Rouen Travel Guide

Tourist Guide
Rouen featuring heritage architecture and night scenes
Discover the historic medieval city where Joan of Arc was executed. Walk along quaint cobblestone streets in this Normandy city.

Rouen is famous as the location where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake. It is the former home of one of the country’s greatest writers, Gustave Flaubert. The city’s cathedral attracts travellers and sightseers just as it once inspired works of art by Monet. Rouen has many museums and historic landmarks created during its important role in Anglo-Norman rule.

Admire the gothic design of the 13th-century Rouen Cathedral. See stained-glass windows dating back more than 800 years as well as the tomb of Richard the Lionheart, a former king of England. The church’s majestic façade inspired impressionist artist Monet to create works now worth millions of dollars.

Find one of Monet’s cathedral paintings in the city’s Musée des Beaux-Arts, which was founded by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1801. Browse paintings, sculptures and other artworks around the halls of the 19th-century building. Many genres are included, such as impressionist and renaissance art.

Make your way to the Gros Horloge (Big Clock), one of the world’s oldest and largest surviving mechanical clocks. Made in 1389, it has an 8.2-foot (2.5-metre) diameter. Admire the clock’s design with a sun at its centre and 24 rays of sunlight pointing to the hours. At the nearby Saint-Ouen Church, appreciate its grand gothic design and famous 19th-century organ.

Stroll along the charming cobblestone street of Rue Eau de Robec to browse its shops and cafés and enjoy interesting architecture. Water flowing down one side of the road offers a tranquil ambiance. Turn down Rue Saint-Romain, near the cathedral, to see gothic and renaissance architectural styles. Some houses have thatched roofs and wooden façades.  

The city has warm summers and cold winters with a fair chance of rain. Local people are known as “ Rouennais.”

Take a look around the Tour Jeanne d’Arc in Rouen Castle, where it is said the famous heroine was shown instruments of torture designed for her. In contrast, modern Rouen will show you a very pleasurable experience.

Where to stay in Rouen

Rouen featuring a small town or village and heritage architecture

Rouen City Centre

4/5(35 area reviews)

Historical sites, museums and art galleries are just a few things travellers like about Rouen City Centre. Sights like Saint-Ouen Church and Rouen Cathedral are spots to explore, and you can get around the greater Rouen area at Palais de Justice Tram Station.

Rouen City Centre
Gros Horloge showing street scenes

Quartier Vieux Marché-Cathédrale

Historical sites, museums and art galleries are just a few things travellers like about Quartier Vieux Marché-Cathédrale. Sights like Palais de Justice and Rue du Gros-Horloge are spots to explore, and you can get around the greater Rouen area at Palais de Justice Tram Station.

Quartier Vieux Marché-Cathédrale

Centre Ville Rive Gauche

4/5(3 area reviews)

Shopping, restaurants and historical sites highlight some of the notable features of Centre Ville Rive Gauche. Make a stop by Saint Sever while you're exploring.

Centre Ville Rive Gauche
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Gare-Jouvenet

5/5(1 area review)

You'll appreciate the restaurants during your time in Gare-Jouvenet and you might want to plan a stop by Tour Jeanne d'Arc and Hotel de Ville while you're in the area.

Gare-Jouvenet
Rouen featuring signage

Quartier Saint-Marc - Croix de Pierre - Saint-Nicaise

Historical sites, bars and river views are just a few things travellers enjoy about Quartier Saint-Marc - Croix de Pierre - Saint-Nicaise. Check out Rue Eau de Robec or Saint-Ouen Church while you're exploring the area.

Quartier Saint-Marc - Croix de Pierre - Saint-Nicaise
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Quartier Pasteur

3.5/5(11 area reviews)

River views, historical sites and coffee shops are just a few things travellers enjoy about Quartier Pasteur. Check out Kindarena or Flaubert Museum and the History of Medicine while you're exploring the area.

Quartier Pasteur
Mercure Rouen Centre Cathedrale
Mercure Rouen Centre Cathedrale
4 out of 5
7 rue Croix de Fer, Accès Parking via Rue des Arsins, Rouen, Seine-Maritime
The price is ₹8,396 per night from 25 Apr to 26 Apr
₹8,396
per night
25 Apr - 26 Apr
Stay at this 4-star eco-certified hotel in Rouen. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast and room service. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean rooms in their ...
8.6/10 Excellent! (842 reviews)
"Staff fantastic. Great location for walking in old city."

Reviewed on 23 Mar 2024

Mercure Rouen Centre Cathedrale
Hotel Litteraire Gustave Flaubert, Signature Collection
Hotel Litteraire Gustave Flaubert, Signature Collection
4 out of 5
33, rue du Vieux Palais, Rouen
The price is ₹8,708 per night from 21 Apr to 22 Apr
₹8,708
per night
21 Apr - 22 Apr
Stay at this 4-star hotel in Rouen. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast and room service. Our guests praise the helpful staff in their reviews. Popular attractions Musee ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (554 reviews)
"Great location, lovely breakfast options, comfortable and welcoming room with nice bath. Enjoyable stay all around."

Reviewed on 4 Feb 2024

Hotel Litteraire Gustave Flaubert, Signature Collection
Radisson Blu Hotel, Rouen Centre
Radisson Blu Hotel, Rouen Centre
4 out of 5
6-8 Rue du Donjon, Rouen
The price is ₹11,475 per night from 1 Apr to 2 Apr
₹11,475
per night
1 Apr - 2 Apr
Stay at this 4-star spa hotel in Rouen. Enjoy a full-service spa, breakfast and 24-hour room service. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the spacious rooms ...
9.4/10 Exceptional! (331 reviews)
"I stayed overnight in a nice room with a comfy bed, decent-sized desk and mini fridge, tv, safe, electric jug, iron & ironing board 👍. Wifi worked well and there were lots of well-placed power sockets. It had a great view, city buildings interspersed with trees and gardens, and on the other side, ..."

Reviewed on 19 Feb 2024

Radisson Blu Hotel, Rouen Centre
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
Studi'home
Studi'home
77 rue Ecuyere, Rouen, Normandy
Stay at this apartment in Rouen. Enjoy billiards or a pool table and 1 bedroom. Popular attractions Palais de Justice and Place du Vieux-Marche are located nearby. ...
8.6/10 Excellent! (24 reviews)
"Extremely hot with opening ground floor windows as only option for relief. People walking by looked in. Only way to get relief at night was same……nit a very safe way to sleep. We left early and would definitely never use again. We knew there was no ac but had no idea there would be no air flow or ..."

Reviewed on 25 Jul 2021

Studi'home
Villa Caron
Villa Caron
53 Rue Coignebert, Rouen, Seine-Maritime
Stay at this apartment in Rouen. Enjoy free WiFi, a kitchen and a fridge. Popular attractions Hotel de Ville and Museum de Rouen are located nearby. Discover ...
Villa Caron
Appart Rouen Centre - Rue des Bons Enfants
Appart Rouen Centre - Rue des Bons Enfants
74 rue des bons enfants, Rouen, Normandy
Stay at this apartment in Rouen. Enjoy a 24-hour front desk, a computer station and laundry facilities. Popular attractions Place du Vieux-Marche and Jeanne ...
8.6/10 Excellent! (16 reviews)
"La douche mériterait un peu d’amour."

Reviewed on 13 Sep 2023

Appart Rouen Centre - Rue des Bons Enfants
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Popular places to visit

Reviews of Rouen

4.5
Top destination
5 - Excellent
20
" "5 - Excellent 58.8235294117647%
4 - Good
11
" "4 - Good 32.35294117647059%
3 - Okay
2
" "3 - Okay 5.882352941176471%
2 - Disappointing
1
" "2 - Disappointing 2.9411764705882355%
1 - Terrible
0
" "1 - Terrible 0%

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller
27 Oct 2019

Got amazingly surprised by this city! Will go back for sure

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller
30 Sep 2019

Walk the street and use the transport system; soak up the atmosphere of the place (unless there has been a chemical fire!)

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller
22 Sep 2019

Lovely vibrant city

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller
2 Sep 2019

Lovely, ideal stop for a night after holiday further south, on Atlantic coast. Kyriad was a good base; had car park which was needed, not a long walk to town either. Bit noisy but to be expected really for a city location. Would visit again

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller
25 Aug 2019

The Cathedral Light Show was incredible.

4/5 - Good

Verified traveller
20 Aug 2019

Pleasant medieval centre to walk around. River bank provided easy dog walking

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