There are many museums in Rouen: the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rouen, an art museum with pictures of well-known painters such as Claude Monet and Géricault; the Musée maritime fluvial et Portuaire, a museum on the history of the port of Rouen and navigation; Musée des antiquités, an art and history museum with local works from the Bronze Age through the Renaissance, the Musée de la céramique and the Musée Le Secq des Tournelles.

The Jardin des Plantes de Rouen is a notable botanical garden once owned by Scottish banker John Law dated from 1840 in its present form. It was the site of Élisa Garnerin’s parachute jump from a balloon in 1817.

In the centre of the Place du Vieux Marché (the site of Joan of Arc’s pyre) is the modern church of St Joan of Arc. This is a large, modern structure which dominates the square. The form of the building represents an upturned Viking boat and a fish shape. 

Rouen has its own palace of Rouen Opera House, whose formal name is Rouen Normandy Opera House – Theatre of Arts.

Arriving at the capital of Normandy you’ll have a private walking tour and an introduction to the Impressionist art movement.

Rouen to Honfleur Private Trip

Get out of Paris for a day in the French countryside you’ll travel to the coast of Normandy to admire the 500-year-old harbor of Honfleur. 

Honfleur is a coastal town located in the northern French region of Normandy. It sits on the southern bank of the Seine River where meets the English Channel, just across the water from Le Havre. Honfleur once attracted many Impressionist painters, who would “sit and watch the world go” as they sought inspiration from the colorful shops and boats reflected on the water. The Vieux-Bassin (old harbor), lined with 16th- to 18th-century townhouses, has been a subject for artists including Claude Monet and native son Eugene Boudin. 

Learning about the history of the medieval harbor from the tour guide the visitor may take a walk around town, passing by restaurants, stores, and ice cream shops, and see St. Catherine’s Church and its belfry, admire art galleries along the side streets, stroll down cobblestone paths, and enjoy lunch at a local restaurant, perhaps choosing a seafood dish.

Honfleur to Giverny Guided Tour

It’s an hour drive from Honfleur to Giverny, the former home of Impressionist master Claude Monet. Enjoy the chance to explore his famous gardens where he painted some of his most recognizable works with features like the water-lily pond and Japanese Bridge. This is an easy way to see a bit more of France than just Paris if you have limited time during your stay.

In the village stop by the village church where his tomb lies in the graveyard; see the Hotel Baudy, where artists used to gather; and pass by the barn used as a winter studio for artists. Then head to Monet’s house, where you can explore the rooms he once lived in with his wife and his old studio that’s now the gift shop. Of course, the highlights of his home are the gardens and water-lily pond, which you can wander around and even cross the Japanese Bridge. 

When your time in Giverny ends, return to Paris along the picturesque Route des Crêtes and admire views of the Seine Valley, a watchtower from the 10th century, and the village and château of La Roche Guyon. Your last stop, if there’s time, is the village of Vétheuil. Your tour ends with drop-off in Paris.

Please note: The transportation will be waiting for you at the meeting point for your return to Paris.