Things to Do in Rouen

The cobbled square where Joan of Arc was burned in 1431. Now a lively market square with a striking modern church (Église Jeanne d'Arc) and half-timbered buildings.

🕐 Square open 24/7. Market: Wed & Sat 07:00-13:30.

💡 Free outdoor market Wednesdays and Saturdays till 13:00. Buy local apples and fromage frais; the 'Les Maraîchers' stall has best produce.

The massive 14th-century astronomical clock straddles a cobbled street. You see it perfectly from the pavement; the museum on site costs a few euros.

🕐 Clock visible 24/7. Museum: Tue-Sun 10:00-13:00, 14:00-18:00.

💡 Free to photograph from street level. The best angle is looking east along Rue du Gros-Horloge, early morning when crowds thin.

One of France's major fine-arts museums. Strong collection of Impressionists, including several Monets, plus an enormous painting by Caravaggio's school.

🕐 Wed-Mon: 10:00-18:00, closed Tuesdays.

💡 Free entry first Sunday of each month (and every day for under-26s EU residents). Go 10:00 sharp to avoid queues.

Monet's famous subject. The towering Gothic facade shifts colour by the hour. Inside, the medieval nave and tombs are free to enter.

🕐 Daily: 07:30 till about 19:00, later in summer.

💡 Visit at sunset for the warm light Monet painted. Pick up a free 'cathedral trail' leaflet from the tourist office nearby.

A formal public garden with big lawns, herbaceous borders, a small zoo and tropical greenhouses. Quiet and well-maintained.

🕐 Park: daily 07:30 till dusk. Greenhouses: 14:00-17:00, closed Mondays.

💡 The zoo is free and tiny — fine for a 20-minute stop. Bring a picnic; benches face the rose garden.