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Rouen - commune in Seine-Maritime, France

View of the back of the Cathedral (left) and Archbishop's Palace (right) Rouen is the capital of the French region of Upper Normandy on the River Seine, 135 km (approximately 90 minutes drive) northwest from the centre of Paris. The city has a population of 110,000 and its metropolitan area includes some 666,000 inhabitants (2017). It is where Joan of Arc was burnt at the stake, but the main reason for visiting is its incredible cathedral that inspired Monet to paint over 30 canvases. Rouen was the home of the author, Gustave Flaubert.

Understand

Rouen was for a long time France's second city, after Paris, which explains the richness of the town's artistic heritage. It has hosted many famous French writers, including Victor Hugo, Guy Maupassant, and Gustave Flaubert, among others. Today, it deserves a visit for its monuments, Gothic art being particularly well represented, but also for the charm of its alleyways and the many half-timbered houses there are.

The town is on the right bank of the River Seine, but today, includes the left bank (the Saint-Sever area in particular, on the south of the river), and the Île Lacroix.

Get in

By car

  • From Paris, Rouen is approximately an hour and a half's drive (135 km) north-west from the centre of the French capital, the fastest route including the A13 motorway (note: this a toll road). An alternative route would include the N14 slightly further to the north.
  • From the Channel port city of Dieppe, Rouen is approximately an hour's drive (66 km) south along the N27.
  • From the French end of the Eurotunnel, Rouen is approximately a 2-hour drive (208 km) using the E402.
  • From other major centres in Normandy, Rouen is respectively 90 km (1 hr 10 min) from Le Havre, 128 km (1 hr 25 min) from Caen, 156 km (1 hr 45 min) from Bayeux and 249 km (2 hr 45 min) from Cherbourg.

By train

  • Gare de Rouen Rive Droite, Place Bernard Tissot, 49.448889°, 1.093889°. Several trains depart from the St Lazare Station in Paris for Rouen on a daily basis. Tickets cost around €21 and can be purchased at the station immediately beforehand. Travel time is about 1hr 15min. For schedules, visit SNCF travel. 2017-08-18
    • The train posting in Paris St-Lazare can be confusing to the first-time traveller. The train platform number (la voie) is not posted until 15–20 minutes before the departure, so do not panic if you arrive earlier than that. Look for the train heading to Le Havre or Dieppe which will be leaving from the platforms to the right as you enter the concourse. Do not forget to punch (composter) your ticket in one of the yellow machines before boarding. This will validate your ticket.

By bus

Ouibus has buses from Rouen to Paris and Beauvais for around €5–10 one way. Eurolines (dead link: December 2020) also operates buses to Paris and Le Havre for around €5–12 and €7 respectively. From Paris, connections can be made with buses throughout France and Europe.

The tickets of all those companies can be purchased on Sobus (dead link: January 2023).

By boat

Ferries from the UK go to the French ports of Dieppe and Le Havre, from where trains can be caught to Rouen. For foot-passengers, the train and ferry journey from London via Newhaven and Dieppe is one of the most pleasant and restful ways of getting to Rouen.

By plane

Get around

Map of public transport in Rouen. The Métro is blue, the T1 line is red, T2 line is green and T3 line is purple. The last three are BRT lines. The city center is compact and all sights can easily be seen by foot, however, there is public transport throughout the town.

The Métro du Rouen (dead link: December 2020) is a tramway operating in Rouen, running north to south from Boulingrin in the north to Saint-Sever, where it branches off into two lines - one to Technopôle and one to Georges Braque.

There is also a "bus rapid transit" system, which is very similar to a normal bus system, in Rouen, called the Transport est-ouest rouennais (TEOR). This system has three lines in the town, T1, T2 and T3, all of which run on the north of the river.

A normal bus system also exists with 29 lines operating throughout the town.

Tickets for public transport can be bought from many places, including the Gare-Rue Verte tram station on Place Bernard-Tissot, the Théâtre des Arts tram station on rue Jeanne d'Arc, from conductors on buses (not on TEOR) and from automatic ticket machines at metro and TEOR stations. Tickets can also be bought by text, costing €1.60 and are valid for one hour.

  • Velo-R north of the Seine on Avenue Jeanne D' Arc (near the metro station) rents bikes for €1-2 per day. The city also has an official bicycle rental scheme where you can rent a bike at one location and drop it off at another.
  • A scooter shop on Avenue De Bretagne no. 18 rents scooters but they need to be reserved ahead of time. There is also an Avis in town.

See

Cloister of the Cathedral Saint-Ouen de Rouen The Jardin des Plantes

Do

Buy

A view of Île Lacroix from the Cathedral.

  • Market on Saturdays and Sundays at Place Saint Marc. Fresh produce, flowers, bric-a-brac and antiques. Well worth a visit. Closes early on Sunday, approx at 13:00.
  • Fruits, vegetables, cheeses and meats can be bought at the Vieux Marche. A larger selection, as well as used clothing, furniture, and knick-knacks can be found at the Place de Saint Marc.

Markets

  • Marché des saveurs, Allée Eugène Boudin, 49.44221°, 1.09362°. 09:00-18:00, second and fourth Saturday of the month. Sells foods of all types, cakes, meat, cheese, etc. 2017-08-28
  • Marché à la brocante, Allée Eugène Boudin, 49.44221°, 1.09362°. 09:00-18:00, first and third Saturday of the month. Flea market. 2017-08-28
  • Marché de la Calende, Place de la Calende, 49.43961°, 1.09479°. Tu F 08:00-18:00. Market selling all sorts of food. 2017-08-28
  • Marché de l'Ile Lacroix, Avenue Jacques Chastellain, 49.43444°, 1.09885°. W 08:00-12:30; Sa (vegetables) 08:00-12:30. 2017-08-28
  • Marché des Emmurées, Cours Clémenceau, 49.43417°, 1.08913°. Tu Sa 06:30-18:00; Th 07:00-18:00. Covered market, selling food and flowers. Flea market on Thursday. 2017-08-28

Shopping centres

Eat

A view of the Seine in Rouen from La Corniche. Most of the tourist restaurants are located near the Eglise Sainte Jenne D'Arc. They are likely to be open Sunday when most other restaurants are closed. There are also shops, markets, and patisseries in that square and scattered throughout Rouen to purchase food. Many are open Sunday as well.

Budget

City centre

Saint-Sever

Mid-range

Splurge

  • La Pêcherie, 29 Place de la Basse, 49.43786°, 1.09435°, +33 2 35 88 71 00. Tu-Sa 12:00-14:30, 19:30-22:30. A seafood restaurant near the river and the Île Lacroix. 3-course set meal "Carte La Pêcherie": €45.50 (Aug 2017) 2023-02-05
  • Gill, 8 and 9 quai de la Bourse, 49.438572°, 1.091104°, +33 2 35 71 16 14, gill@gill.fr. Tu-Sa 12:00-13:45; 19:30-21:45. Michelin two-star restaurant on the banks of the Seine. 2023-02-05
  • {{eat | name=La Couronne | alt= | url=http://www.lacouronne.com.fr (dead link: December 2020) | email=contact@lacouronne.com.fr | address=31, place du Vieux Marché | lat=49.44278 | long=1.087617 | directions= | phone=+33 2 35 71 40 90 | tollfree= | fax= | hours= | price= | lastedit=2023-02-05 | content=Classic French cuisine in a building from the 14th century. }}

Drink

Sleep

Budget

  • Alive Hotel de Quebec, 18-24, rue de Québec, +33 2 35 70 09 38, contact@hotel-rouen.com. A clean, comfortable and friendly city centre hotel. It is modestly priced, despite being a few minutes walk from the river and cathedral. This hotel also has arrangements with several local restaurants and can organise "Soirées D'Etape", which include a room, breakfast and evening meal at a restaurant (the hotel has no restaurant of its own).
  • Hotel Le Morand, 1 rue Morand (midway between the station and the cathedral), +33 2 35714607, contact@morandhotel.com. Check-in: 12:00, check-out: 11:00. Quiet hotel. Delightful breakfast served in oak-beamed dining room. €50-60
  • Ferme du Coquetot B&B, 46 rue du Coq, Bourg-Beaudouin. Ferme du Coquetot is a B&B set on a farm 15 minutes from Rouen. The owners may invite you to see the milking and learn about the farm. Fresh farm products are available for dinner (table d'hotes on booking, €16 per person) or for breakfast.
  • Hôtel Kyriad Rouen Centre, 14 quai Gaston Boulet, 49.441400°, 1.081169°, +33 2 35 15 25 25, contact@kyriad-rouen.fr. Hotel overlooking the Seine, not far from the Panorama XXL. 2017-08-22

Mid-range

  • {{sleep | name=Ermitage Bouquet Hotel - Rouen, France | alt= | url=http://www.hotel-ermitagebouquet.com/en/index.html (dead link: December 2020) | email=contact@hotel-ermitagebouquet.com | address=58 rue Bouquet | lat=49.4501 | long=1.0892 | directions= | phone=+33 2 32 12 30 40 | tollfree= | fax= | checkin=12:00 | checkout=10:00 | price=€95-160 | content=Offers 10 rooms and 3 suites (some with fireplace), furnished in Charles X style with modern facilities (hydro shower or whirlpool bath, Wifi, air conditioning, electric shutters, etc.) The staff are very helpful. }}
  • {{sleep | name=Château du Bosc Theroulde | url=http://www.bb-normandy.com/ (dead link: December 2020) | email= | address=Route du Bosc Theroulde - 76710 Bosc Theroulde | lat=49.55 | long=1.116667 | directions= | phone = +33 2 35 81 35 54 | tollfree= | fax= | hours= | price=€80 | checkin=15:00 | checkout=12:00 | content=B&B 13 km from the city center,within easy access from the A-28-A29-A151 motorways, this is an elegant Napoleon III style building in a fully secured walled park of 4 ha. }}.
  • {{sleep | name=Hotel Bonaparte | alt= | url=http://www.hotel-bonaparte-rouen.fr/en/ (dead link: December 2020) | email=hotelbonaparterouen@gmail.com | address=3, Rue Jean Lecanuet | lat=49.4440 | long=1.0962 | directions=close to the Hotel de Ville | phone=+33 2 35 07 77 07 | tollfree= | fax= | checkin= | checkout= | price=€74.50 for a double room | content=Comfortable, clean and friendly. parking in underground car park. Very close to town centre, Cathedral, restaurants shops. }}
  • Hôtel de la Cathédrale, 12, rue St Romain, 49.44016°, 1.09697°, +33 2 35 71 57 95, contact@hotel-de-la-cathedrale.fr. A hotel in a 17th-century building next to the cathedral. €95 for two people with a shower 2017-08-20

Splurge

Connect

Stay safe

Hospitals

See also: European Health Insurance Card

CHU de Rouen has five hospitals in the Rouen area.

Cope

Consulates

Go next

  • Dieppe, a lovely seaside resort, 45 minutes away. The whole Norman countryside, coast, and the Seine valley are spectacular with beautiful peaceful green pastures and forests, white cliffs, and including such famous sites as the cliff-arches of Etretat.
  • An ideal half-day trip would include Les Andelys, a picturesque village with an impressive castle just south of Rouen
  • Next stop could be the little 17th-century harbor of Honfleur, 90 km west
  • Le Havre and its modern architecture which belongs to the prestigious Unesco World Heritage List (regular trains running from Rouen)Visit Le Havre page on the site to get a better view of western Normandy
  • From Rouen station you can reach Bayeux and its impressive tapestry. It is a two-hour train ride and is only 30 minutes from the D-Day beaches. Additionally, busy Lille, chock full of museums and an enormous flea market in early September, lies to the North; about two hours on the train, €30 each way.
  • Vernon and Monet's home at Giverny are about 40 minutes away on the train (direction of Paris, less than €20.

Rouen

rouen.frrouen.fr
Postal code:7600076100Date Time:Please wait...Timezone:Europe/ParisPopulation:112,321Coordinates:49.44, 1.10

Seine-Maritime

2nd-order administrative division

Normandy

Primary administrative division

France

us.france.fr/en
Population:67.0 MDial code:+33Currency:Euro (EUR)Voltage:230 V, 50 Hz