Joan of Arc Medieval Festival

From May 29 to 31, immerse yourself in the medieval atmosphere with a series of unmissable events. Put on your finest costumes for a medieval ball on Thursday and Friday. Attend a Natasha Saint-Pier concert at the Abbatiale Saint-Ouen on Thursday, or a medieval chant on Thursday and Friday. On Friday, marvel at the light show and pyrotechnics at the Prairie Saint-Sever. Finally, on Saturday, don’t miss the grand parade of troops to round off the festivities in style.

From May 29 to 31, the whole town is transformed

• Artisan and producer markets: rue Jeanne d’Arc, place Foch, esplanade Marcel-Duchamp and place de la Cathédrale
• Demonstrations and workshops: place de la Cathédrale, place de la Pucelle and place du Vieux-March
• Company shows in the streets of Rouen: place de la Cathédrale, rue Jeanne d’Arc, esplanade Marcel-Duchamp, place du Vieux-Marché, place de la Pucelle, place des Emmurées and jardin Saint-Sever.

In addition to the medieval activities, you’ll be able to enjoy a range of original experiences over the three days.

Joan of Arc: the secret of the manuscript

Urban Escape Game Dive into a captivating adventure in which a famous archaeologist specializing in Joan of Arc mysteriously disappears, leaving behind a strange briefcase. Cooperate to discover whether she has found traces of treasure or is in danger. Explore the streets of Rouen, from its most emblematic sites to its best-kept secrets. Orientation, riddles, keys, chests – with your briefcase in hand, solve riddles and puzzles to unravel the mystery in just 1h30! Price: from €11 to €19 – From age 7 – May 29, 30 and 31 at 2pm and 4:30pm Information and booking

In the footsteps of Joan of Arc

Guided tour Take a guided tour through the streets of Rouen and follow in the footsteps of La Pucelle. Follow Joan of Arc’s path from the dungeon where she was interrogated, to the archiepiscopal palace where her trial took place her trial to the Place du Vieux Marché, where she was tortured in 1431, and feel the presence of this mythical heroine. Prices: €9 to €12 – free for children under 12 – May 29, 30 and 31 at 3pm Information and booking

To the rhythm of Joan of Arc

Cultural jogging Discover the story of Joan of Arc through a cultural jog where each stride brings you a little closer to her story. Between myth and reality, immerse yourself in this fabulous medieval epic, combining historical events and anecdotes, by running or briskly walking some ten kilometers. Price: €9 – Running on May 30 and brisk walking on May 31 at 9 a.m. Information and booking Book now for an unforgettable experience!

In 2024, this flagship event attracted over 200,000 visitors. Encouraged by this success and the enthusiasm of local residents for this major event, Métropole Rouen Normandie has decided to offer free public transport across the entire Astuce network on Thursday May 29 and Friday May 30, 2025 (Saturdays have already been free since 2020). In addition, extra service will be provided on the Metro, TEOR and FAST lines to meet expected demand and ensure smooth travel for all participants.

An outstanding figure in French history, a symbol of feminism for some, a popular saint for others, Jeanne is a universal character who arouses international interest. Jeanne was imprisoned in a tower of the Château de Philippe Auguste in Rouen, long known as the Tour de la Pucelle. The remains of this tower can still be seen at 102 rue Jeanne d’Arc. The prisoner only made one visit to the castle’s only surviving tower, the Donjon de Rouen, which has been converted into an escape game. The trial for heresy led by the Bishop of Beauvais, Abbé Cauchon, began on February 9, 1431 in the castle. The sentence was proclaimed in the Salle de l’Officialité of the archbishop’s palace, now theHistorial Jeanne d’Arc. Judged to have relapsed, Joan was condemned and burned at the stake in the Place du Vieux-Marché. On May 30, 1431, Joan of Arc was burned alive and her ashes thrown into the Seine from the Pont Mathilde. A commemorative plaque at the entrance to today’s Pont Boieldieu on the right bank commemorates this event.At the request of her mother, Isabelle Romée, and with the Pope’s approval, Jeanne’s rehabilitation trial was held again at thearchdiocese of Rouen, near Notre-Dame Cathedral, twenty-five years after her death in 1431, with the hearing of one hundred and fourteen witnesses. This led to the installation of a cross on the very site of La Pucelle’s torture at Place du Vieux-Marché, near the present-day church of Sainte Jeanne d’Arc.

For many years, Joan of Arc has been celebrated in Rouen every last weekend in May, on the dates closest to May 30, the anniversary of her death. A phrase from André Malraux’s speech at the Fêtes Jeanne d’Arc in 1964 can still be read on the Place du Vieux Marché:“O Joan of Arc without sepulchre or portrait, you who knew that the tomb of heroes is the heart of the living…”. On May 16, 1920, Pope Benedict XV canonized Joan of Arc, and on July 10, 1920, the French Chamber of Deputies instituted a National Day of Joan of Arc and Patriotism. Exhibitions, shows and guided tours will revolve around the icon, taking on the traditional and historical profile of Joan of Arc, but also questioning her myth and the echoes it echoes in today’s society. In this way, we can immerse ourselves in the judicial trials that made history, or contemplate the manuscripts, statues and stained-glass windows from La Pucelle’s time to the present day.The calendar of events has been put together by Vitrines de Rouen, the City of Rouen, Métropole Rouen Normandie, Amistorial and a host of other partners. The aim is to make these festivities a large-scale event, going beyond the official ceremonies, combining Rouen’s heritage linked to La Pucelle with modern and extended events, with a festive and historic procession through the streets of the city. Inhabitants and visitors alike are invited to take part in a medieval market and stroll through the streets of Rouen’s timber-framed houses, whilefamilies are greeted by the many fools and troubadours juggling and singing along the streets.