The Norman City of Rouen – Things to Do & Travel Guide ★ I Travel for the Stars

Rouen is such a charming city in Normandy with a fantastic history, and it makes an excellent day trip from Paris. It’s definitely worth seeing if you have time to spend in France. I’ve been twice and have enjoyed both trips to this lovely Norman city.

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The History of Rouen

Rouen has a very long and impressive history. The city of Rouen dates back to the Roman days and became a Viking city in 841. It was actually so important that it served as the capital of Normandy until about 1060, when William the Conquerer moved the capital to Caen (which is also a cute Norman town to visit). In the middle ages, Rouen was a prosperous city of trade. The city fell to English forces in 1419, during the Hundred Years’ War, and it also served as the capital of English power in France. Rouen remained under English rule until 1449, when it returned to the French.

The city continued to have a large economy for centuries and was one of the most populous cities in France for quite some time. Unfortunately, that came to an end during World War II, when Rouen was heavily destroyed. Of course, Rouen had to be built back up after the war. Today it’s a notable city, though not one of France’s most populated or visited, but it certainly still retains a lot of its heritage and charm.

Joan of Arc in Rouen

Rouen’s almost synonymous with its most famous event, Joan of Arc’s death at the stake. Joan of Arc wasn’t actually from Rouen, but from eastern France, and was brought up in a peasant family during the Hundred Years’ War. From a young age, she had visions of the Archangel Michael, Saint Catherine and Saint Margaret that persuaded her to drive the English and Burgundians from France. Additionally, they confirmed that God wanted King Charles VII on the throne of France rather than the English Henry V. She was able to tell her story to King Charles, who allowed her to become part of the military campaign in 1428.

She wasn’t a fighter. Rather, she rode into battle with a banner depicting the fleur de lis, the saviour, and two angels, and implored military men to give up their vices and become more pious. I’m not quite sure how but this apparently whipped the men into shape and many became more dedicated to France’s cause. She is credited with winning the cities Orleans and Troyes back to France, as well as getting King Charles VII to Reims (which was under English control) for a proper coronation. (Side note – Reims Cathedral is also worth a visit if you have time.) But we know that Joan’s story doesn’t have a happy ending. After over a year of military campaigns for Charles VII and France, Joan of Arc was dropped by the military after a battle lost near Paris. She got back on the field in early 1430 but was captured by the Burgundians after only a month or two, and then sold to the English.

Rouen comes into play just at the end of Joan’s life. She was put on trial there and convicted of heresy. She did repent but violated the terms of her agreement when she continued to wear men’s clothes. Now this is really sad – she continuously wore men’s clothing because she was in a prison guarded by men and constantly under threat of being assaulted. It’s said that guards took her dress away from her and gave her men’s clothes, eventually forcing her to put on the clothes. Because of this violation, she was sentenced to death.

She was burned at the stake in Rouen on May 30, 1431, at about the age of 19. Her trial was successfully appealed in 1456 (though that didn’t do much for Miss d’Arc then) and she was canonized in 1920.

Things to Do in Rouen

Today, Rouen upholds its medieval past while blending beautifully with the present. Of course, Rouen pays tribute to Joan of Arc in many ways. The Donjon of Rouen is a part of the castle where Joan of Arc was imprisoned, and their exhibit inside is fascinating (though they’ve redone it since I’ve been there). There’s also an entire museum dedicated to the saint! You can also see the place where she was burned at the stake, which is marked with a garden. It’s next to Saint Joan of Arc’s Church, which is quite modern and one of the most unique-looking churches I’ve ever seen. If you go to the north end of Pont Boieldieu you can see another plaque that marks where her ashes were scattered on the Seine.

Beyond Joan of Arc, you can’t miss the charming timber-frame architecture as it’s quite prominent in Rouen, and they clearly celebrate their medieval heritage. One of the most popular things to do in Rouen is see Notre-Dame de Rouen Cathedral. It was one of Monet’s favourites – he used this spot in Rouen to paint several of his works. The cathedral dates to the 11th century but its appearance has changed over time (though remaining in the gothic style), and it was heavily destroyed during World War II. I also love the 19th century Saint Paul Church, but I’m not sure why. It’s nothing particularly special but I’m just so drawn to it.

More places to stop by include Le Gros Horloge (the fat clock) and St. Maclou’s Catholic Church (which is gorgeous). You’ll recognise the area surrounding it as a lot of photos from Rouen feature this area. However Rouen’s quite big and definitely deserves a good few hours to explore. There are lots of beautiful streets with colorful timber-frame buildings.

Rouen is also a very artistic city. Their museum of fine arts is a good visit, and they have smaller museums displaying ancient art and ironworks. Their courthouse and town hall are absolutely gorgeous, as well, but the unity of architecture that brings Rouen together is what makes it really beautiful. There are remnants of the city’s past here and there which adds a nice touch of spontaneity. The city itself is a work of art, not just a city with a work of art.

Though the old city is north of the river, I also got to explore the south side and it’s also quite cute – but not nearly as nice as the medieval part. Just something to consider if you have more time to spend.

One big drawback of Rouen, though, is that it’s not very vegetarian friendly. I looked in so many restaurants trying to find vegetarian options and there were none. So it’s something to keep in mind. However it might have changed since I last visited.

Though Rouen is certainly fascinating for history lovers, it’s still a beautiful and enjoyable place for those who aren’t particularly interested in history. You can definitely spend a few days there but can see a lot in a single day, too. I’d definitely recommend going to explore this beautiful city, even on a first-time trip to France.

Have you ever been to Rouen? What did you think?

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Even though Nikko’s listed as a common day trip from Tokyo, it’s a little off the beaten path. This town, which revolves around its several temples and shrines, was founded in the 8th century, but its popularity grew in the Edo period as it became the burial spot for the Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the famous Tokugawa Shogunate. Today, it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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A Brief History of Nikko

Nikko was always a town of shrines. The town was established when a monk named Shodo established Nikkosan Rinnoji Temple at the site, which you can still visit today. He built a few shrines in the area during the 8th century and it was these shrines that people started to visit and build around.

Several hundred years later, in 1616, Tokugawa Ieyasu died and wanted to be buried in Nikko amongst the mountains. In 1636, Tokugawa Ieyasu’s grandson turned the resting site into an extravagant shrine, Toshogu. He had his own mausoleum built there, called Taiyuin. For the centuries that followed, Nikko continued to be a place of pilgrimage to see the magnificent shrines. You can see most sites in all their magnificent splendor today.

Things to Do in Nikko

When walking from the station into the Nikko shrine area, you’ll first see the famous Shinkyo Bridge that marks the entrance to the shrine, but note that you must pay to go across it – but it’s said that if you do, your prayers will come true. It’s also the oldest bridge in Japan, with the current bridge dating back to 1636.

There are a tonne of smaller temples and shrines to see, but you’ll probably head straight to the main one, Nikko Toshogu, which is the shrine of the Tokugawa Ieyasu’s mausoleum. It’s a hefty price to get in – about 2100 yen – but the shrine itself is absolutely beautiful, and you’ll get to see many of Nikko’s treasured artworks. This also grants you access to Tokugawa Ieyasu’s mausoleum, which is up what felt like hundreds of stairs, and a small art museum. The shrine has a complex of buildings around it, so you can actually see a lot and spend an hour easily in the shrine. Each one is so beautifully and ornately decorated, so you’ll want to pay close attention to the details around you.

I cannot entertain a visit to Nikko without visiting the Toshogu Shrine as it is absolutely amazing and amongst the best we got to see in Japan – definitely worth the hefty entrance fee. If you want to learn more, there’s also a museum with Edo-era artefacts that has a separate entrance fee.

Nikko is also known for its fantastic natural beauty. At the Toshogu shrine, when you go up to the mausoleum, you’ll ascend amongst thousands of trees. It’s very serene and a simple but beautiful place.

You can also see the Taiyun Temple, the mausoleum of the grandson, Iemitsu. I wanted very much to go inside but it was another hefty fee – I think around 2100 yen as well – and I really couldn’t afford it. If I could go back in time, I would, because I’m sure it’s absolutely stunning inside. The outside gate alone was really quite marvelous to see.

The Rinnoji Temple is also quite popular but was closed for renovations when I was there. This was the first temple of Nikko. I’d say these three shrines are the best ones to visit for their history and extravagance (even though I personally only got to visit one of them).

There are also many other smaller shrines, such as Futarasan jinja, but after seeing the splendor of Toshogu shrine, these other places really paled in comparison. But you can easily spend an entire day in Nikko just discovering and admiring all its shrines.

Just note that almost all of them have an entrance fee, and you’re probably going to spend about $20-40 already on the two main shrines. Definitely come prepared to spend that amount of money.

There’s some more to see if you walk away from the main shrines. The Kanmangafuchi Abyss has the traditional monk statues and the Nikko Tamozawa Imperial Villa Memorial Park has a villa and gardens to explore. If you build in some extra time, there’s plenty of walking/hiking to do in Nikko, which is an excellent suggestion for people who’d like to get outside more on their trip to Japan. You could also hike to Chuzen-ji Temple, another shrine founded by the monk Shodo. It is about 20 kilometres away from the main shrines of Nikko and it’s up a mountain.

What really struck me about Nikko was that it’s in such a natural environment. Japan is so filled with telephone lines, power lines, other types of lines, roads, and all kinds of modern man-made things, but the mountains around Nikko were absolutely gorgeous and seemingly untouched. Going into the woods where the shrines were was absolutely amazing! It was a much-needed break from the huge city of Tokyo.

There are also a lot of onsen in the area if you have more time (and money) to spend.

Even though it looks like everything is really close in Nikko on a map, the differences in elevation make it more spread out than anticipated (yes, there will be a lot of walking). You should be prepared to do a lot of uphill walking, so bring a full reusable water bottle. We got a few hours in but spent most of it exploring the Toshogu Shrine and missed out on some other things we wanted to see. It definitely deserves a whole day to see everything without rushing. Also plan ahead since several attractions do cost money and seeing them all can end up being pricey.

There’s also a nice selection of restaurants, cafes and stores to stop in. Tochigi prefecture is known for their strawberries, so be sure to eat some of those before you head back to Tokyo. We also found a place that sells gold leaf ice cream near the train station so you can try that without having to go to Kanazawa (though why wouldn’t you want to visit Kanazawa as well?)

Tip: Everything closes with the temples and shrines at around 4:00pm, so make sure you get your lunch or a snack and be prepared food-wise for the evening if you’re staying over.

I really enjoyed my trip to Nikko but wish we’d gotten there earlier to get in a few more hours. Nikko is a great day trip but it definitely deserves the whole day. If you plan on hiking or trying one of the onsen, you can stay even longer.

How to Get to Nikko from Tokyo

From Tokyo, you can go to Utsunomiya and then transfer to Nikko (the signs at Utsunomiya are super clear about where to go). We had difficulties finding the train to Utsunomiya but train stations have places where you can ask attendants for help. If you take JR services, it is included in your JR Pass. When you get to the station, there is a bus that will take you up to the shrines. However it’s only about a 20-minute walk and you’ll pass lots of restaurants and shops. It is a little uphill but nothing too difficult.

Headed to Japan? Be sure to purchase your JR Pass! We saved a ton of money by purchasing the JR Pass and got to see a lot of beautiful places in Japan.

Have you ever been to Nikko? What did you think?

The Norman City of Rouen – Things to Do & Travel Guide

The History of Rouen

Joan of Arc in Rouen

Things to Do in Rouen

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The Awe-Inspiring Town of Nikko – Things to Do & Travel Guide

A Brief History of Nikko

Things to Do in Nikko

How to Get to Nikko from Tokyo

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