I'm hoping to hear from anyone who has actually been to this museum. I've googled and found a few sites but not one that shows tells me much about the size of the collection.

It is refered to as an excellent museum but I'd love to hear from someone who has been. can you compare it to any other museum? spend 1 hour or 5? I am the sort who spends ALOT of time in a museum so I will probably add more time in my planning. Of course, I'd love to hear from a fellow art museum junkie if that is how you would classify yourself! .... lynda

lynda - I did a day trip to Rouen from Paris a couple of years ago. I went to the Beaux Arts which was on a combo ticket with the Ceramics and Iron Museums after lunch. I don't have that much in my notes so it was probably small. They did have a painting by my favorite artist though - Q. Massys - so that made my day. I also do a lot of museums when I travel. Hope that helps. BTW I decided to take a trip to Switzerland this past fall because of the new Klee Museum in Bern - does that make me a junkie?

I've been there, but it was some years ago -- I'm not sure how to quantify the size of their collection, I don't think I'd know that, anyway. It is probably one of the best provincial art museums in France. They are especially good with the 17th and 19th century for paintings, but have sculpture and objets d'art, also. They have some very good paintings -- by Ingres, Modigliani, and some other wellknown things. I'm sure you will spend more than one hour there, if you like museums. I would say it is moderately large. I don't know how I'd compare it -- maybe in size to one in Nancy or Lyon or Reims.

I think their own website gives you the best description of their collections.

Thanks for the replies. The museum website isn't very informative but I appreciate your response. I know they have a Caravaggio which is enough to justify a side trip for me anyway. I decide my travel around the art, Mara so your decision to go to Switzerland makes you a smart traveler in my book!!!...lynda

Bonsoir,

Je suis rouennaise/I live in Rouen and love our "Musée des Beaux-Arts" and often go and visit its temporary exhibits (The one dedicated to Monet's cathedrals in 1994 was gorgeous). From the point of view of architecture, one is bound to love the part (close to the right/south wing) which was renovated a few years ago and has been transformed into what we call "Le Jardin des Sculptures", it's a huge "véranda" with beautiful sculptures in it and a huge painting to the right which is quite fascinating thanks to the daylight which inundates this huge "room"...

In this south wing, you'll find paitings from the XIVth, XVth and XVII th centuries. I love the Flemish paintings... You'll see Gerard David's famous painting called "the Virgin among the Virgins" (1509), Martin de Vos's 6 paintings from 1562-63 which had been painted for a church in Rouen and tell us about Rebecca's story, you'll also see "Le Bain de Diane" by François Clouet (1558-1559) which belonged to the famous Cardinal de Fesch as well as 2 religious paintings by Véronèse..., etc.

The north wing is dedicated to XIXth and XXth centuries (paintings by Jacque-Emile Blanche, Modigliani, Jean Lasne, etc.

On the second floor, in the south wing, one can see paintings from the XVIIth and XVIIIth centuries by Van Dick, Rubens ("l'adoration des bergers", 1619), Caravage, Blanchard, Vignon, Vélasquez, Fragonard, Van Loo, etc.

On this same first floor, the north wing shows paintings, furniture, even "une crèche napolitaine", etc. dating from the XVIIIth and XIXth centuries... You'll see paintings from Boieldieu, Géricault, Ingres, Corot, Gustave Moreau and... Claude Monet "la Rue Saint-Denis, fête du 30 juin 1878", with its all its flags, is great. Paintings by Caillebotte can also be seen, etc.

If you come in spring or in summer 2006, you'll be able to see a superb exhibit dedicated to the "MASTER PIECES FROM MUSEUMS OF FLORENCE, ITALY" (FINE ARTS MUSEUM OF ROUEN
9th May – 03rd September 2006)

http://www.rouentourisme.com/default.asp?file=pg87-0_en

Here are some sites which may be of help to you or other forumites :

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mus%C3%...-Arts_de_Rouen

http://www.rouen-musees.com/beaux_arts/beaux_arts.html

Here is a selection of paintings, from the past centuries, one can admire in our "Musée des Beaux-Arts" :

http://www.rouen-musees.com/beaux_ar...planche01.html (16th century)

http://www.rouen-musees.com/beaux_ar...planche01.html (17th century)

http://www.rouen-musees.com/beaux_ar...planche01.html (18th century)

http://www.rouen-musees.com/beaux_ar...planche01.html (19th century)

http://www.rouen-musees.com/beaux_ar...planche01.html (20th century)

http://www.rouentourisme.com/default.asp?file=pg0-0_en (tourism office web site in English)

http://www.slowtrav.com/tr/triprepor...83&index=8 (trip report related to the visit of Rouen by some Americans)

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Rouen (photos)

http://www.jack-travel.com/Normandy/..._and_ww_ii.htm

Voilà ! I hope I haven't bored you stiff Cordialement. Marie (Rouen, Normandy, France)

I've checked all the web sites and seen the last one doesn't work... So, one has to go on this page, I think...

http://www.jack-travel.com/Normandy/...Beaux_arts.htm

Marie, Thank you, thank you for your long response!! I am sure that Rouen is more than worth the 2 day side trip I will devote to it on my next trip to Paris.

If you have any restaurant/bistro recommendations I would love to hear about them as well. From what I have read it is an easy distance to come in by train and stay in the city center and go to the art museum and the lovely churches as well, so anything you could recommend in that area would be great.

Thank you again. lynda

lynda
There is a nice walking tour of Rouen on bonjourparis.com's Discussion Board. It is listed under Day Trips. If you put 'Rouen' in the search box it should come up. After seeing Marie007's post with the links to some of the Musee's pictures, I started to remember it better! There is a lot to see in Rouen and everything seemed to be in walking distance.

To Lynda :

De rien !/You're welcome !

As Mara said, go and have a look at Bonjour Paris forum, Cap10Mike who is rouennais like me but lives in the States posted an excellent "itinéraire"/itinerary and info there !

Tell me when you are going to France so that I can prepare a post related to restaurants. For the present time, I'm too busy to do it... Bonne journée ! Cordialement. Marrie

Go and see the following links to get info related to day trips to Rouen (or other towns "de province&quot :

http://bonjourparis.ipbhost.com/inde...opic=346&# ((Out of Paris., What are your favorite Day Trips?&quot

http://bonjourparis.ipbhost.com/inde...=346&st=40

http://bonjourparis.ipbhost.com/inde...c=2774&hl= ("Afternoon day trips from Paris&quot Marie

Bonsoir,

In case it's not too late, you'll find Cap10Mike's very interesting itinerary by clicking on this link :

http://bonjourparis.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=613

Cap10Mike May 12 2004, 07:08 PM Post #15
DAY TRIP TO ROUEN AS PROPOSED TO OUR FRIEND BP-AL

Bonne visite de ma ville ! Cordialement. Marie

thanks Marie for the link..it is now in my file for my next trip to Paris. I'm tentatively planning 2 1/2 days in Rouen at the beginning of my stay. Probably won't be until next Jan. or Feb. Thanks for taking the time to pass on the information. lynda

We have been to the museum and LOVED the Impressionist wing. I think 2 days in Rouen might be a bit much for me with all the other things to do in Normandy. I recommend getting the Michelin Green Guide to Normandy for GREAT info on "to do's".

De rien, Lynda !

Bonne fin de weekend ! Cordialement. Marie

BTW, here is a blog where one can finds quite rare pics of our famous "Gros-Horloge"... Go to the right of the blog and click on the title : "Le Gros-Horloge comme vous ne l'avez jamais vu"... "Un horloger"a watchmaker shows very interesting pics and tells about the history of the "Gros-Horloge". In the future, a museum will be installed in the "Gros-Horloge"...

http://www.lerouennais.com/

SO sorry, I should have written "go to the LEFT of the blog, scroll down the text until you find "Le Gros-Horloge comme vous ne l'avez jamais vu"...