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

Should you visit Dijon or Caen?

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

Should I visit Dijon or Caen? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Dijon

Dijon is a culinary, relaxing, and historical city. Since it's a large city, you'll find plenty of things to do. It's a gorgeous place to visit. Other reasons to visit include food, shopping, and museums.

Caen

Caen is a historic, park-filled, and important city. Since it's a large city, you'll find plenty of things to do. It's also known for nightlife, food, and museums.

Dijon and Caen: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Dijon or Caen?

Travelers will usually find more to do in Dijon than Caen, as it is bigger with more sights, attractions, and activities for visitors. Dijon is more touristy than Caen and is popular for its cuisine, wine, and nearby vineyards. It is also home to The Ducal Palace. Caen is popular for its role in World War II and its memorials and historical buildings.

How is Dijon different from Caen?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

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

Both Dijon and Caen have superb landmarks and museums for visitors.

Dijon offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. This historic city is filled with sights worth checking. Palais des Ducs and the Musée des Beaux-Arts, Cathédrale Saint-Bénigne, and Eglise Notre-Dame are among the favorites.

Many visitors head to Caen specifically to visit some of its top-rated museums and other sights. 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.

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

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

Eat your way through Dijon, as it has many local or world renowned restaurants to choose from. It is one of the top foodie destinations in France, and you'll find amazing local markets, award winning restaurants, and world class cuisine. Make sure you check out Les Halles Market to try local flavors. In addition to its famous mustard, the city is also popular for gingerbread, truffles, escargot, and, of course, wine.

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 Dijon or Caen Better for Nightlife?

Evening events are good in both Dijon and Caen.

There's a variety of activities in the evening in Dijon. While it's not a active as the larger European cities, there's still an fun nightlife scene that is driven mostly by the large student population.

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.

Is the Shopping Better in Dijon or Caen?

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

Plenty of visitors enjoy shopping while in Dijon. For the best shopping in town, head to the main shopping street - Rue de la Liberté. It's lined with everything from clothing stores to wine shops and larger department stores. You'll even be able to pick up some of the famed mustard while you're in town.

Caen is not a noteworthy shopping destination.

Is Dijon or Caen Better for Families?

Kids will enjoy a visit to either Dijon or Caen.

Dijon is a family-friendly place to visit. Kids will enjoy the open space that the city offers. There are parks where they can run around, like The Parc de la Colombieres which has a carousel and a ropes course. There are also many museums including two favorites for young ones - Musee de la Vie Bourguignonne and Musee d'Histoire Naturelle.

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

Is Dijon or Caen Better for Couples?

Dijon is a very popular place for romance. Also, Caen is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its romantic activities.

Dijon makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. Art, palaces, gardens, and fine wine make it a perfect couple's getaway. There is some of the best food in France, as well as a welcoming culture and many beautiful sights to explore.

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 Dijon or Caen Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Both Dijon and Caen are good destinations for backpackers.

Plenty of budget travelers visit Dijon. It's a beautiful city with a touristy vibe, so you'll likely meet other travelers while you're in town.

Caen is popular with backpackers and budget travelers. You'll find more apartments and bed and breakfasts than hostels in town, but backpackers still make their way here.

Is Dijon or Caen Better for Students?

Dijon is a good destination for its student-friendly activities. However, Caen is not popular with students.

Plenty of students visit Dijon. While it's quieter than the bigger cities, you'll find a young vibe and enough of a nightlife scene to keep it interesting.

Caen is not popular with students.

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

Caen is notable for its public transit. Also, Dijon is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for times when you don't have a car.

Visitors to Caen can move around easily with public transportation. There are buses and trams that travel throughout the city.

Dijon has some public transit options. Tram and buses offer access to many parts of the city.

Is Dijon or Caen a more walkable city?

Dijon and Caen both are good when exploring on foot.

Dijon is somewhat walkable. Most of the inner city is walkable.

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

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

Should I spend more time in Caen or Dijon?

How long in Dijon or Caen?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Dijon and Caen. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Dijon than in Caen. Usually, 2-4 days is a good amount of time for Dijon, and 2-3 days is enough time in Caen.

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Dijon than Caen 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 Dijon.

One day in Dijon or Caen?

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

In Caen, many people enjoy the nightlife and food that this park-filled destination offers. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Since there is so much to do in the area, one day is probably not enough for all of it.

A weekend in Dijon or Caen?

Dijon is a fun place to experience. Most people visit for the food. If you have a weekend, this is a great place to go. 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.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Caen. For many, it makes a great getaway for a weekend. This would be the perfect place to spend a weekend, as it has just the right amount of activities. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision.

Five days in Dijon or Caen?

You'll find museums and nightlife around the relaxing destination of Dijon. This city offers something for everyone. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

Caen is a fun place to experience. Travelers enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting the destination of Caen. Most people find that five days is more than enough time to see everything.

A week in Dijon or Caen?

The cultural city of Dijon offers nightlife and food. 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.

You'll find nightlife and food around the park-filled destination of Caen. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. One week is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to France, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in France, The Best Historical Tours in France, and The Best 10-Day Tours in France.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dijon and Caen, we can see that Dijon 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 Dijon would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Dijon 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 Dijon Expensive? and Is Caen Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Dijon or Caen?

Dijon has a larger population, and is about 35% larger than the population of Caen. When comparing the sizes of Dijon and Caen, 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 Dijon or Caen?

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 Dijon or Caen in the Summer?

Both Caen and Dijon during the summer are popular places to visit. Most visitors come to Dijon for the city activities and the family-friendly experiences during these months. Furthermore, the summer months attract visitors to Caen because of the city activities and the family-friendly experiences.

Dijon is a little warmer than Caen in the summer. The daily temperature in Dijon averages around 21°C (70°F) in July, and Caen fluctuates around 18°C (64°F).

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

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

Should I visit Dijon or Caen in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Dijon and Caen. The autumn months attract visitors to Dijon because of the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area. Furthermore, the city's sights and attractions are the main draw to Caen this time of year.

In the autumn, Dijon is around the same temperature as Caen. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Dijon in October average around 13°C (55°F), and Caen averages at about 12°C (54°F).

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

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

Should I visit Dijon or Caen in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Dijon as well as Caen. The museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Dijon this time of year. Additionally, many travelers come to Caen for the museums and the cuisine.

Be prepared for some very cold days in Caen. It's quite cold in Dijon in the winter. In January, Dijon is generally much colder than Caen. Daily temperatures in Dijon average around 3°C (38°F), and Caen fluctuates around 5°C (41°F).

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

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

Should I visit Dijon or Caen in the Spring?

Both Caen and Dijon are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Many travelers come to Dijon for the activities around the city and the natural beauty. Also, many visitors come to Caen in the spring for the activities around the city.

Dijon is a little warmer than Caen in the spring. The daily temperature in Dijon averages around 11°C (53°F) in April, and Caen fluctuates around 9°C (49°F).

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

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

Typical Weather for Caen and Dijon