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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)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
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.