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Rouen is a city on the River Seine and the capital of the northern French region Haute-Normandie. It was an important city in the Roman era and the Middle Ages. It is also famously associated with Joan of Arc. Tour Jeanne-d’Arc is a remnant of the 13th-century castle where she was tried for heresy.
was fortunate enough to participate in a tour offering a mix of art, history, and fine food when I was in Rouen, France. Our tour began with a scenic drive to the famous painter Monet’s home at Giverny on the Seine. To embark on a guided walking tour through his gar-dens and home was a fascinating experience for me. We later drove to Fourges for lunch at a picturesque restaurant on the banks of the Seine.
Our tour guide told us, “Each day Monet painted several pictures in different time of the day in order to capture the different lighting in the morning and in the evening.”
The Seine was key to Rouen’s development into one of France’s greatest river ports down the centuries. Romans and Vikings gave prominence to this part of the Seine Valley. When Vikings settled and became Normans in the 10th century, Rouen became Norman-dy’s capital.
Next, we drove to visit Rouen’s old section. I strolled down narrow cobblestoned lanes lined with hundreds of medieval half- timbered houses. I admired the awesome architecture of the Gothic churches. A lot of locals were having picnics or get-togethers around the cob-blestoned pedestrian center.
We continued down the bustling Rue Saint Romain and the Rue du Gros Horloge, passing Rouen’s old fortified clock tower and law courts, housed in a Renaissance building. We made a stop at the Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Rouen, a superb example of French Gothic architecture that took 300 years to complete, before visiting the Place du Vieux Marche, the Old Marketplace, the site where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake.
Before I went back to my hotel, I had some free time to explore Rouen, Normandy’s ancient capital, and browsed through some shops for authentic souvenirs in the city center.
English medieval history is closely linked to Rouen. The Anglo-French kings kept a deep affection for the city. William the Con-queror often held court here. Richard the Lionheart was crowned Duke of Normandy in this town, and left his heart to Rouen.
A stroll through the quaint old streets of Rouen, felt like a walk back in time. History awaited at every turn, from the Middle Ages to the modern era. For believers, the journey leads a few steps clos-er to heaven.
When I traveled to Rouen, I reminded myself to leave the familiari-ty of my home to explore the unknown with the hope of observing new things and discovering something new about myself. I learned a lot from visiting the great historical sites of Rouen. Its wholesome atmosphere and welcoming spirit are jewels on my postcard from Rouen, France.
admiring the breathtaking Gothic architecture of Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Rouen in France
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