Orientation

To get to the centre-ville from the train station, exit the station onto pl. Bernard Tissot and turn onto rue Jeanne d’Arc, the city’s main thoroughfare. After several blocks and an extraordinary number of (sigh) sunglasses boutiques, you’ll arrive at the rue du Gros Horloge in the heart of town. Start your tour with a left, leading toward place de la Cathédrale. The city’s tourist office is located on the place. After you’ve collected your free English map, backtrack to the intersection of rue Jeanne d’Arc, and keep walking straight across on rue du Gros Horloge to place du Vieux Marché, where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake, and where droves of natives drink beer and catcall tourists for a living. Joan would approve. If you continue down rue Jeanne d’Arc instead, you’ll reach the Seine and (on the right) the bus station. Although there is public transportation, most sights are within easy walking distance—and given the richness of Rouennaise cuisine, walking to burn off the calories isn’t necessarily a bad thing.