Visit in 1 day

As soon as you arrive in Rouen, either by train at the gare SNCF rive Droite, or by car, we suggest you make a first stop at the Musée des Beaux-Arts.

It’s hard to survey all the collections, but if you have to choose, we recommend the Depeaux gallery and its collection of Impressionist works by Claude Monet or Camille Pissaro. Note that admission to the Musée des Beaux-Arts is free to access the permanent collections.

After admiring these masterpieces, head for the pedestrian streets of Rouen’s city center to rue Saint-Romain. Running alongside the Cathedral, since 2015 it has been home to the Historial Jeanne d’Arc.

Installed in the Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Historial is the largest memorial site in Jeanne d’Arc: a tribute brought to life by an impressive scenography drawing on new technologies such as video mapping and holograms.

After retracing the last hours of the journey of Jeanne d’Arc, enjoy the many squares with lively terraces in the historic heart of the Normandy metropolis.

Place de la Pucelle, Place du 19 avril 1944, or near Place Saint-Marc and of course the Place du Vieux Marché with its timber-framed houses, the église Sainte-Jeanne d’Arc and the atmosphere of the covered market are sites not to be missed for an authentic lunch. Discover a wide choice of restaurants on this famous square known to all Rouennais: French gastronomy, local specialties, world cuisine…

With the lunch break over, you’ll discover another face of the city as you walk, in just a few minutes, to the quays of the Seine and its industrial architecture.

A popular area for Rouen residents, the quais de Seine are perfect for a long stroll between hangars rehabilitated as gyms, restaurants or cafés and the cruise ships and barges that criss-cross the Seine.

After this riverside stroll, get some height: head for the panorama of the Colline Sainte-Catherine. In just a few minutes by car or public transport, you’ll have access to a breathtaking view of the whole city of Rouen and its surroundings.

Weather permitting, head down a few steps and settle down on the grass for an unforgettable picnic with Rouen under a sunset as a backdrop.

Every summer, as night falls, the cathedral is transformed into a magnificent sound and light show. The themes change regularly, taking us into the epic of Joan of Arc, the Viking adventure or the Impressionist movement. Always magical collections at the crossroads of history and modernity. The new technologies of these monumental projections bring this giant of Rouen’s heritage to life. You’ll be dreaming, eyes wide open!

If you want to extend your stay in Rouen, don’t hesitate to sleep in one of the numerous accommodations in the Rouen metropolitan area: hotel, bed and breakfast, gîte, campsite, motorhome parking area or youth hostel.