The BEST 15 things to do in Rouen

You will visit Rouen soon and you want to prepare for your trip.

I’m going to give you the 15 best things to do in Rouen that you have ever heard of before.

I know what I’m talking about because I have known the city for more than 20 years.

Let’s see your future adventures in my city.

Discover now the 15 best things to do in Rouen

1. Be like a monk during 5 minutes

   Today, spending a few minutes in the skin of a monk is not the most trendy.
   But I suggest you discover a very small street where the monks, to be more precise, I should say “canon”.

   They passed through this discreet street to get to Rouen Cathedral.

   The street is narrow and the light has little chance of finding space to slip into this street.

   By visiting this street, you will be able to know the route used by the “canons” for the time of mass.

   

2. Feel like Jeanne d’Arc

   No, I reassure you, I simply suggest that you discover the places where Joan of Arc was until her last day.
   The one where she was burnt by the English and the French.

   This is quite rare in history and it should be noted that the two countries were in agreement.

   

3. Strong like a Viking…

   The image we have of the Vikings is strong, muscular men, very agile in combat and excellent navigators.
   Even if the image is a bit caricature because we have an image of the Vikings through the stories, the Vikings left an important mark in Rouen. As proof, the most famous Viking leader is called Rollo and has a statue in his effigy and also a street in his name.

   

4. Be a Romain and build Rouen

   You must understand that the Romans built the city. The city of Rouen leans on a Roman cross and the square of the Cathedral of Rouen is the starting point of the city.

   There are other traces of the Romans in the city such as a Gallo-Roman fountain.

   When you walk around the city, you walk in the footsteps of the Romans.
   
   

5. You don’t need your watch anymore

   I’m sure you don’t use a watch anymore to tell what time it is. You must be using your cell phone today.

   If you ever want to know the time in Rouen, you can go to rue du Gros-Horloge and go to the Gros-Horloge to know the exact time.
   

6. Discover the first pedestrian street

   Not moving. You have just discovered a clock in Rouen, which is also one of the largest in Europe, but know that you are also in the first pedestrian street in France.

   Yes with those cobblestones and half-timbered houses.
   

7. Taste the specialties of Rouen

   Rouen is in France and like all French cities it has its share of specialties like its region, Normandy. Rouen is not left out with the tears of Joan of Arc for example, cocoa bean coated in a chocolate ganache. Lightweight with character, perfect for indulging in a cup of coffee or as a gift to friends.

   Otherwise, you can go and see Christophe Cressent’s bakery and its white chocolate brioche, a delight to share with family or friends with an Earl Gray tea or coffee.
   

   Looking for other specialties from Rouen, discover our dedicated article.
   
   

8. Live like a “Rouennais”

   When I travel, I love to imitate the locals. Find the restaurants where they go, the places where they hang out, the bars they frequent, in short, to have a real experience and not to limit myself to tourist places.

   Here are 3 ideas for living like a Rouen for a few hours:

   • Go to a market in the morning to buy some fruit and vegetables, we have listed the best markets in Rouen here.
   • Go along the banks of the Seine, to have a drink if the weather permits.
   • Stroll through the streets of Rouen between rue du Gros Horloge, towards the Place du Palais de Justice and go to the Place du Vieux Marché to meet Rouen residents and stroll through the streets.

     

9. Say hello to Napoleon

   In the history of France, Napoleon is an important figure, perhaps even the most important.

   If your heart tells you, you can admire Napoleon on his horse in front of the Rouen City Hall which is slightly outside the historic city center but worth a look.

   Besides, there is a defect on the statue, indeed the hat is not a little too big for the emperor?

   

10. Walk along the Seine

    What could be nicer in Rouen than walking along the Quays to admire the silence and the beauty of the city of Rouen.

    

11. Viewpoints to take pictures

    Do you want to have photographic memories of your stay in Rouen?

    Except you don’t know where to go to take great photos.

    Here are the 5 best spots to take a photo: 

    1- The Belfry du Gros-Horloge. 

    2- The square Saint-Amand. 

    3- The street Eau-de-Robec. 

    4- The docks Left Bank. 

    5- The Hill Saint Catherine.

    

12. Discover the lady of Rouen

    Right in the heart of the city, Notre-Dame Cathedral reflects Gothic art and its evolution. Built in the 12th century, the monument suffered Allied bombardments during the Second World War. Since its creation, the building has been constantly transformed.

    The cathedral will impress you with its spire which rises to more than 150 meters. In addition to having the highest cast iron spire in France, it is one of the only cathedrals to retain an archbishop’s palace and ancillary buildings dating from the Middle Ages.

    Today, Notre-Dame de Rouen is the seat of the city’s archdiocese. Come and visit Rouen and its cathedral and you will discover the tombs of the Dukes of Normandy, such as Rollon or Richard the Lionheart.

    You can also admire a series of 28 paintings by Claude Monet who made Notre-Dame Cathedral in Rouen famous throughout the world.

    

13. Talk with the painters

    Impossible to visit Rouen without discovering the city’s Museum of Fine Arts. Created in 1801 under Napoleon Bonaparte, the fine arts museum has continued to evolve over the years. Thus, it is now one of the most comprehensive museums in France.

    Inside, there are more than 8,000 works spread over 60 rooms. They are as varied in terms of the periods covered (from the 16th to the 20th century), as in terms of media (paintings, sculptures, decorative objects, drawings, etc.). The Museum of Fine Arts brings together the greatest artists in Europe, including Caravaggio, Vélasquez, Rubens, Puget, Delacroix, Modigliani, Monet, Renoir, and many others.

    Alongside the permanent collections, the Rouen Museum of Fine Arts regularly organizes temporary exhibitions, some of which have international visibility.

    

14. Relax on the grass

    During the 14th and 16th centuries, the abbey church of Saint-Ouen was one of the most powerful Benedictine monasteries in Normandy. The abbey has 80 stained glass windows which provide it with exceptional luminosity. In addition, the building is best known for its great organ which was the last construction of Cavaillé-coll. It is also one of the most recorded instruments on the planet.

    You will be impressed by the dimensions of the abbey: 137 meters high and 33 meters under the vaults. Because of its size, some visitors sometimes confuse it with the cathedral.

    Since the French Revolution, the abbey no longer serves as a place of worship. It’s more of a tourist spot. Attached to this building is the current town hall which once served as a dormitory for the monks.

    

15. Take pictures with flowers

    Covering an area of ​​85,000 m², the botanical gardens are the ideal place for a family outing. Place of relaxation during a visit to Rouen, this park is also used for the conservation of plant species. Botanical enthusiasts, you will be able to observe plants from the five continents.

    In the center of the botanical garden, a 170-year-old greenhouse dominates the space. Within it, a variety of plants from arid environments, utility plants from the Mediterranean, and even carnivorous plants.
    Birds are also present in the botanical garden.

    The aviaries are illuminated in a thousand colors with parakeets, parrots, Chinese quail, golden pheasants and many other species.