Ouistreham (14 Calvados, Normandie) is known to many as the port of arrival/departure for Brittany Ferries cross-channel crossing from Portsmouth to Caen. Yet it is worth a visit, not least for the Ouistreham Seafood Festival (Fête de la Coquille & de la Gastronomie) 19 – 20 October 2024 – see www.calvados-tourisme.com
The following week the nearby resort of Villers-sur-Mer (14 Calvados, Normandie) – about 20 miles along the coast to the east) also holds a Seafood Festival (fête de la coquille Saint-Jacques et des fruits de mer) – see Villers-sur-Mer
Fête de la Coquille & de la Gastronomie
There is a farmers’ market, stands selling scallops and other local delicacies, sea-shanty singing, cookery demonstrations, fish-smoking and exhibitions of photos and paintings of marine subjects, models of ships – plus the chance to visit some of the boats or go on a guided tour of the ships and the lighthouse!
There are some great beaches nearby and the town has a good selection of hotels and restaurants. World War II sites for the Normandy landings and the Pegasus Bridge are close by, and the city of Caen is only 20 minutes away!
For more on the Ouistreham Seafood Festival see http://ouistreham-rivabella.fr
Stay in the Hotel de la Plage – a charming old villa which features a beautiful summer garden, close to the beach and the centre of Ouistreham, Riva Bella and the port.
Ouistreham is the ideal seafront destination for a weekend or a longer holiday in Normandy.
Ouistreham, on the Côte de Nacre coast, is the ideal destination for a family seaside holiday or a relaxing weekend for 2 in Normandy.
For more info and to check availabilty at this Ouistreham hotel see Hotel de la Plage
For a hotel right by the cross-channel ferry port see Ibis Styles Ouistreham
see our Top 30 vineyard B&Bs in France
somewhere to stay, a ferry, a train or car hire?
stay on a French vineyard – over 250 vineyards featured across France – hotels, B&B, self-catering 
Take to your bike and leave Caen, heading for the canal that runs along the banks of the Orne towards Ouistreham – a pleasant way to reach the beach without taking your car.
If you’re looking for an action-packed holiday, Ouistreham offers a range of activities for the whole family: land yachting, catamaran sailing, sea kayaking, kitesurfing…
And why not indulge in a moment’s respite at the Thalazur thalassotherapy centre in Ouistreham. The centre, and its adjoining hotel, couldn’t be simpler to locate: immediately opposite the beach.
Ouistreham was liberated by British troops during the Battle of Normandy. The 4th Commando Museum and the Atlantic Wall Museum, located inside a bunker, tell the story of its liberation.
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