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Voykit pocket guide · France
Rouen
Give Rouen 1–2 nights: the old town, cathedral and Gros-Horloge are a half-day walk, and it works as a Normandy base or a Paris day trip.
Rouen is the capital of Normandy on the Seine, about 1 h 15 min by train from Paris Saint-Lazare. Its Gothic old town, the cathedral Monet painted more than 30 times, and the Joan of Arc sites fit into a compact walkable centre. Most travellers use it for one or two nights, or as a stop between Paris and the Normandy coast.
- Country
- France
- Best months
- May–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (crowds), Dec–Feb (cold, short days)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Contactless cards work in most shops, cafés and restaurants.
- Daily spend
- Budget €60–90 excl. bed · Mid €90–150 excl. bed · High €150+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Orange, SFR, Bouygues Télécom and Free sell prepaid SIMs in their shops and at tabacs; ID is required to register.
- Emergency
- European emergency 112 · Ambulance (SAMU) 15 · Police 17 · Fire 18
- Plugs
- Types C, E · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; type E sockets have an earth pin sticking out, so Schuko (type F) plugs need a C/E hybrid or an adapter.
- Tipping
- Café or bar: Leave small change, €0.20–1.; Restaurant: Service is included; leave 5–10% in cash for good service.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro or two.; Hotel porter or housekeeping: €1–2 per bag or per night.; Tour guide: €5–10 per person for a half day, more for private guides.
- Water
- Tap water is safe everywhere unless signed otherwise. Restaurants must serve a free carafe of tap water on request.
- Toilets
- Paris has free automatic public toilets (sanisettes); elsewhere use cafés (buy a coffee), museums and stations, where some charge €0.50–1.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | €1.50–3 |
| Crêpe or galette | €5–10 |
| Main course, mid restaurant | €14–22 |
| Beer, bar / supermarket | €5–7 / €1.50–3 |
| Museum entry (Historial Jeanne d'Arc) | €9.50, €6.50 reduced (check) |
| Cathedral guided tour | €2 (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- URO · Rouen Vallée de Seine
- Very small; limited routes. Most travellers arrive via Paris CDG or Orly, then train.
- CDG · Paris Charles de Gaulle
- TGV or connecting train to Rouen; allow 3–4 h door to door.
Typical fares
- Paris Saint-Lazare → Rouen Rive Droite
- about €21, 1 h 15 min (check)
- Public transport single
- about €1.60, valid 1 h (check)
- Taxi in town
- metered; short hops €10–15 (check)
Get around
The centre is compact and walkable: cathedral to Gros-Horloge is about 5 min on foot. The Métro (tramway) runs north–south, and TEOR bus lines cover the east–west. Buy tickets at machines or by text; a single is about €1.60 and valid one hour (check). Public transport is free on Saturdays (check).
See and do
Known for
- Rouen Cathedral
- Gros-Horloge
- Joan of Arc execution site
- Half-timbered old town
- Musée des Beaux-Arts
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Le Havre | Train from Rouen Rive Droite, about 1 h | About 1 h 15 min |
| Dieppe | Train from Rouen Rive Droite, about 1 h | About 1 h |
| Étretat | Train to Le Havre or Bréauté-Beuzeville, then bus or taxi | 2–2.5 h |
| Paris | Train from Rouen Rive Droite to Paris Saint-Lazare, about 1 h 15 min | About 1 h 30 min |
Sleep
- Vieux-Marché / Cathédrale
- The old town core: cathedral, Gros-Horloge and Joan of Arc sites on foot. Best for a first visit.
- Gare Rive Droite
- Around the station on Place Bernard Tissot; practical for early trains and one-night stops.
- Saint-Sever (left bank)
- South of the Seine, cheaper rooms and the Saint-Sever shopping centre; 10–15 min tram to the centre.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Bonjourbon-ZHOOR |
| Thank you | Mercimair-SEE |
| Please | S'il vous plaîtseel voo PLEH |
| How much is it? | C'est combien ?say kom-BYEN |
| The bill, please | L'addition, s'il vous plaîtla-dee-SYON seel voo PLEH |
| Where is the station? | Où est la gare ?oo eh la GAR |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say 'bonjour madame/monsieur' on entering any shop, bus or office; avoid: Asking a question before saying bonjour — it is read as rude
- Cheek kisses (la bise): Follow the other person's lead; one to four kisses depending on region; avoid: Initiating la bise with strangers or in business
- Addressing people: Use 'vous' and titles until invited otherwise; avoid: First names and 'tu' with older people or staff
- Restaurants: Wait to be seated in restaurants; call the waiter 'monsieur' or 'madame'; avoid: 'Garçon', snapping fingers, asking for the bill before you are finished
- Conversation: Debate is a pleasure; food, politics and philosophy are fair game; avoid: Asking about salary or religion; loud voices on trains
- Dinner at a home: Bring flowers (not chrysanthemums), chocolates or a good bottle; arrive 10–15 minutes late; avoid: Cutting the tip off a cheese wedge or asking for ketchup
- Dress: Smart-casual in cities; covered shoulders in churches; avoid: Beachwear in town centres
Scams and watch-outs
- Pickpockets around the station and crowded market streets.
- Some restaurants near the Joan of Arc church are tourist-oriented; check menus before sitting.
- The A13 motorway from Paris is a toll road.
- Sunday: many shops and some restaurants close; the old town is busiest then.
Rouen is generally safe for tourists. The main risks are pickpockets around the station and markets, and heavy rain any month: carry a layer and watch your bag in crowds.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Rouen yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Rouen Cathedral
- Gros-Horloge
- Joan of Arc execution site
- Half-timbered old town
- Musée des Beaux-Arts
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Rouen Tourism: www.rouentourisme.com/
- Réseau Astuce (public transport): www.reseau-astuce.fr/
- Wikivoyage: Rouen, revision 5306162 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5306162
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Rouen
À cette adresse, s'il vous plaît
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No US or UK embassy in Rouen; embassies are in Paris. Consular help for most countries is handled from Paris.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/rouen). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.