Things to do in

Rouen

Experience Rouen like a resident on a private walking tour with a local host. Get tips on what to see and do, learn the best ways to get around and much more. Benefit from pick-up at your accommodation and get familiar with your local neighborhood. Hear where to buy groceries or where the best places to eat can be found. Alternatively, meet at a central landmark or intersection to start your walking tour. Venture beyond the usual tourist sites and discover places you would never read about in the guidebooks. Avail of an itinerary that can be tailored to your interests and specific needs. Ride on the public transportation system, at your own expense, if you prefer. Chat with your guide about life in the city and its many traditions. Feel more confident that you can get around and explore on your own for the rest of your stay in the city.

Meet your guide and take a seat on-board a comfortable air-conditioned vehicle. Head towards the Normandy countryside en route to Rouen, which is widely considered among the region’s most beautiful cities. After your tour, enjoy the impressive views of the city and the Seine Valley before returning to Paris by minibus. Discover the authentic Norman city of Rouen. This is where Claude Monet painted the Rouen Cathedral series. Just try to resist the charm of this city in the heart of Normandy with its courthouse, Rouen Cathedral and Joan of Arc Square. Your guide will lead you through this captivating place to discover its many facets. Stroll through the antique dealer's district among the stunning half-timbered houses. This atmosphere inspired Pissaro in his famous urban series. Walk down the famous rue du Gros Horloge with its unique double-faced Renaissance clock. Enjoy a delicious lunch before discovering the Museum of Fine Arts in Rouen. Visit one of the most impressive collections in the region with paintings, sculptures and drawings dating from the end of the Middle Ages up to the present day from Veronese, Caravaggio, Rubens, Poussin, Fragonard and Ingres. Admire the famous paintings of the Impressionist masters such as Monet, Sisley, Pissaro, Caillebotte and Renoir.

Visit the beaches of Normandy that keep the memory of fallen heroes alive. Depart on a full-day tour from the port town of Rouen. Learn about the events that took place in Normandy, from the D-Day landings to the Battle of Normandy, from an expert guide. Make your first stop at Sainte-Mere-Eglise, the village of the US Airborne Division. Understand how 14000 paratroopers played a crucial role in the town's liberation. The site still bears traces of the Battle of Normandy. Visit the Airborne Museum where your guide will explain the details of the exhibit. Then, head for the hedgerows to see the natural fences where many German soldiers hid to accomplish their mission. Next, see one of the two American landing zones in Normandy, Utah Beach. Learn how this beach was so quickly and successfully taken on D-Day of the invasion. Stop for a gourmet lunch on Omaha Beach facing the monument to the Allies. Listen to the details of the deadly 1944 battle which took place at this spot. After lunch, head to the Pointe du Hoc. See the many German bunkers and machine-gun posts that were taken by the US 2nd Rangers Battalion. Finally, visit the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, honoring American troops who died in the D-Day landings and ensuing operations. Attend the ceremony of the colors to remember those who lost their lives while bringing World War II to an end. If time allows, you'll also see the Longues-sur-Mer battery, the last WWII German artillery battery, whose 150-mm guns were operational on D-Day. Benefit from round-trip hotel transfers at a time that's convenient for you. Enjoy refreshments like fresh coffee and croissants. You'll be dropped back at your pier-hotel at the end of the tour. The itinerary will be adapted to fit your schedule.

Embark on a day tour of Rouen and its surrounding sites to discover the medieval past of Normandy, the so-called land of North Men, home of William the Conqueror and Richard the Lion Heart. Historic abbeys and medieval castles will open their doors to you on this trip. After pickup, you'll head first to Rouen's historical center. During the ride, there will be digital resources provided so you can get some content about the places visited throughout the day. For the first stop, enjoy an extensive visit to Notre Dame Cathedral, then stop at Rue du Gros Horloge to see the Gros Horloge, the first clock of France, built in 1389. Having ancestors who fought in the crusades, the history of Richard the Lion Heart and his Chateau Gaillard is the next focus of the tour. See his story come to life during a visit to the Chateau Gaillard overlooking the River Seine. After having lunch below Chateau Gaillard (costs not included), continue the trip to Jumièges Abbey, the first Abbey of Normandy, destroyed by the Vikings in 845 A.D. In Jumièges Abbey, see the marks of destructions led by the Vikings. Normandy wouldn’t be Normandy without the Vikings and their heir, William the Conqueror. You’ll get to explore two significant abbeys that William built and see where he married Mathilda of Flanders, the woman he loved so much. Next on the itinerary is the Abbey of Saint-Georges, Boscherville, the most preserved abbey in Normandy. Before heading back to Rouen to conclude the tour, admire the walls of the church of the abbey that still have the original paintings and sculptures from the 11th century.

Combine your visits to Giverny and Rouen into one relaxing day trip just 2 hours outside of Paris. Your tour starts in the authentic Norman city of Rouen, where Claude Monet painted the Cathedral series, inspired by the Notre Dame Cathedral of Rouen. Your walking tour through the streets of Rouen will bring centuries of history to life and give you the chance to discover sights, such as the Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Renaissance Parliament of Normandy, the magnificent Hotel de Bourgtheroulde, the St. Joan of Arc church and the old marketplace. Enjoy a fascinating walk through the architectural styles of the last 800 years in this beautiful town full of history. In the afternoon, your guide will share the calm and almost otherworldly beauty of Claude Monet’s home and gardens in Giverny. Learn about the famous Impressionist artist and before exploring his vibrantly colored home, stroll along the charming paths of his flower garden and admire the water garden with the little green bridge and lake full of his famous water lilies before returning back to Paris.