeting at the tourist office and help arm you with a map and plenty of info on places you’d like to see. Likewise, I’ll show you how to get the best value from and use the trams and buses to get around if you don’t have a vehicle. If you do have a vehicle, don’t forget to ask me about Caen’s most treacherous junctions and the mystery (and folly) that is priorité à droite! Then, I’d suggest a café/bar terrace (mine’s a large one by the way!) to show you where you want to go on the map and anything else you need to know – a few useful French phrases included. As an unrepentant bar-fly I know lots of places ranging from grungy rock’n’roll type bars to more sophisticated joints where the smart set go. Better still, they know me, so you can rest assured I will show you places where most tourists miss (or fear to tread), but where I know you’ll be made to feel welcome and perhaps have a good laugh with some of the more eccentric locals. Likewise restaurants, ranging from cheap and cheerful to haute cuisine. Normandy is very much the dairy of France remember, so put all diet plans on hold. Equally importantly, I’ll advise you where not to go! The tourist traps and dodgy areas etc. D-Day and the battle of Normandy are of course synonymous with Caen (80% of the medieval city was destroyed sadly, though pockets still remain) and I will be happy to show you where to find the most interesting places to visit and how to get there. I am in fact an expert on this particular battle and do private tours on a commercial basis, but am happy to give you some free advise or indeed some to some arrangement for an accompanied tour. So get in touch if you’re visiting Caen soon (Bayeux is only 20 mins by train if you happen to be based there), or Normandy in general as I can recommend lots of lovely places around and about. Meanwhile, I'll add a few local pictures to this profile when time permits. Darrell Foster Kirsop