Resort

• Rouen Travel Guide
• Travel Information
• Photos
• Hotels in Rouen

Rants and Raves

• Write a Travel Review

France Map

Directory

• Travel Insurance
• Hostels

Vieux Marche, Rouen

Overview: The capital of Normandy, Rouen is a centre of industry and commerce; it is the fifth largest port in France and the closest one to Paris, split, like that city, into a right and left bank area by the River Seine. Rouen is also one of France's most historic cities; William the Conqueror died here in 1087 and in 1431 it was the stage for the trial and execution of Joan of Arc. She was burned at the stake in the Place du Vieux-Marché (the Old Marketplace); the position is still marked by a huge bronze cross. Allied bombing largely destroyed the city; all of its bridges and many of its great churches were ruined, however substantial investment has been focused on restoring parts of the city to its former medieval glory. The great Cathédrale Notre-Dame, immortalised by Monet, remained fairly unscathed and is well worth a visit for its wonderful stonework. Especially interesting is the Chapelle de la Vierge, where the heart of Richard the Lion-Heart is entombed as a token of his affection for the people of Rouen. The chapel also contains the Renaissance tombs of the cardinals d'Amboise. There is no shortage of attractions in Rouen; dozens of churches and some fine museums can be explored including the Musée des Beaux-Art, which is one of France's best provincial museums and includes the works of great French artists such as Veronese, Velasquez, Caravaggio, Rubens, Poussin, Fragonard, and Monet (including several versions of his Rouen Cathedral).