Strolling through the ancient city of Rouen
Rouen is an ancient city located in the Greater Normandy region and is extremely proud of its Gothic cathedral that reaches into the sky. The city seems to have experienced many hardships. It experienced many fires and plagues during the Middle Ages, and was occupied by the British during the Hundred Years' War. The damage during World War II was relatively serious. Today's old town was restored after World War II. In addition to the Notre Dame Cathedral of Rouen, there are also the Grand Bell Tower, the Palace of Justice, the Old Market, etc. The Impressionist painting master Monet once had a series of works of the Notre Dame Cathedral. It shows the majestic appearance of the cathedral in different seasons and times. The Rouen Museum of Fine Arts has a collection of paintings by many masters. Of course, there is no shortage of Monet's works. I was unable to visit due to time constraints. The admission fee is 5 euros to see the information.
There is a subway in the urban area of Rouen, which shows that the city is not small. But the ancient city is not big, and the main attractions can be walked. Since accommodation in the ancient city is not expensive, it is more convenient to choose to stay in the ancient city. For self-driving cars, there is a large underground parking lot with 4 floors near Notre Dame Cathedral 🅿️, Parking de la Cathédrale, open 24 hours, 16.5 euros/24 hours.
The main attraction, Notre Dame Cathedral of Rouen, is currently under repair. There is scaffolding on the facade of the main tower, making it impossible to take a neat photo of the facade. Admission is free. Many sculptures on the facade are severely weathered, and some walls show signs of weathering and falling off. The restoration project is very large and is expected to take several years.
St. Vincent's Church, which was built in 1458, was destroyed in the bombing on May 31, 1944 at the end of World War II. Currently, only a few incomplete door arches remain.
The old city still retains the ancient streets and alleys with gravel roads. The buildings on both sides can be seen to have been repaired with modern techniques, but you can still smell the vicissitudes of the past.
The old market is still in use, and there are many restaurants and bars around it. You can sit down and have a drink while shopping, which can also solve your hunger problem. During the Hundred Years' War between England and France in 1431, the French heroine Joan of Arc was tried for heresy and burned on the execution stake in the square. The church built for Joan of Arc is built in a modern style. The long corridor is covered with fish-scale tiles, and some remains of old buildings remain in the square.
It was cloudy when we arrived, and the real scene was much better than the photos. It is probably the city with the most preserved monuments in the greater Normandy area and is worth your time to visit.