Rouen (France)

...to play Ice Hockey in Rouen for NYPD on 10th January, I was somewhat confused.
"Where is Rouen?" I knew it was in france somewhere but where?
Let me tell you.

Rouen is a town located in the Northwestern part of France and is the capital of Normandy.
It sits alongside the Seine and is famous for its old world buildings, churches and cathedral.
As well as this, it also has many cobbled streets ...
...about 20 miles nearer to Rouen but still requires the same toll.
The nearest and easiest port to travel from is Dieppe. This is about 30-40 miles away and you will be there in no time. The only disadvantage is the crossing time. Its about 4 hours compared to the 1 hour to Calais and Boiulogne. Swings and roundabouts. The Ferry price is about £90.
You can also fly there. Rouen has its own airport outside of the town and more like a ... more

When the call came for me to play Ice Hockey in Rouen for NYPD on 10th January, I was somewhat confused.
"Where is Rouen?" I knew it was in france somewhere but where?
Let me tell you.

Rouen is a town located in the Northwestern part of France and is the capital of Normandy.
It sits alongside the Seine and is famous for its old world buildings, churches and cathedral.
As well as this, it also has many cobbled streets around the town centre which retains its character with antiques shops and small french cafes and restaurants.

How do you get there.
Well, you have a couple of options.
Firstly, there is an excellent Train Station in the middle of the town. The station or "Gare" is on a direct line from Paris and costs about 60 Euros for the journey which is just over an hour and a half.
Alternatively, if you want to travel by car, there are good roads leading there from the major ports. We travelled from Calais which took just over 2 hours to travel the 145 miles. Mostly on Autoroutes which are pay roads in places but only cost us about 8 euros.
Boulogne is slightly closer as it is about 20 miles nearer to Rouen but still requires the same toll.
The nearest and easiest port to travel from is Dieppe. This is about 30-40 miles away and you will be there in no time. The only disadvantage is the crossing time. Its about 4 hours compared to the 1 hour to Calais and Boiulogne. Swings and roundabouts. The Ferry price is about £90.
You can also fly there. Rouen has its own airport outside of the town and more like a cattle shed than an international terminal. Buzz fly there for about £55 return. This departs from Stansted.

Where to stay.
We stayed in one hotel right outide of the station an in the town centre. The Hotel Dieppe has small rooms and an adequate bathrooms but is nothing to write home about.There is also a TV with a couple of english channels such as CNN and BBC world News.. The majority of the staff speak English so a language barrier is not a problem. It has the most obscure lift I have ever seen and is very "art deco" period in appearance.
There is a bar and restaurant in the hotel for those wanting food and drink as well as a laundry service, beauty facilities and breakfast is included in your room price.
It is about 58 euros a night to stay here (£40) wih a group booking rate and 66 Euros (£50) for non groups.

Other people stayed at Hotel Kyriad which is right on the Seine. This means you have a longer trek from the station but it is cheaper and it has a better view. The rooms were about the same standard and of course all had their own TV and private bathroom. I did not see a restaurant and some people complined that the staff were not very polite.

What is there to see?
Right, well this is the place where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake so there is a museum dedicated to her. Worth a visit. There is also a magnicient cathedral that needs to be seen. It has massive spires on the top, one of which fell off on Christmas day a few years ago and they are only just replacing it.
In the city centre there is the Palace de Justice which is a sight in itself. Due to its location, Rouen saw much fighting during World War 2 and this building is riddled with Shel land bullet damage. It looks almost like a last stand for someone. Anyway, the french have left it as it is as a memory to the fighting. You wont beleive your eyes.

Where to eat?
Lots of great restaurants to eat at, most of which I cant remember! WE tried both Traditional French and other types of restaurant. I was very suprised to see Kebab shops too! For those less adventurous, there is also a Macdonalds!

Shopping?
Some great shops for you to experience, particularly in historic rouen with its old style streets and shops. Antiques, boutiques and just about anything else!

Getting around?
We walked most places but there is a Metro which costs 1 Euro 70 cents per trip if interested. This covers the whole city so anywhere is easily accesible. Much better than our tube system.

Nightlife.
Bars do not close much before 2 am. On Friday we went to an underground bunker Bar which was build during World War 2 to protect the locals against the bombing. Very good night out. There is also a good nightclub called The Velvet. This is the place to go for some fun. It has lots of tourists in it too. I spoke to people from USA and Hastings in it!!!
Drink is fairly cheap wherever you go. Beer is about 2 Euros a pint!
On the Saturday, we went to a Scottish bar right on the Seine. It had tartan walls but that is where the scottish theme finished. Friendly staff though.

Overall.
I really reccommend a weekend in Rouen. There is something for everyone. If you are looking for an all round break then this is the place for you.

 

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