A Travel Price Comparison for France Caen vs. Beaune for Food, Couples, Attractions, and Nightlife

Should you visit Caen or Beaune?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Caen and Beaune. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Caen

Caen is a park-filled, important, and historic city. It's a large city, so you'll find plenty of things to do around town. And you can't forget about the food, museums, and nightlife.

Beaune

Beaune is a culinary, quaint, and vineyard-filled town. This is a charming small with plenty of activities, too. Other reasons to visit include food, shopping, and museums.

Caen and Beaune: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Caen or Beaune?

Travelers will usually find more to do in Beaune. Although Caen and Beaune are popular destinations, Beaune has more sights and attractions for tourists. Beaune is very popular for its food, historical sights, shopping, and small town charm, while Caen attracts visitors for its big city activities. Beaune is more touristy than Caen and is popular for its surrounding vineyards and world-renowned wines. It is also well known for The Surrounding Vineyards. Caen is famous for its role in World War II and its memorials and historical buildings.

How is Caen different from Beaune?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Beaune and Caen. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Caen or Beaune?

Spend time exploring the excellent sights and museums in either Caen or Beaune.

Visitors can fill many days exploring the museums and attractions around Caen. There are many monuments around town commemorating the city's long history. You'll want to see Château de Caen, Pegasus Bridge, Mémorial de Caen, Musée de Normandie, and Musée des beaux-arts de Caen.

Beaune offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. Top sights and museums around town include Hôtel-Dieu (a former hospital), Château de Savigny, and Château de la Rochepot.

Is the Food Better in Caen or Beaune? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Beaune is renowned for its restaurants. Also, Caen is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its restaurant scene.

Eat your way through Beaune, as it has many local or world renowned restaurants to choose from. The restaurant scene is made up of small, narrow, local bistros that serve local dishes with regional ingredients. Many of the menus are focused on wine with the dishes designed specifically to compliment the wines. This is a tourist town, and you'll find many visitors come specifically to enjoy the French cuisine.

Eating is part of the travel experience when you visit Caen. There's a market that's at its best on Sundays where you'll find fresh produce and other local ingredients. There are also Michelin starred restaurants, seafood restaurants, and other traditional dishes. Head to the Vaugueux Quarter for traditional dishes.

Is Caen or Beaune Better for Nightlife?

The nice nightlife scene is relatively similar in Caen and Beaune.

With a handful of venues, visitors can find a fairly lively vibe in Caen. The nightlife scene stays active thanks to the 30,000 students living in town. Head to the Rue Ecuyère for a pub crawl or hit up any of the other bars around town.

Beaune has an active nightlife scene for those who seek it out. You'll find bars and pubs as well as many places to sip French wine and enjoy the evening.

Is Caen or Beaune Better for its Old Town?

Beaune is renowned for its historic old town. However, Caen does not have a historic old town.

The old town of Beaune is one of the most recognized in the world. The old town is walled and compact. It is centered around the medieval hospital complex and it is filled with cobblestone streets and shops.

Caen does not have a historic old town.

Is the Shopping Better in Caen or Beaune?

Beaune is a good destination for shopping. However, Caen is not a noteworthy shopping destination.

Plenty of visitors enjoy shopping while in Beaune. Boutiques, wine shops, and independent vendors are fun to explore in town.

Caen is not a noteworthy shopping destination.

Is Caen or Beaune Better for Families?

Both Caen and Beaune are nice family-friendly destinations.

Caen is a family-friendly city. There are museums, parks, monasteries, and castles that kids and adults alike with enjoy visiting.

You'll find plenty of kid-friendly things to do in Beaune. The town has museums like Hospices de Beaune, Hotel-Dieu (a formal hospital), as well as vineyards that you can hike through. Many people enjoy taking a hot air balloon ride while they're in the region.

Is Caen or Beaune Better for Couples?

Beaune is renowned for romance. Also, Caen is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its romantic activities.

Beaune is fantastic couple's destination with fun and romantic activities. Couples will enjoy exploring vineyards, sipping French wine, and wandering through the charming old town. There are breathtaking hot air balloon rides and wonderful French restaurants that make for a romantic trip.

Caen makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. Couples that are fascinated by history will enjoy a visit to this town in Normandy. There are also abbeys, castles and parks.

Is Caen or Beaune Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Caen is a good destination for backpackers. However, Beaune is a town with minimal options for backpackers and budget travelers.

Plenty of backpackers visit Caen. You'll find more apartments and bed and breakfasts than hostels in town, but backpackers still make their way here.

Beaune is a challenging destination for budget travelers and backpackers due to the higher prices. It's a charming town, but it's not on many backpacker's itineraries. There are also a limited number of hostels to choose from.

Is Caen or Beaune Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Caen is a great destination for its public transit. Also, Beaune is still popular, but not quite as popular for times when you don't have a car.

The public transit in Caen can get you around easily. There are buses and trams that travel throughout the city.

While Beaune offers some public transit options, it might not be your first choice. While you can walk around the historic center, it's possible to take a bus if you're traveling further.

Is Caen or Beaune a more walkable city?

Beaune is renowned for its walkability. Also, Caen is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its high level of walkability.

It's very easy to get around on foot in Beaune. It's a walkable town that's perfect for taking a stroll.

Caen is a somewhat walkable place. The city center is best explored on foot.

For even more information, also check out Is Caen Worth Visiting? and Is Beaune Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Beaune or Caen?

How long in Caen or Beaune?

It's fun to spend time in either Caen or Beaune. Generally, people tend to spend more time in Beaune due to the larger number of activities and things to do. Usually, 2-3 days is a good amount of time for Caen, and 2-4 days is enough time in Beaune.

Families should spend more time in Beaune than Caen. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Beaune, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in Beaune than Caen. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Beaune that are perfect for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Caen than Beaune if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Caen.

One day in Caen or Beaune?

Many travelers enjoy the food and museums when visiting the destination of Caen. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

Visitors enjoy the food and shopping when visiting the destination of Beaune. Visiting the old town is also a must. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. With so much to do, one day is probably not enough time to see everything.

A weekend in Caen or Beaune?

Caen is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. With all of its activities, you can easily fill a weekend here. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

Beaune is a fun place to experience. Most people visit for the food. If you have a weekend, this is a great place to go. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. A weekend is often enough time to do most activities. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

Five days in Caen or Beaune?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Caen. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

You'll find museums and nightlife around the vineyard-filled destination of Beaune. This town offers something for everyone. Exploring the old town is a popular activity. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

A week in Caen or Beaune?

Travelers enjoy the food and museums when visiting the important destination of Caen. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

The historic town of Beaune offers nightlife and food. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. One week is usually plenty of time to spend here with extra days to spare. With this much time, visitors often visit nearby destinations or take day trips.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in France, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in France, The Best 2-Week Tours in France, and The Best River Cruises in France.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Caen and Beaune, we can see that Beaune is more expensive. And not only is Caen much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Caen would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Caen and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Beaune would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Beaune than you might in Caen.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Caen Expensive? and Is Beaune Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Caen or Beaune?

Caen has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Beaune. When comparing the sizes of Caen and Beaune, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.

When is the best time to visit Caen or Beaune?

Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.

Should I visit Caen or Beaune in the Summer?

Both Beaune and Caen during the summer are popular places to visit. The summer months attract visitors to Caen because of the city activities and the family-friendly experiences. Furthermore, the small town charm and the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Beaune this time of year.

In the summer, Caen is cooler than Beaune. Typically, the summer temperatures in Caen in July average around 18°C (64°F), and Beaune averages at about 21°C (70°F).

In Beaune, it's very sunny this time of the year. It's quite sunny in Caen. In the summer, Caen often gets less sunshine than Beaune. Caen gets 227 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Beaune receives 266 hours of full sun.

Caen usually gets around the same amount of rain in July as Beaune. Caen gets 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Beaune receives 51 mm (2 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Caen or Beaune in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Caen and Beaune. The city's sights and attractions are the main draw to Caen this time of year. Furthermore, many travelers come to Beaune for the shopping scene and the small town atmosphere.

In October, Caen is generally around the same temperature as Beaune. Daily temperatures in Caen average around 12°C (54°F), and Beaune fluctuates around 13°C (55°F).

Caen usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Beaune during autumn. Caen gets 128 hours of sunny skies, while Beaune receives 121 hours of full sun in the autumn.

In October, Caen usually receives more rain than Beaune. Caen gets 68 mm (2.7 in) of rain, while Beaune receives 58 mm (2.3 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Caen or Beaune in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Caen as well as Beaune. Many travelers come to Caen for the museums and the cuisine. Additionally, many visitors come to Beaune in the winter for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.

Beaune can get quite cold in the winter. Be prepared for some very cold days in Caen. Caen is much warmer than Beaune in the winter. The daily temperature in Caen averages around 5°C (41°F) in January, and Beaune fluctuates around 3°C (38°F).

In the winter, Caen often gets more sunshine than Beaune. Caen gets 70 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Beaune receives 53 hours of full sun.

Caen usually gets more rain in January than Beaune. Caen gets 64 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Beaune receives 59 mm (2.3 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Caen or Beaune in the Spring?

Both Beaune and Caen are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Many visitors come to Caen in the spring for the activities around the city. Also, most visitors come to Beaune for the small town charm during these months.

In the spring, Caen is cooler than Beaune. Typically, the spring temperatures in Caen in April average around 9°C (49°F), and Beaune averages at about 11°C (53°F).

Caen usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Beaune during spring. Caen gets 171 hours of sunny skies, while Beaune receives 178 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Caen usually receives less rain than Beaune. Caen gets 46 mm (1.8 in) of rain, while Beaune receives 52 mm (2 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Beaune and Caen