Rouen Off The Beaten Path

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The so called "Tour Jeanne d'Arc" is at the northwest edge of the old town. We could see from the street corner as we left our quaint old hotel (See Tip). It is actually the keep and the only part surviving of the Chateau that Philippe Augustus built in the 12 C. (A plaque denoting the exact site of Jeanne's imprisonment in the castle is a short distance off). This structure is a museum (fee) to the Saint explaining the details of her capture inquisition and execution. (We did not go in).

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The Place Verdel is a green space in the heart of Rouen next to the rue Thiers and before the Musee de Beax-Arts. It is actually a small park occupying two square blocks with walks shade trees, benches a playground and a pond with ducks fronting the large museum. Also before the Museum is a statue of Rollo the Norman who planned Rouen. It is a fine place to stop and rest tired feet or plan an attack on the museum. We consider it "off the path" because it is easy to walk by it instead of through it as you go by to adjacent sites. Go in even if you are not going to the museum.

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Most medieval towns that are still having parts in original styles, are filled with thousand and one small, smaller and narrowest alleys, that connect the streets and run between the houses. Sometimes these alleys lead to surprising little secret squares, yards or gardens. Roam around in the streets of Rouen and maybe get lost ... in the knowledge that you never can be far from main attractions such as the Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Rouen or Saint-Maclou.

Rouen tourist information office is not only a very hospitable place where all questions are answered to the many visitors that come to town, but is also a monument on the list of "tourist attractions". The tourist iformation office is situated in one of the oldest renaissance buildings of Rouen. It dates back to the 16th century and used to be a civil house of a rich trader and later became the city institute of finances (a kind of bank). It is immediately across the square in front of cathedrale Notre-Dame de Rouen.

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Rouen is the capitol of Normandy (departments Basse- and Haute Normandy) and therefore is also the centre of jurisdiction. The legal powers are here in the Palace of Justice, the higher court of Normandy. The building is again constructed in a beautiful gothic style with fine ornaments, decorations, statues, shapes and forms. However, the building is rather stuffed in between many other buildings and therefor doesn't completely come to it's right in scenic views.

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Just next to the cathedral, an old stong building appears when you are walking through the dark alleys behind the cathedral. This is a monument, though it definately is not a pretty one. This is the old prison and yes indeed ... the most famous inmate here was Jeanne d'Arc (Joan of Arc). After being betrayed and handed over to the English, they kept her here for interogation, later even the horror of torture, rape and the death sentence after the declaration to be a witch and heretic. Poor Jeanne ...

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This wonderful street is like a oasis inside the citycenter of Rouen, yet not often visited by the touristic masses that roam around the cathedral and the Vieux Marche. Rue Eau de Robec means "Water of the Robec - street" and this becomes clear when you walk through this street and see that along the road, water runs through a small canal. Only recently the water of this creek came back to the surface, as for long time the water was pressed into the sewer system of Rouen. The water, the beautiful woodwork houses plus the many flowers and greens in this street, make the "Rue Eau de Robec" a pleasurous place to walk through. There's even a small place with "Petanque"-lanes, where the citizens of town play this typical French game.

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Rouen cityhall is immediately next to Saint Ouen church and situated in the old conventory buildings of the Saint Ouen abbey. The grandeur of the buildings looks impressive and the many flags that are present inside and on the building show a strange patriotism, as Normandy for several centuries was English and it was in Rouen that the French hero Jeanne d'Arc ended on the burning staple. Maybe they are trying to make it up? (-:
On the square in front of the city hall (Hotel de Ville) stands a statue of Napoleon Bonaparte, traditionally on top of a horse, but strange enough without his so typical head. Someone told me that in this the statue is unique and Napoleon was very not amused with this statue.