What is Rouen Like?

Old Aug 31st, 2001, 11:36 AM
  #1  
Ryan
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What is Rouen Like?

Hi. My name is Ryan Mouen--hence my e-mail address "rouen" which, obviously, is a combination of my first initial and last name. We will be in Paris in october and I'm wondering what my "namesake" town is like, what there is to see and do there and is it worth a day trip (assuming one can get there and back to Paris in a day).

Looking forward to your responses.

Ryan
 
Old Aug 31st, 2001, 01:04 PM
  #2  
aaa
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Rouen is a wonderful french town where Joan od Arc is from--very medieval and lots of great shops and restaurants--
Make sure you try the "Rouen Duck" and don't be surprised if you see dogs inside the restaurant==it's the norm there!
 
Old Aug 31st, 2001, 01:13 PM
  #3  
Patricia
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Ryan,

I went to Rouen last fall for a half a day. I think it is worth a day trip at least. You must definitely see where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake. I cannot remember the name of the square. You can also see the tower where she was imprisoned. That is very interesting. There is also a church with stained glass windows dedicated to Joan of Arc, and there is a statue I believe.

There are other town like things to do, like shop, eat, etc...When I was there there was a Christmas market with crafts and candy, etc in front of the church. There was also a little train that will tour the town for a price. You can go to the bureau of tourism to get more info about things to do.

I found Rouen nice, but more of an industrial town than a countryside town. It seemed dreary while I was there (but that was a wet Sunday in Nov). The scenery on the train ride through Normandy was so lovely, though, and I am sure there is much more to do and see than what I was able to do on a Sunday.

Hope this helps.
Patricia
 
Old Aug 31st, 2001, 01:13 PM
  #4  
Kavey
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We spent a morning in Rouen and lunch, and it's lovely.

Lots of very old Norman timbered buildings, I think 2 cathedrals and lots of shops and restaurants...

If you are intending to go down to Normandy anyway, then you should stop here.

I prefer Honfleur for sheer prettiness and to actually stay in.

I posted a long report on my return from Normandy, if a search wont retrieve it you might find Rex able to locate it (he has a 6th sense) and post the URL here...

Kavey
 
Old Aug 31st, 2001, 01:15 PM
  #5  
s.fowler
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Here's the best site I found for what to see when I was doing research for my, now cancelled trip to Paris.

http://www.mairie-rouen.fr/gb/tourism/
 
Old Aug 31st, 2001, 04:06 PM
  #6  
Christine
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Hi!
I haven't been but just wanted to mention that Rouen comes up a lot in Simone de Beauvoir's writing, she taught at a school there (if memory serves) and one of the characters in She Came to Stay is from there. Just a tidbit. Do with it what you will and have a great trip!
 
Old Aug 31st, 2001, 07:06 PM
  #7  
clairobscur
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Certainly worth a daytrip for the cathedral and the old section of the town. You can easily get there and back in one day (a lot of trains each day from Paris).
 
Old Sep 1st, 2001, 01:46 AM
  #8  
Erlsegaard
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It's also the hometown of Flaubert, and appears from time to time in Madame Bovary (there is a good scene in the Cathedral). There are a couple of small museums related to him, his birthplace in Rouen and his small writing chalet on the Seine (with a rather industrial view these days though) in the nearby town of Croisset, though neither of these are really great and would probably not be of much interest unless you were a big fan. The cemetery where he is buried in Rouen is a very pleasant one, up on a high hill overlooking the city. The cathedral of course is outstanding. I thought it was great, very atmospheric, I liked the somewhat gloomy sense. Also there were relatively few English-speaking tourists there (in June, too), which is always a nice change.
 

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