Travel Eye on Rouen (France)

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Overview:

Rouen is situated on the Seine river, and is an old town, with gothic churches and cathedrals, an abbey, a clock tower, an old marketplace where Joan of Arc was burned, Joan of Arc Museum, Museum of Flaubert. The heart of town is dominated by a 13th-century Gothic cathedral while to the W of the old town, and of touching interest, is a simple, thyme-covered mound where, in 1431, Joan of Arc was burnt at the stake; beside it stands a striking modern church dedicated to the saint.

While priding itself on 2,000 years of history, Rouen today is a thriving port, distribution and administrative centre, extending 1½ mls by 1¾ mls with traditional industries.

Although extensively rebuilt after major damage during World War II, the historical centre largely survived and Old Rouen still seems to be bathed in the same hazy light captured by the Impressionist painter Monet, who lived here from 1872.

An interesting city to stopover for a night or two, mostly suited to middlemarket tourists, hence the conventional 2- and 3-star hotels, mostly on the cathedral side of the river.

Locality:

Rouen is situated in Normandy in NW France, 35 mls inland from the English Channel, 130 mls S of Calais, 85 mls NW of Paris and its international airports. Rouen is positioned on a loop of the navigable River Seine, with surrounding indented hills.

Entertainment/Facilities/Attractions/Things to do:

During the daytime, strolls or minitrain tour through the old town are popular. Visit a wide range of well-endowed museums, including fine arts, ceramics and archaeology, plus the Joan of Arc Museum, numerous Gothic churches, including the cathedral, offering fine examples of stained glass; monuments including the Gros-Horloge belfry, arch and clocks, Joan of Arc tower and 11th-century Jewish Monument, swimming pools, ice-skating rink and bowling are all available.

Nightlife offers a variety of bars, including piano and music bars, mainly around the port and the old town, a few nightclubs and theatres including Theatre des Arts for opera, ballet and concerts and a couple of cinemas.

Wide choice of restaurants are available serving mainly rich Norman cuisine, with cream, butter and Calvados sauces. All seem to be at reasonable prices. Abundant fresh fish. Handful of international eateries, including Italian. Patisseries and cafes plus a couple of self-service dining options. Local specialities include Rouen pressed duck (involves strangulation to prevent blood-letting, then blood is extracted from partially cooked bird and used for the sauce), tripe cooked with ox feet, onions, carrots, herbs and cider.