An unspoilt and well-protected environment

• natural areas of ecological interest covering 96,000 hectares, plus large expanses of wetlands
• 86 conservation areas, including 33 environmental protection zones
• 2 Blue Flag beaches
• air quality judged to be good or moderately good
• 19.5% of households sort their household waste in Calvados, i.e. twice the French national average !

Housing

Over the last decade, there has been a steady growth in the housing stock, with the number of housing units rising by 12.7%.

• Composition of housing stock
  76% main homes, incl. 62% detached houses

• Average price of new housing units sold in 2005
  - €186, 000 for detached houses
  - €2,590/sq. m for flats

Transport

An efficient “Bus Vert” interurban bus network and an innovative “taxi bus” service for short journeys.

The county has embarked on a scheme to create a 700-km network of cycle paths

Health

• Our local health services have an outstanding reputation:
• A teaching hospital (CHU), a regional hospital, specialist care centres (e.g. François Baclesse cancer treatment centre), highly-renowned private clinics and well-balanced hospital provision throughout the county.
• A comprehensive range of facilities for young and old, including day nurseries, day centres and community centres

Shops & services

There are 19 superstores and 82 supermarkets, 45 hard discounters in Calvados. The number of supermarkets per capita is far higher in Calvados than in the rest of Lower Normandy and higher than the French national average. The same is true for DIY stores and garden centres.