Treat yourself to a cheap weekend in Rouen

Culture walks down the banks of the Seine

Welcome to the capital of Normandy! With our accommodation tips, you can treat yourself to a cheap weekend in Rouen. We recommend the ibis Rouen Centre Rive Droite for stays at the gateway to the old town at a reasonable price.

Old Rouen for gourmets

Rouen’s past is intimately linked to the death of France’s heroine of the Hundred Years’ War, as you’ll find out when you visit the Historial Jeanne d’Arc. In the old Archbishops’ palace, this museum retraces the key turning points in the life of Joan of Arc. Just nearby is the Place du Vieux-Marché where her stake was erected. Sainte-Jeanne-d’Arc church with its remarkable architecture made to resemble an upturned boat is on the same square. Step inside its nave, which is lit up by magnificent stained glass windows. A little further on, the Hôtel d’Hocqueville has the Musée de la Céramique, ceramics having been a traditional craft in Rouen. From there, it’s just a short trip to the banks of the Seine and the lush Ile Lacroix.

Rouen’s chocolatiers use their creations to pay homage to their town’s history. Head for the Rue des Carmes, Rue Guillaume-le-Conquérant, or Rue du Gros-Horloge, where you might sample some “Joan of Arc tears” (in French, larmes de Jeanne d’Arc), which are almonds coated in cocoa ganache. Inspired by the flagstones that cover Rouen’s pedestrianised streets, pavés, are another treat with their delicate mix of praline and nougat. Named after old Rouen’s astrological clock, cadrans du Gros-Horloge subtly combine apple, calvados and milk chocolate. While you’re on your sampling tour, you’ll see bakeries where you might like to try the sablés de Magdala. These shortbreads were invented by the Benedictine nuns of Rouen.