Visit Rouen in one day: what to see, what to do? This week, I’m taking you on a one-day tour to visit Rouen! Known for its cathedral and half-timbered houses, Rouen is the perfect destination for a day trip or weekend getaway! It’s lovely to stroll through its wide, elegant avenues and narrow streets lined with colorful half-timbered houses.
Its pedestrianized city center is full of charm and allows you to visit beautiful places and monuments, while also rediscovering a part of French history with Joan of Arc, who is present throughout Rouen! Follow me, and let’s visit Rouen in one day !
PRACTICAL TIPS TO VISIT ROUEN IN ONE DAY
How to get to Rouen?
The people of Rouen are lucky enough to enjoy the advantages of provincial life while remaining just an hour from Paris. It takes 1.5 hours by car, but only 1 hour and 10 minutes by train from Saint Lazare station. Rouen Rive Droite station is right next to the city center, perfect for starting your tour!
If you also want to visit the area around Rouen, you will need a car. Rent a car here if you need to.
Compare car rentals to find the best price!
Where to stay to visit Rouen in one day?
Here are several suggestions for accommodation in Rouen, ideally located to visit Rouen in one day.
3 recommended accommodation to visit Rouen in one day
LA MAISON DES VIEUX LOGIS
- Stunning historic place
- In Rouen city center
- From €120
HÔTEL DE BOURGTHEROULDE
- Rouen iconic hotel
- Luxurious place with a spa
- From €200
FIQUET DE NORMANDIE
- In the center
- Fully equipped flat
- From €100
Find your accommodation in Rouen!
How long do you need in Rouen?
I recommend you visit Rouen in one day: the city center isn’t very big and you can easily explore it on foot. It’s very pleasant as many of the streets are pedestrianized. You can see most things in a day if you don’t have much time, but if you want to visit Rouen over two days, you won’t be bored!
What to bring back from Rouen?
Rouen is full of cute shops where you’re sure to find some unique souvenirs! Rue Saint-Nicolas is a very nice street with antique toy shops, vintage decorations, and all kinds of board games. The parallel street (Rue Saint-Romain), right next to the cathedral, is home to several Rouen earthenware workshops.
You’ll also find L’échoppe normande, a delicatessen selling local products, charcuterie, cheeses, drinks, and ice cream. There’s even a bookshop, and you can sample the products on site.
For those with a sweet tooth, Les Macarons de Grand’Mère Auzou sells delicious Rouen macarons and Larmes de Jeanne d’Arc (Joan of Arc’s tears, no less!). The macarons are unique in that they are filled with salted apple caramel, and the tears are actually roasted almonds coated in chocolate. – 69 rue des Carmes, next to the Cathedral.
And for beer lovers, the charming Normandie C.A.P.S. shop offers several ranges of beers produced in Normandy. You’ll be spoiled for choice! – 9 rue de la Poterne, next to the Palais de Justice.
VISIT ROUEN IN ONE DAY : STROLL ALONG THE SEINE
The capital of Normandy is crossed by the Seine, so you can stroll along its quays to enjoy the exhibitions and children’s areas on the left bank. It starts to come alive when the warm weather and sunshine return.
If you’re visiting Rouen for a day, don’t hesitate to climb up to the Butte Sainte Catherine in the east of the city to admire the curves of the Seine and the series of bridges!
It takes about 20 minutes on foot, but you can also get there by car. The light is beautiful in the morning, and the sunset is said to be incredible too! It’s the perfect place to start or end a beautiful sunny day.
The historic center of Rouen, located on the right bank, is then accessible on foot, and you can stroll through its three most beautiful neighborhoods. The closest to the Sainte Catherine panorama is the Saint Maclou church, then you can continue from the cathedral to the Jeanne d’Arc church, right in the historic heart. Finally, the third neighborhood, located around the Museum of Fine Arts, is the closest to the train station.
VISITER ROUEN AROUND EGLISE SAINT MACLOU
Let’s continue our tour of Rouen on foot around Saint Maclou Church! As you will no doubt notice during your weekend in Rouen, the city is unique in that it has a large number of churches, including several very large buildings. You could easily believe that you are standing in front of the cathedral if you haven’t already passed the real one! This is the case with the Saint Ouen Abbey, which is well worth a visit for its imposing appearance, and the Saint Maclou Church.
Saint Maclou really has beautiful exterior architecture. What’s more, the rows of colorful houses surrounding the church are truly magnificent! Some of them are more crooked than straight, which is part of their charm. Take a stroll through the pretty streets nearby: with their colorful half-timbered houses, they are among the most beautiful in the city! In Alsace, the houses are colorful and the half-timbering is black, but in Rouen, it’s the other way around! My favorite streets are rue Damiette and rue Eau de Robec.
On the latter, you’ll find one of the best crêperies in town, which is definitely worth a try: La Cornaelle – 74 rue Eau de Robec. Its tiny dining room is really cute and the crêpes are delicious and very affordable. For those who prefer a traditional restaurant, Rouen’s specialty is canard au sang (duck in blood sauce)! There is even an “Ordre des Canardiers” (Order of Duck Eaters) dedicated to perpetuating the tradition 😉 But I haven’t tried it, so I can’t tell you any more about it…
To continue your weekend in Rouen, I invite you to lose yourself in the narrow streets of the neighborhood. You’re sure to come across pretty little passageways such as the rue des chanoines or the rue des petits moutons (you couldn’t make it up!). They add to the charm of the neighborhood!
Finally, don’t miss the Aître Saint Maclou next to the church of the same name. You can’t see it from the outside, so you have to go up close to enter and discover its square courtyard.
The courtyard of the Aître Saint Maclou was actually used as a necropolis in the Middle Ages, when epidemics were rife. At the time, the cemetery was also a place of life, commerce, and even a place to take a stroll. Then, in the 16th century, galleries were added to collect bones, and in the 17th century, the buildings began to house schools.
The courtyard is very pretty with all its black half-timbering carved with numerous skulls, a reminder of the site’s original function.
VISIT ROUEN IN ONE DAY : FROM THE CATHEDRAL TO THE JEANNE D’ARC CHURCH
Let’s continue to visit Rouen in one day, now heading towards the cathedral! From Saint Maclou, it’s only a few minutes’ walk to the cathedral. You can’t miss it if you’re visiting Rouen in a day! It is truly the emblem of Rouen and is as majestic on the outside as it is on the inside. Its façade is impressive and full of incredible details, but I feel that you need a little more distance to really admire it.
Next, take the rue du Gros Horloge, which leads to one of the city’s attractions, the beautiful “gros horloge” (big clock). The arch spanning the street features a magnificent Renaissance clock face and a belfry. You can visit it to discover the clock’s mechanisms, the clock room, and a view of the city that is said to be magnificent. Be careful, it’s closed on Mondays (I learned this the hard way!).
Le Gros Horloge: Open all day during high season, afternoons during low season. Closed on Mondays. Admission: €7.70 (reduced rate: €3.90).
The surrounding area, the old quarter of Rouen with its old houses, is truly magnificent! It’s a very pleasant place to stroll around.
Just after the Gros Horloge, take Rue Massacre (yes, really!) on the right to reach the Palais de Justice. The building is huge and the exterior is very beautiful, especially the large courtyard. Unfortunately, you can’t go inside.
The last stop is the Place du Vieux Marché with its tall houses with colorful half-timbering. In the center of the square stands the Jeanne d’Arc Church. Its architecture is modern and very distinctive… But it was actually built on the site of the stake where the Maid of Orléans was burned in 1431. Her memory is very much alive throughout the city, with themed trails and a museum dedicated to her.
VISITER ROUEN IN ONE DAY : TOP MUSEUMS
In this neighborhood, I recommend two museums that are well worth a visit. What’s more, both are free, which is quite rare these days! The Museum of Fine Arts is a must-see, with a particularly beautiful collection of Impressionist paintings. You will of course find Monet’s famous painting of Rouen Cathedral, as well as several works by Pissarro, Sisley and others. It also houses modern collections. The museum is very pleasant.
Right next door is the Musée Le Secq des Tournelles, which specializes in ironwork. At first glance, this may not seem very appealing, but I really fell in love with this museum. The setting is magnificent, as the collections are displayed in an old church. Signs hang from the pillars, wrought-iron balconies are installed here and there… There is also a multitude of door knockers, keys, locks, and even measuring and surgical instruments, which are true works of art. The visit isn’t very long, but for me it’s a must-see in the city. For children and those who aren’t usually into museums, it’s a pretty fun visit! I hope you enjoy it!
Not far away, you’ll also find the ceramics museum and the keep, which is worth a quick detour. It’s the only remaining part of Rouen’s old castle. It’s also called the “Joan of Arc Tower” because it was here that she was threatened with torture during her trial.
You can visit it during the day, because in the evening it turns into a historical escape game that takes players back to the 13th century! Pretty original, right?
Practical information – museums in Rouen:
Museum of Fine Arts: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., closed on Tuesdays. Free admission to the permanent collections.
Musée Le Secq des Tournelles: 2pm-6pm, closed on Tuesdays. Free admission.
Escape Game Le Donjon: 3 to 8 players, duration: 60 minutes. Price: €105 to be divided by the number of players. Open in spring and summer only.
WHAT TO DO AROUND ROUEN?
If you visit Rouen in one day, here are a few ideas for things to do in the surrounding area to discover Normandy!
– Etretat: If you have the opportunity to get closer to the sea, the cliffs of Etretat are an hour’s drive away. You can find photos and tips for visiting this magical place in my post All You Need to Know to Visit Etretat cliffs and region.
– Honfleur: this is one of my favorite villages in France! I fell in love with this village that inspired Monet and so many other painters… You can discover the top things to see in Honfleur in my dedicated post.
– Deauville and Trouville: a few miles from Honfleur, these two small towns are very pleasant in winter for walking by the sea, as long as there are no tourists yet.
– Giverny: this small Norman village is famous for the house of the painter Claude Monet and its sumptuous gardens. Rediscover it through my post Visit Giverny from Paris.
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