The Nature and Estuary Visitor Centre is the property of the Calvados Council and is managed by the CPIE Vallée de l’Orne. It is a genuine gateway towards nature for one of the vastest natural protected areas in Calvados: the Orne estuary.

This interpretation centre offers a fascinating insight into this preserved and highly diverse natural environment. It also organises temporary exhibitions associated with the coast and/or our region’s biodiversity, together with a programme of events, offering visitors a fun way to improve their understanding of nature! A certified ‘Family +’ attraction.

Come and get back to nature over a breath of Normandy’s fresh sea air!

The département of Calvados' leading natural preserved site, the Orne estuary is of major ecological interest. It provides a habitat for a remarkable array of fauna and flora, including many rare species, protected regionally or nationally. Marked walking routes, orienteering tables, information panels and observatories offer visitors the ideal environment to discover the estuary.
In the heart of this natural site, the Maison de la nature et de l’estuaire (Nature and estuary centre), the property of the Calvados Council, invites you to discover the estuary's many treasures.

The Pegasus Memorial Museum, located between Caen and the sea, tells the story of when the very first liberators from the British 6th Airborne Division landed on Norman soil on the night of the 5th to the 6th of June 1944. Period documents, films and objects. Guided tours of the museum, of Pegasus Bridge and of the reproduction of a WWII glider. Guided tour in French or English lasts: 1h30.

Novelty: you can now access all museum information on your smartphone via QR Codes on the panels inside the museum grounds.
Available in 10 languages: French, English, German, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Swedish, Danish and Czech.

The wind whistles through the poplars as ducks and swans rub shoulders with the seagulls. Making fast in Ouistreham rimes with stopping over in a marina with a truly bucolic atmosphere. The marina is calm, spacious and well-equipped. As you arrive, you will encounter ferries and local fishing boats. Nestling on the banks of the canal that leads to Caen, just a stone’s throw from the famous Pegasus Bridge, the marina is an excellent departure point for visiting William the Conqueror’s city, the beaches and casinos of the Côte de Nacre coast, or even the birds in Sallenelles bay.

In Ouistreham Riva-Bella, on the long fine sandy beach, bathers rub shoulders with water sports enthusiasts (sailing, seakayaking, land yachting, stand-up paddling) in specially reserved sectors, a range of activities are on offer to all.