Discover Rouen by Hire Car
Rouen is a large port city in Normandy in northern France, with a population of just over 100,000 in an area of just under 22 square kilometres.
The earliest traces of settlement in the region here date back to the ninth millennium BC.
Rouen itself finds itself first mentioned in documents around 100 AD, where it was founded by the Romans.
As early as the fourth century, the city on the Seine has been the seat of a bishop.
Sights in Rouen
Despite numerous destructions of Rouen in the course of history, more than 2000 half-timbered houses have nevertheless been preserved until today and partly lovingly restored. One of the most imposing buildings in the city is undoubtedly the Gothic-style Rouen Cathedral. Here in the Middle Ages, not only the Norman dukes were crowned and carried to the grave, but also prompted with its 151-meter-high, richly decorated bell tower, among others, the impressionist Claude Monet to his world-famous cycle of paintings.
In addition to the numerous works of art of sacred architecture that can be admired in Rouen, the Palace of Justice, built in 1509, is the largest non-ecclesiastical Gothic building in Europe. In addition, there are also the remains of a 12th-century castle where the famous Joan of Arc and later saint faced the deadly questions of the Inquisition in 1431. The relic, is ideally accessible by hire car.
Leisure activities in Rouen
Interesting insights into Rouen’s history, which has always been closely linked to the city’s port and seafaring, can be found at the Musée maritime fluvial et portuaire. The Musée des Beaux-Arts, meanwhile, houses unique paintings from the last 500 years, including Monet and Velázques.