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The city of Rouen in France in French. French city of Rouen (Normandy region). Shopping in Rouen, flea markets, souvenirs

Rouen from A to Z: map, hotels, attractions, restaurants, entertainment. Shopping, shops. Photos, videos and reviews about Rouen.

Last minute tours To France

Rouen is the capital of the French region of Upper Normandy, a city on the banks of the Seine, part of the Paris agglomeration. Rouen is rightfully considered the pearl of Northern France with incredible architecture and a rich past: the Old Market Square witnessed the execution of Joan of Arc, and the beautifully preserved medieval houses are considered a European example of the half-timbered style. Rouen served as a source of inspiration for many artists: Gustave Flaubert painted Madame Bovary here, and Claude Monet created a famous series of impressionistic landscapes. Here you can buy amazing blue and white ceramics, eat your fill of the most delicious French apples and wander all day through the endless Norman forests in the vicinity of the city.

In the firmament of shining blue,

In star diamond dust,
Threads of swift lines

Gray webs have been woven.

Maximilian Voloshin

How to get to Rouen

Valle de Seine Airport is located 8 km from the city and accepts only domestic flights. From Russia, the most convenient way to go to Rouen is through Paris (read our article about how to get to the French capital). Paris - Rouen trains depart hourly from Gare Saint-Lazare (website in French). The journey duration is about 1.5 hours, tickets start from 10 EUR. You can prefer a bus to a train: the journey will take longer (2 hours 40 minutes), but the trip will cost less (from 5 EUR). Prices on the page are as of August 2018.

Trains to Rouen also run from Zurich, Nice, Strasbourg, Marseille and other European cities. There are regular bus services from London, Madrid and Lisbon.

If you are planning to fly from Rouen to Toulouse or other French cities, travel to Vallee de Seine airport by bus or taxi. Route number 13 goes to the Gendarmerie de Boos stop, located 500 m from the terminal building. The ticket price is 1.60 EUR, the schedule can be viewed on the carrier's website (in French). A taxi ride will cost 25 EUR.

Search for air tickets to Paris (the nearest airport to Rouen)

Districts of Rouen

The Seine River divides Rouen into two parts: the left bank of the Rive Gauche and the right bank of the Rive Druat. All interesting sights are concentrated on the right coast, in the cozy Old Town. Hidden in the labyrinth of narrow streets are not only neat houses with carved shutters, pointed roofs and bright flowerpots on the balconies, but also real architectural gems. The main one is Rouen Cathedral, a magnificent example of Norman Gothic. The Church of Saint-Maclou, built in 1437-1517, is also located here. It is impossible to ignore everything connected with the name of Joan of Arc: the tower where the warrior was kept captive, and the church erected at the site of her execution. Another favorite place for tourists is the street near the tower of the Great Clock, which has become a real symbol of the city.

The left bank of Rouen, Rive Gauche, unconditionally gives the right bank the palm in terms of the number of attractions. During the Second World War it was completely bombed, so now there are modern buildings everywhere: new residential areas and business centers of little interest to travelers. And in the suburbs of Rouen industry is in full swing: chemical, paper and engineering.

Transport

The historical center of Rouen is compact and easily accessible on foot. To cover longer distances, you can take taxis, metro or buses from the state-owned TCAR company (website in French), or rent a bicycle or scooter.

Three TEOR lines (Transport Est-Ouest Rouennais - Rouen's public transport network) - T1, T2, T3 - connect the center with suburban areas on both banks of the Seine. In addition, the city has two above-ground metro lines: M and N, which also extend beyond the center. These routes are convenient to use for independent travel around the immediate surroundings of Rouen.

The Rouen bus network (by the way, the most modern, well-thought-out and streamlined in France) has 28 bus routes and 15 shared taxis, which allows you to literally explore the city far and wide.

The cost of public transport in Rouen is 1.60 EUR, a ticket for 10 trips costs 13.50 EUR. A day pass will cost 4.80 EUR. Main routes operate until 23:00-23:30. For night owls, there are so-called noctam’buses - buses that run throughout the night.

You can rent a bike at the central rental point of the city’s Velo’R program, located on Rue Jeanne d’Arc, next to the metro station. There are classic and folding bicycles (suitable for those traveling by car), as well as electric models. Rental cost is from 2 EUR per day, long-term rental is possible. The second option is the Cy’clic rental system, which is convenient because it allows you to return the bike to any of 14 points. The first half hour of skiing is free, for the next half hour intervals a fee of 1 and 2 EUR is charged, respectively, then 4 EUR for every half hour. By bicycle you can move not only around the city, but also around the surrounding area, for example along the network of cycle paths in the Rumar forest.

Motor scooters can be rented at 12 avenue de Bretagne (rates on the salon's website in French). Please note that scooters must be reserved in advance during high season.

While in Rouen, don't miss the opportunity to cross the Seine on one of the ferries. They depart regularly from river stations at Canteleu, Jumieges and La Bouille.

Maps of Rouen

Rent a Car

It’s convenient to move around the historical center of Rouen on foot, but if you plan to explore the surrounding area, take a ride to the left bank, or even visit other cities, we recommend renting a car. Hertz and Europcar rental offices are open at Valle de Seine airport, at the train station and at other points in the city. Most of them do not work on weekends. A small car can be rented for 45 EUR, a middle class car - from 80 EUR per day.

In Rouen, like in many other French cities, a parking relay system is provided: the car is left in one of the parking lots located near the metro lines. Using the issued receipt, you can take the metro to the city center for free, and then return to your car.

The roads in Rouen are good and there are few traffic jams. On the contrary, there is a lot of parking: on the outskirts there are free parking lots, in the center there are paid parking lots. In almost all central street parking lots you can park your car only for 2 hours, but at night and on Sundays the spaces are free. Some parking lots have daily rates costing 10-15 EUR.

Communications and Wi-Fi

Mobile communications in France are expensive. For those who come here for a short time and do not plan to talk with compatriots for hours, it is more profitable to use roaming. If you trust local mobile operators more when traveling, choose any of the main French companies: Orange, Bouygues Telecom, SFR or Free. The tariffs for the first three are approximately the same: starter packages start from 30 EUR. It is better to take tariffs without a subscription fee, which cease to be valid immediately after the termination of payments. The Free operator has been operating on the market since 2012 and offers more affordable prices compared to its competitors. For example, calls to Russia cost from 0.22 EUR per minute of conversation.

Free Wi-Fi can be found in some cafes and restaurants in the historical center of Rouen, but it is most convenient to choose hotels and hostels that provide guests with free access to the Internet.

Pass en Liberte

To ensure you don't miss any of Rouen's attractions, it's worth purchasing the Pass en Liberte card (website in French). This is a special tourist ticket, valid in the city and surrounding areas and allows you to get good discounts in famous museums, restaurants and shops.

The Pass en Liberte program includes more than 260 partners, including the Museum of Ceramics and the Museum of Fine Arts, as well as numerous castles and abbeys located in the vicinity of Rouen. You should definitely visit the Château d'Etelan, built in the Flamboyant Gothic style on the banks of the Seine. The monumental medieval abbeys of Jumièges, Bonnporte and Saint-Georges are also noteworthy. After enjoying the excursion program, you can check out the restaurants and shopping centers from the Pass en Liberte list.

The card is sold at the Rouen tourist office on Cathedral Square for 10 EUR. It is valid for a year and cannot be transferred to other persons.

Rouen Hotels

Despite the fact that Rouen is a small city, local hotels have a total of more than 3,000 rooms. Most hotels are located in the historical center, close to the main attractions. Inexpensive hotels and hostels are located near the train station. The closer to the center, the more expensive the hotel rooms, although in general the prices vary slightly. But experienced travelers do not recommend settling on the left bank: there are fewer offers here, and there is practically nothing to see.

Accommodation rates in two- and three-star hotels start from 50 EUR per day. 4* hotels offer more comfortable rooms, prices here start from 75 EUR per day. A night in the most luxurious boutique hotel with a swimming pool, fitness center and spa will cost from 165 EUR. But to feel the real atmosphere of a medieval city, we recommend staying in an old half-timbered house. Moreover, it costs little: from 60 EUR per day.

Shopping

On Saturdays and Sundays, Place Saint-Marc hosts a market where you can buy fresh produce and flowers from suburban farms. They also sell antique and second-hand interior items, furniture and dishes. Food products can be purchased at the Old Market, which is bursting with abundance, and the cheese rows deserve special attention.

Rouen is famous for its blue and white ceramics, somewhat reminiscent of traditional Chinese tableware. There were once 22 factories in the region, the most famous of which were Caussy, Guillibaud, Bertin and Mouchard. Today, artisans' workshops are located on Rue Saint-Romain, next to the Rouen Cathedral. Here you can see craftsmen at work, and at the same time buy original ceramics.

In Rouen it is also worth buying linen products: bed linen, home textiles, clothing and accessories.

video about Rouen Cathedral from GeoBeats (in English)

What to try

The most famous local dish is Rouen duckling, which is prepared directly in front of the client according to a complex procedure: coated with mustard, roasted on a spit and grilled, and finally the juice obtained during cooking is squeezed out using a special silver press. The duckling is served with a Rouen sauce based on Bordeaux wines and shallots, with a sprig of celery and a baked apple. In Rouen, there is even a special order (L’ordre des Canardiers), which is awarded to chefs who honor the traditions of preparing duckling in Rouen, and gourmets who are considered experts on it.

Rouen is also famous for its baked apples, which serve as a filling for a variety of pies, in the form of juice, cider, Calvados and other local intoxicating drinks.

On the third weekend of October, the “Festival of the Belly” is held in the square in front of the Old Market, where you can see and taste everything that the Rouen region is famous for.

Cafes and restaurants in Rouen

The best restaurants in the city are concentrated in the vicinity of the Church of Joan of Arc. Here you can try both traditional Rouen dishes and the culinary masterpieces of Norman cuisine in general. The city has many small bistros serving sandwiches, desserts and cold drinks. In the northern part, crepe shops are common, as are small Tunisian eateries with takeaway food. A cluster of trendy bars - between the Old Market Square and Thiers Street. In some of them you can not only enjoy a meal, but also buy souvenirs: postcards and calendars with the symbols of the city.

Kitchens in many establishments in Rouen are open only during lunch (12:00-14:00) and dinner (19:00-22:00). The rest of the time, you can have a cup of coffee with dessert or a glass of wine with a light snack. Most famous restaurants are closed on Sundays.

In Rouen cafes, ready-made multi-course menus with a total cost of 12-20 EUR are popular. Business lunches cost 10 EUR, dinner in an inexpensive establishment costs about 30 EUR. In premium restaurants, prices for hot dishes reach 30-45 EUR, a meal with wine will cost 50-70 EUR per person.

The best photos of Rouen

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Entertainment and attractions

The old town of Rouen is a continuous cluster of unique attractions, perfectly preserved since the Middle Ages. In the historical center of the city, everything revolves around the famous Rouen Cathedral. Its construction lasted about three centuries, and during this time the building absorbed features of a variety of styles with the dominant Gothic. Rouen Cathedral was immortalized by the impressionist Claude Monet in a series of landscapes, and today anyone can compare the play of light and shadow on the walls of the cathedral and the artist’s paintings.

The large clock is another attraction of Rouen. A Gothic tower, a Renaissance gate and a classicist fountain are a familiar Rouen mixture of eras and arts. The clock mechanism is considered one of the oldest in Europe.

The Church of Joan of Arc was erected on the site of the execution of the national heroine of France on Old Market Square. Joan of Arc was canonized in 1920, and in 1979 a church was built in her honor. Inside, it's worth looking at the magnificent 16th-century stained glass windows that belonged to the cathedral that once stood on this site.

The mechanism of the Great Clock is one of the oldest and most massive in all of Europe.

Another gem of the historical center is the Church of Saint-Maclou, a magnificent example of the Flaming Gothic style. To the left of the church there is a “pissing boy” type fountain, unexpected for such a place, and the boy is far from alone there.

A recognized masterpiece of French Gothic architecture is the Church of Saint-Ouen, the only surviving part of the medieval abbey of the same name. It is practically not inferior to the Rouen Cathedral either in size or monumentality.

Fans of fine art should visit the Art Museum, which houses an interesting collection of paintings and sculptures from different eras. The pride of the exhibition is ancient Russian icons and magnificent works by Monet. The best examples of the famous Rouen faience and porcelain are exhibited in the Museum of Ceramics. Stately rococo-style services and charming figurines are traditional French luxury.

Connoisseurs of the works of Gustave Flaubert and Pierre Corneille are unlikely to bypass the museums of the same name, dedicated to the writer and playwright. The Sec de Tournelle Ironworks Museum is famous not only for its extensive collection of forged antiques. It is housed in a grand Gothic former church from the 15th century, and still has colorful stained glass windows and other interior features.

After seeing the sights and visiting the exhibitions, you can head to the outskirts of Rouen. There is also something to admire there: the picturesque castles and abbeys on the banks of the Seine are worthy of a separate excursion.

7 things to do in Rouen

Wander through the central streets: you won’t find more charming half-timbered houses anywhere.
Admire the Rouen Cathedral and compare what you see with Monet's paintings.
Explore the quaint antique mechanism of the Big Clock.
Visit the places of imprisonment and execution of the legendary Joan of Arc.
Try the famous Rouen duckling, prepared according to all the rules.
Complete your collection of home ceramics with an original blue and white piece from Rue Saint-Romain.
Experience a spectacular laser show: the walls of Rouen Cathedral are illuminated with hundreds of bright colors every evening from mid-June to mid-September.

Rouen for children

To ensure that even a child can enjoy exploring the architectural beauties of Rouen, you can give up walking for a while and take a ride on a tourist train. It departs every hour from the square in front of Rouen Cathedral and winds through the narrow streets of the old quarters for 45 minutes. The cost of the trip is 6.50 EUR, tickets can be purchased directly from the driver.

But for real children's entertainment you will have to move a little away from the city. 25 km from Rouen, Bokasse Park (website in English) has been built with many modern attractions for visitors of all ages. There are carousels for the little ones, water activities, and breathtaking roller coasters.

Weather

The climate of Rouen is temperate, with mild winters and warm summers. The city is saved from the sweltering heat by the influence of the English Channel. It rains throughout the year and there is a lot of precipitation. Snow in winter is very rare, as are clear days: from December to February and in the off-season it is almost always cloudy here. Due to the high air humidity in Rouen, even the slightest drop in temperature is acutely felt. At the same time, winters here are still an order of magnitude warmer than in other northern cities of France. The hottest and sunniest month of the year is August. It is not surprising that this is the time when there are the most tourists here.

- the capital of Upper Normandy, located on the banks of the Seine.
was founded by the Gauls, who controlled a vast territory in the lower reaches of the Seine. They called the city Ratumacos. It was the second city of Gaul after Lyon, which the Gauls called Lugdunum.
After the conquest by the Romans, it flourished, an amphitheater and baths were built here.
In the 5th century the city became the residence of a bishop; under the Merovingians it was the capital of Neustria.
In 841 the city was conquered by the Normans. And since 912 it was the capital of the Duchy of Normandy.
In the 12th century, many Jews lived in the city – 6 thousand, which accounted for 20% of the city’s total population.
In 1204, the French king Philip II Augustus annexed Normandy to his kingdom. At this time, the textile industry began to develop using English wool. At that time, he exported wine and wheat to England.
In the XIII centuries. the struggle captured the city, most of the inhabitants were killed, the rich were robbed.
In the 15th century, during the Hundred Years' War, it came under English rule. In 1413, Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in the center.
During the Second World War the city suffered greatly.

Rouen. Normandy. France.

The Seine River divides the city into two parts: Rive Gauche(left bank) and Rive Druath(right bank). The old town is located on the right bank.
The old one is a labyrinth of narrow streets, half-timbered houses, shutters, sharp roofs and flowerpots.
Famous for its Notre Dame Cathedral, the largest cathedral in the Norman Gothic style. A fabulous and airy cathedral rises among the narrow streets.

Rouen Cathedral. Normandy. France.

This cathedral is depicted in a series of paintings by Claude Monet.
Construction of the cathedral began in 1202 and continued until 1880. There are two towers on the façade of the cathedral: the left one was built in the 12th century. (early Gothic), and the right - at the beginning of the 16th century. This is late Gothic with many small details and a complicated form, called flaming Gothic. This tower is also called the Olive Tower for its yellow color. There is another explanation for the name of the tower: butter was prohibited during Lent and those Rouen residents who did not give up butter paid the bishop to atone for this sin, and the tower was built with these funds.
The central spire was built later than all others in the mid-19th century. Its height is 151 meters. At that time it was the tallest building in the world.
The cathedral's windows are decorated with 13th-century mosaics made of the famous cobalt blue, called "Chartres blue". This stained glass window tells the story of St. Julian the Hospitaller.
The cathedral contains the tomb of King Richard the Lionheart. In those days, it was customary to keep it in pieces, therefore, according to the will, the heart of the king rests in the Rouen Cathedral.
Also in Rouen Cathedral is the tomb of Rollo, Richard's ancestor and the first ruler of Normandy.

Church of Saint-Maclou is a striking example of flaming Gothic. It was built in 1437-1517. Behind the church is a crypt - a rare example of medieval burials of plague victims. In the Middle Ages, corpses were brought to the church and thrown into a pit. Much later, a cemetery appeared on this site. Undertakers' shops were built around them, decorated with skulls, bones and skeletons. In the 17th century, a school for the poor was opened here. Then the cemetery and the undertakers' shops were closed, leaving only the art school.

Rouen. Normandy. France.

The city is closely associated with the name of Joan of Arc. Here she was kept in the castle tower, which still stands today, tried and burned at the stake. On the Vieux Marché square, after the Second World War, a cathedral was built at the site of the burning of Joan of Arc. The roof of the cathedral, made in the form of a bonfire, recalls the execution of the Saint.
There is also a museum dedicated to Joan of Arc.

Rouen. Normandy. France.

The most popular in the city, the street of the Great Clock (rue du Gros Horloge), is named after the tower with an ancient clock dating back to the 16th century - this is the symbol and calling card of the city.
This is the first pedestrian street in France.

Clock Street. Rouen.

Rouen. Normandy. France.

Normandy cuisine based on 4 elements: apples, milk, meat and seafood.
Apples are used to make cider and cavaldos - apple brandy.
Famous Norman cheeses:
Camembert, Livarot, Pont l"Eveque, Brillat-Savarin, Neufchatel, Petit Suisse, Boursin.
Dessert:
Apple caramel, chocolate cookies with nuts, macaroons, vanilla cream tube sprinkled with almonds.

Every four years Armada. The most beautiful sailing ships in the world gather at the quays of Rouen for eight unforgettable days.

Armada 2008. Rouen.

Last year I came out a little clueless. Paris is undoubtedly a chic city, but such unconditional love did not work out for us. Therefore, this time I literally had physical suffering on the topic of planning a vacation in France. At some point I even thought of combining it with Belgium, well, etc. Then I decided that being torn into two countries was still bad manners. Or maybe stay in Paris for a week, this time carefully going around everything and trying to get a feel for the city? As a result, I began to think why I was most drawn to Europe. The alchemical formula for success boiled down to approximately the following: “Gothic cathedrals, half-timbered houses, narrow medieval streets.” Damn, this is Normandy! Considering that I planned to spend the end of my vacation with Tanya on the Cote d'Azur, a cunning plan began to emerge: to travel all over France from north to south, from Normandy to the Cote d'Azur.

I won’t bore you further with planning details. I’ll immediately post the final version of the route for two weeks: - - - - Paris - - - - - - . This time I properly thought through and prepared all the logistics, which, given my progressive sloppiness, was very difficult. And largely because of this, the trip turned out to be successful and stress-free.

So, I'll start with Rouen. Getting to Rouen from Paris turned out to be very easy, only about an hour and fifteen by train, I paid 22 euros for first class. Trains to Normandy depart from Gare Saint-Lazare, which is located near the Paris Opera.

I arrived in Rouen in the evening, the plan was to have dinner and go to bed. But while I was trudged from the station to the hotel along Jeanne d'Arc Street, I noticed this on the way. So, perhaps, dinner is postponed, I need to walk for at least an hour before it gets dark.

I highly recommend stopping by the Rouen tourist office opposite the cathedral and picking up a free brochure with a tourist map of the city. There are several very competent routes around Rouen indicated there; if you are short on time, they will help you a lot in order to see the most interesting things in Rouen in the minimum amount of time. I also compiled my approximate list of attractions and placed them on the map:

Having quickly checked into the hotel, I went for an evening walk.

After each trip, I vow to myself that next time I will definitely explore the city in advance, make a plan for a walk, mark the main attractions and read about them... And every time I forget about it. But not at this time. To draw up a plan, I used an ingenious application (I recommend it, by the way), placed about 30 points around Rouen there and read the basic information. So the first thing, as already prepared, I went to see the main attraction of Rouen - Rouen Cathedral. I hope everyone has read Madame Bovary? Right there, the very cathedral where Emma and Leon had a date, which was slightly spoiled by the intrusive guide-gatekeeper.

A detailed overview of the city was not yet part of my plans, so I then went on a chaotic walk around the center. Ran to Boildieu Bridge. It has nothing to do with the bridge known from the painting “Boildieu Bridge in Rouen on a Rainy Day” by Pizarro. The old bridge was blown up by the French during their retreat in 1940. On the new version of the bridge (1955), many sculptures were installed, the place where the ashes of Joan of Arc were scattered was marked. For example, Vikings on a longship (we are in Normandy).

The left bank of the Seine in Rouen is a bit dull. To be honest, I have never gone there. Here is a typical architecture.

Okay, great, there's a mountain overlooking the city. Let's pick it up tomorrow!

The spire of the Cathedral of Notre Dame of Rouen is 151 m - the tallest in France, if that.

Wandering around the center, I came across a natural... traboule! Well, almost like in . Such a long and unobvious passage through many courtyards for a casual passerby. In fact, it's quite Chanoine street(rue des Chanoines), you can get to it through a door from the Rue Saint-Roman, not far from the Rouen Cathedral. In the Middle Ages, monks walked along this street to pray in the cathedral.

Hotel d'Étancourt. An unusual solution, the facade of the building is from the 17th century. decorated with statues. It is interesting that this house used to stand next to the Big Clock; it was moved to d'Amiens Street in the 60s of the last century, and the facade was divided into two parts, one on the south side of the street, the other on the north.

And, indeed, the second part of the house with the statues is located on the other side of the street.

Then I came to a huge Gothic Church of Saint-Ouen. They began to build it in 1318, the church belonged to the abbey of the Benedictine Order. Its main attraction is the surviving medieval stained glass windows.

Napoleon!

On the background - Rouen city hall.

Beauty - Saint-Ouen.

There is a picturesque square around Saint-Ouen.

But even from here you can see the spire of Rouen Cathedral.

Interesting house on Place de la Rougemare.

And strange elements of its decor.

Only two hours had passed in France, and I was already delighted with Rouen, Normandy, and yes, and with all of France outside.

I had never seen so many half-timbered buildings before. Trips to the half-timbered paradise in and were still ahead, so I walked around Rouen with my jaw dropped and was touched by every lopsided house.

But all that has survived from the castle of Rouen is the tower from the early 13th century. Now it's called Tower of Joan of Arc. Allegedly, she was imprisoned in it during the process. In fact, Jeanne was kept in another tower, which has not survived to this day. And in this tower they were going to torture Jeanne.

“Zhanna was brought to the dungeon, shown the instruments of torture and again offered to renounce.
“Truly, you can twist my limbs and even kill me, but I will not say anything else.” And if I do, then I will declare publicly that you forced me to speak by force.
Cauchon summoned several assessors and asked them whether to use torture on the defendant. Ten advisers spoke out against it, arguing that “there should be no reason to slander an impeccably conducted trial”... The chairman of the tribunal joined the majority opinion, and torture was abandoned.”

Artificial waterfall in the park Square Verdrel. The sun was already setting, so I decided not to wander around the park.

Krylov's fables are popular among the French. Hmm, or Lafontaine?

What’s nice is that the historical center of Rouen is very intact, in contrast to the same one, which was destroyed by the Americans and the British. There are very few such inclusions of modern degenerate art.

All these half-timbered houses are quite lively, some are residential, some are shops or cafes. By the way, I saw an advertisement for the sale of an apartment 20 meters away in such a building. The price was about 80 thousand euros.

Medieval fountain de la Crosse. True, this is a remake; the original was destroyed during the war.

It was already getting completely dark, and I finally sat down to dinner. I had dinner at this pleasant place, I recommend:
http://www.bar-des-fleurs.com/
Reference point - monument to Flaubert right next to the fence of the establishment.
I ordered seafood Normandy style. For 15 euros they brought me a huge tub of fish, shrimp, scallops and other nasty things. The local flavor was that it was all mixed with stewed sauerkraut. A very original, tasty, but at the same time rather heavy combination.

My evening did not end there; I wandered around Rouen probably until midnight. More precisely, I was already on my way to the hotel, but I accidentally came across a crowd in the square near the Rouen Cathedral. It turned out that the light show would start any minute, I waited and it was cool!

The next morning I went on a more orderly walk around Rouen. A few steps from my hotel, Hotel de l'Europe, a Gothic tower stuck out. It turned out that these were the remains Church of Saint André de la Ville. Moreover, the 15th century church was gouged. (!) The French themselves, when they laid Joan of Arc Street through the entire center of Rouen. Well, that’s right, there are already these cathedrals at every step.

I walked away from the hotel towards the Old Market. Picturesque Rue de la Vicomte.

Immediately I came across another “massi”. Hotel de Bourgtheroulde- This is a mansion from the late 15th century, more reminiscent of a small castle. At that time, only churches or public buildings were built from stone, so the owner of the house was a very wealthy man. Now there is some kind of luxury hotel here, I just got to breakfast, which took place in the courtyard. The handsome European old men were calmly eating their croissants, and then I showed up and began brazenly spinning between the tables, trying to photograph something.

Here we need to consider the details. There are several interesting and unique bas-reliefs.

The courtyard is a bit cramped, so it’s difficult to capture the general view, but it’s definitely worth stopping by to admire the bas-reliefs.

There are so many old things in Rouen that such an impressive church as Église Saint-Éloi de Rouen, is not even marked on the tourist map as a worthy object for tourists.

One of the restaurant streets in Rouen runs behind the church. Rue du Vieux Palais. In the evening you can have dinner here; every house has some kind of establishment. But I must admit I didn’t really like sitting on the narrow, dark street, so I preferred to have lunch somewhere in the square.

And the courtyards here are no different either.

Although she looks stern in the morning.

The street opens onto a large street by the standards of compact Rouen Old Market Square.

The square became famous for the fact that it was here that Joan of Arc was burned in 1431. In place of the fire there is a huge cross.

However, the market still exists here. Moreover, it is located in the same building as the Church of Joan of Arc.

And here she is Church of Joan of Arc(1979). The shape of the roof is meant to resemble the flames of a fire, and hints at the traditional architecture of Normandy. For example, it is somewhat similar to the wooden church in. People usually either hate or adore such provocative structures; I would probably put myself in the first category.

Several more facades overlooking the Old Market Square.

Here I wanted to look at house where playwright Pierre Corneille lived. I have not seen a single one of his plays, but I have read Venichka, and I quote:

“As in the tragedies of Pierre Corneille, the poet laureate: duty fights with the heart’s attraction. Only for me it’s the other way around: the heart’s attraction fought with reason and duty. My heart told me: “You were offended, you were reduced to shit.” Go, Venichka, and get drunk. Get up and get drunk like a bitch." That's what my beautiful heart said. And my mind? - He grumbled and persisted: "You won't get up, Erofeev, you won't go anywhere and you won't drink a drop."

And then I admitted defeat. At the beginning of the report, I wrote that I carefully studied Rouen before the trip, but it turned out that this is not entirely true. I did not take into account that the main beauty of the city is its half-timbered streets. And when I realized that my eyes were running wild and I wanted to somehow get around it all and not miss anything, I gave up and took out the tourist card given to me at the hotel. On it, the meticulous French drew a detailed route for bad tourists. In general, I began to stupidly walk on this map and did not regret it.

In Rouen approximately two thousand half-timbered houses! Some of them are quite old, from the 14th-15th centuries. about a hundred pieces. And the answer is that there was a shortage of stone in this region, so they had to build from wood.

The second day in Rouen began even more rosy. I literally reveled in these half-timbered streets.

Victor Hugo called the city of Rouen “the city of a hundred bells”. The words of the romantic writer should not be taken literally: this is hyperbole. But it came to his mind, of course, not by chance.

Story

The first here, in the 1st millennium BC. e., on the right bank of the river the Celts of the Veliokas tribe, who then owned all the valleys of the lower Seine, began to live. They named their fortified settlement Ratumakos. In 57-56. BC e. it was taken quite easily by the legionnaires of Gaius Julius Caesar, the fortress was renamed Rotomagus, and a city began to grow around it. It was the second most important center of the Roman province of Lugdunian Gaul after Lugdunum (now Lyon). In the harbor of Rouen, ships were moored, delivering wool and ore from the British Isles, from Italy - marble, from Spain - olive oil, from Gaul - wines, cheeses and other gastronomic delights; all this was sent by sea to Foggy Albion, as the Romans called the future Great Britain. In the 3rd century, under Emperor Diocletian, Rotomagus could already afford the construction of an amphitheater, baths (the ruins of which have been preserved), a temple, from which several statues and fragments of columns found by archaeologists remain, and a monumental fountain. But his prosperity was interrupted by the first invasion of Gaul by German barbarians in the second half of the 3rd century. Forced to defend himself, Rotomagus was reduced to the size of a castrum - a military camp surrounded by hastily erected walls. In 393, under the last emperor of the unified Roman Empire, Theodosius I (c. 346-395), Orthodox Nicene Christianity became the official religion of the state. In Rouen at this time the first basilica was built and the first bishop named Saint Victrix appeared. In 476, the Western Roman Empire ceases to exist. Soon, Rouen was conquered by the Frankish king Clovis I (c. 466-511), who became monarch at the age of 15. After the death of Clovis, the Frankish kingdom was divided between his four sons, and Rouen became the capital of Neustria. In the 8th century the city became part of the empire of Charlemagne (742/747 or 748-811).
In 841, Neustria was conquered by the Vikings (Normans), they plundered and burned Rouen. In 856 everything happened again. Under a king named Rollo (Hrolf) Pedestrian (c. 846-931), who adopted the Frankish name Robert, from 912 Rouen became the capital of the Norman Duchy and its religious center, in exchange for Rollo's oath to the Frankish king, although William the Conqueror ( 1027/1028-1087) preferred Caen to Rouen (until he conquered England).
In 1150, the Charter of Rouen was adopted, the capital became one of the most prosperous cities in Europe, the Treasury of Normandy was located here, and many wealthy merchants lived here, laying the foundation for the “hundred spiers.” In 1204, Philip II Augustus (1165-1223) annexed Normandy to the Kingdom of France. Shortly before this, construction began on the famous Gothic Rouen Cathedral to replace the burned one, from which a crypt in the Romanesque style has been preserved. All this complex and at the same time light, openwork, richly decorated building, in which, however, nothing seems superfluous, was completed by a cast-iron spire 151 m high in 1880, which made the cathedral for several years the tallest building in Europe.
In 2002, Rouen was awarded the honorary rank of “city of history and art” as part of a special national program. At the same time, the project “Let me tell you about...” began here.
These stories can last, it seems, endlessly, for they are replete with a mass of colorful, often dramatic details. This is the story about the most famous historical figure associated with Rouen, Joan of Arc (1412-1431), or rather, about the last days of the life of the national heroine of France. During the Hundred Years War in May 1430, Joan was captured Burgundians and handed over to the Inquisition, which defended the interests of the British. The warrior was kept in the only surviving tower-donjon of the Rouen fortress, and was tried and tortured as a heretic. Her heresy included wearing men's clothing, disobedience to the hierarchs of the Catholic Church and connections with the devil, who spoke to her with “voices” On May 30, 1431, Jeanne, wearing a long shirt soaked in sulfur, was taken to the Old Market Square and burned alive, and she shouted only one word: “Jesus!” A flower garden was laid out on this site and a marble plaque was placed with the text of the Church’s verdict recognizing Joan as a saint in 1920. Nearby, the modernist Cathedral of St. Joan was opened in 1979, inside decorated with 13th-century stained glass from the Church of Saint-Jean, destroyed in 1944. Vincent: The complex roof of the cathedral, with a silhouette reminiscent of tongues of fire, is covered with imitation tiles with a pattern of fish scales - an allusion both to the market that still operates here, and to the fish - as a symbol that was worshiped by the first Christians.
Another fascinating story of Rouen is the story of the heart of Richard the Lionheart (1157-1199), which is buried in a sarcophagus with his sculpted image in Rouen Cathedral.
In 1944, during the Normandy operation, the city was heavily damaged by bombing; the Rouen Cathedral was almost completely destroyed, which was also subjected to a powerful disaster in 1999. But it was completely restored and looks exactly the same as it was depicted by one of the founders of impressionism, Claude Monet. (1840-1926). He painted 36 paintings depicting the cathedral at different times of the day, under different lighting, and left 47 sketches for them. Monet's paintings are kept in the most famous museums in the world, and the impressionist collection of the Museum of Fine Arts in Rouen is considered the second most important after the collection of the Musée d'Orsay in Paris. So Rouen rightfully considers itself a city of impressionism. And post-impressionism too: people lived and worked here many artists of this school of painting, as well as great writers: playwright Pierre Corneille (1606-1684), novelists Gustave Flaubert (1821-1880) and Guy de Maupassant (1850-1893). Flaubert in the novel Madame Bovary "described the Rouen Cathedral, and Rouen itself, and its surroundings, although he admitted that he never loved this city, considered it “too provincial". This is the artist’s view. In the opinion of historians, half-timbered Rouen is an example of the urban culture of Old Europe and a reserve of this style, in France called “colombage.” Compared to German half-timbered, collombage has more vertical lines and is reminiscent of the English half-timbered style, which is not surprising: much connects Normandy and England. You won’t find two identical houses in the “colombage” part of the city; they all look like authentic medieval buildings, although they were also mostly destroyed during the Second World War, but they were carefully restored and after reconstruction they acquired all modern communications.
Trade has always been the main occupation of Rouen, and the main exports from the city itself are blue and white earthenware, linen, wool and cotton textiles, as well as forged metal products that adorn the interiors of many buildings and churches in Rouen. The city's metallurgical plants were built on English iron ore, and to this day metallurgy is one of the city's main industries.

general information

Historical capital of Normandy, the center of the modern region of France Haute-Normandie and the prefecture of the Seine-Maritime department in the north of the country.

Administrative division: The Rouen agglomeration includes 71 communes.

Language: French.

Ethnic composition: French - 96% (in France, the concept of “nationality” is equivalent to the concept of “citizenship”), immigrants - 4%.

Religions: Catholicism - 88%, Protestantism - 2%, Islam - 1%, Judaism - 1%, non-religious - 8%. But these numbers are most likely incorrect. About a third of French residents overall call themselves atheists in surveys, and another third call themselves agnostics, and Rouen is hardly an exception.

Currency unit: Euro.

Largest river: Seine.

Major airports: The nearest international airports are Orly and Roissy-Charles de Gaulle in Paris (130 km).

Numbers

Area: 21.38 km2.

Population: 112,787 people. (2011), in the agglomeration - about 600,000 people.

Population density: 5275.4 people/km 2 .
Highest point: 87 m above sea level (right bank of the Seine).

Climate and weather

Moderate continental with marine influences, soft, humid.
Average January temperature:+4°C.

Average temperature in July:+18°С.
Average annual precipitation: 1250 mm.

Economy

Industry: in the suburbs - metallurgy, mechanical engineering; textile, oil refining, chemical, woodworking and pulp and paper.
Port industry, ship repair (Rouen is one of the largest river ports in France, accessible to sea vessels).

Railway junction.

Service sector: trade, tourism.

Attractions

■ Old Market Square (Vieux Marché), the Old Town with houses of Gothic, Renaissance and half-timbered architecture.
■ Religious buildings: Notre-Dame de Rouen Cathedral (Norman Gothic, founded in 1210, construction was mainly completed in the 16th century, the central spire - 19th century), Saint-Ouen Abbey Church (Gothic, 14th-16th centuries), Church of Saint-Maclou ("flaming" Gothic, 15th century), Church of Saint-Godard (Gothic, late 15th century), Cathedral of Saint Joan of Arc (1979). Historical center, Notre Dame Cathedral, Church of Saint-Ouen and Saint-Maclou are included in the tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
■ Buildings: Palace of Justice (former building of the Parliament of Normandy, Gothic, XV-XVI centuries), Town Hall (formerly the dormitory of the Abbey of Saint-Ouen, Renaissance, XVI century), hotel (mansion) Burgteruld (Renaissance, XVI century), Clock tower Gros Orloge (Great Clock) with an astronomical clock (XIII-XVI centuries) and a museum, tower of Joan of Arc (XV century).
■ Museums: fine arts - paintings by Veronese, Velazquez, Rubens, Poussin, a collection of impressionists (Monet, Renoir), natural history, antiquity, ceramics, navigation, river and port affairs, metal structures Le Sec de Tournelle, National Museum of Education; museums of Joan of Arc, Gustave Flaubert, Pierre Corneille.
■ Botanical Garden(exists since 1840).
■ In the vicinity: a castle from the 12th century. Richard the Lionheart in Les Andelys, the towns of Giverny (Claude Monet's estate with a garden), Etretat, Honfleur, Deauville; Road of the Abbeys (Saint-Ouen in Rouen, Saint-Georges in Saint-Martin-de-Borcheville and Saint-Pierre in Jumièges), Fruit Road.

Curious facts

■ Most Gothic cathedrals are characterized by complete identity of the towers of the facade, hence the expression “twin towers”. But the towers of Rouen Cathedral are significantly different from each other. The northern tower is called Saint-Romain - Roman, the southern one is nicknamed the Butter Tower - for the yellowish tint of the stone from which it was erected in 1485. Perhaps the name here is primary. It is forbidden to consume butter during Lent. Those who were unable to refuse it paid the church six deniers in the Middle Ages - a kind of compensation for a minor sin. The Oil Tower was built with these funds.
■ Behind the Church of Saint-Maclou in the Middle Ages there was a cemetery for victims of the plague (now a concert venue). One of its attractions is the mummified body of a cat placed behind glass, stuck hundreds of years ago between the stone blocks of one of the crypts.
■ In 2010, the first Normandie Impressionist festival was held in Rouen. Its program included exhibitions, lectures, conferences, musical concerts and historical performances. The second festival is planned to be held from April 27 to September 29, 2013. Its main theme is water in Impressionist paintings and, in parallel, everything connected with the rivers of Normandy.

On a rainy August day, we crossed the German border and found ourselves in France. Last year we traveled through the French region, and this year we headed towards the Atlantic coast in the harsh regions and Brittany.

We chose Rouen as the first city to visit in Normandy. This city is world famous for its stunning Rouen Cathedral and events associated with Joan of Arc.

We started our walk around Rouen from the Abbey of Saint-Ouen, a beautiful Gothic cathedral that now houses the Rouen City Hall.

You can walk around the cathedral and stroll through the city hall gardens with sculptures and fountains.

Everywhere there are ancient half-timbered houses of different colors (by the way, France has its own name for half-timbered houses - collombage) - a real paradise for lovers of this architectural style, i.e. for me too

Quite quickly we reached the main attraction of Rouen - Rouen Cathedral.

Unfortunately, part of the cathedral was in the woods, but we still appreciated the beauty and splendor of the Rouen Cathedral. However, the proximity of a medieval cathedral with modern boutiques on the same square is a little strange for me..

Rouen Cathedral, with its 151 m high cast iron spire, ranks 4th on the list of tallest churches in the world and first in France.

Soon we went to Old Market Square, where on May 30, 1431, the national heroine of France, Joan of Arc, was executed. Here, in honor of the Virgin of Orleans, the Cathedral of Saint Joan of Arc was built, which also includes an indoor market. The cathedral itself resembles the bonfire on which Joan of Arc was burned, and at the site of the burning there is a high cross.