Free walking tours in Rouen and what to see

Must-sees

Rouen is the capital of Normandy and sits on the Seine, with an old town full of half-timbered houses. Its Gothic cathedral of Notre-Dame is the one Monet painted in a series of canvases, showing the façade in different light. From there, Rue du Gros-Horloge passes under the great Renaissance astronomical clock, set on an arch, and leads to Place du Vieux-Marché, where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake. A modern church dedicated to the saint now stands there.

Also worth seeing are the Flamboyant Gothic church of Saint-Maclou and the Aître Saint-Maclou, a former charnel house with wooden galleries carved with macabre motifs. The Abbey of Saint-Ouen has a huge Gothic nave and a garden next to the town hall. The Palais de Justice shows off highly decorated civil Gothic. The Museum of Fine Arts has an important collection including Impressionist works, and the Historial Jeanne d’Arc tells the story of her trial in the former archbishop’s palace.

Free tours and guided visits

Civitatis offers a guided tour of Rouen covering the old town, the cathedral, the Gros-Horloge and Place du Vieux-Marché, with explanations about Joan of Arc and Norman history. There is no free walking tour in its catalogue. From Rouen it is easy to organise your own trips to Giverny, the village of Monet’s gardens, or to the coast at Étretat.

How long to spend

In one day you can see the essentials of the centre: the cathedral, the Gros-Horloge, the Vieux-Marché, Saint-Maclou and Saint-Ouen. With two days you can add the Museum of Fine Arts, the Historial Jeanne d’Arc and a walk along the Seine quays. If you want to include Giverny or the Alabaster Coast, allow three days. Rouen is just over an hour from Paris by train, so it also works as a short break.

Where to stay

Ideally, stay in the old town on the right bank, between the cathedral and the Vieux-Marché, where everything is within walking distance. Near the station there are practical hotels if you arrive by train. The left bank, across the Seine, has more modern and cheaper accommodation, well connected to the centre by light rail.