Marché du Vendredi — Place Saint-Sauveur
Every Friday morning, Place Saint-Sauveur transforms into one of the best traditional markets in Lower Normandy, with around 100 stalls spilling across the cobblestones in front of a handsome 18th-century church. Arrive before 10:00 to beat the crowds and catch the best Camembert.
What to look for
The cheese stalls are the undisputed stars — look for raw-milk Camembert de Normandie AOP (a different beast from supermarket versions), aged Livarot with its distinctive orange rind, and creamy Pont-l'Évêque sold in small wooden boxes.
Alongside the cheese, you'll find local apple producers selling bottles of cidre bouché, pommeau and calvados; fishmongers with that morning's catch from Port-en-Bessin; and market gardeners from the surrounding bocage countryside with seasonal vegetables still carrying soil.
Eating and shopping tips
Several stalls sell hot food to eat standing up — tripe à la mode de Caen (slow-cooked with cider and Calvados) is a Caen speciality worth trying from the charcuterie van near the church steps, even if it sounds confronting.
Bring a tote bag and cash; many smaller producers don't take cards. The market officially runs until 13:00 but the best stalls sell out by noon, particularly the organic bread baker who sets up on the northern edge of the square.
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