​Norfolk & Norwich Rouen Friendship Association
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The twinning charter between Norwich and Rouen was signed in 1959. In 2019, and again in 2023 (see the report of our visit in June 2023 on our News page), the twinning was reaffirmed by both Norwich and Rouen as the cities celebrated 60 years of visits, exchanges, goodwill and friendship.

Norwich is also twinned with Koblenz in Germany and Novi Sad in Serbia. Here's how twinning came about.
Norwich and Rouen
Sharing a common heritage from Viking times, both became centres of important agricultural areas and both thrived on the medieval wool trade. After the Norman conquest of England in 1066 the Normans constructed abbeys and castles of which Norwich Cathedral and castle, built of stone brought from Caen, are outstanding examples.
Rouen has many historic monuments like the 14th century astronomical clock (Le Gros Horloge), a Gothic cathedral, the ancient ossuary of Aître St Maclou, the market place where there is a modern church of Joan of Arc, and many picturesque cobbled streets of half-timbered buildings. Restaurants serving local and regional specialities abound and there is a food festival every October. Rouen is an important port on the River Seine and every five years, it hosts the Armada when magnificent sailing ships from around the world moor up for ten days of festivities. Along the Seine there are lovely parks and woods, ancient abbeys and picturesque villages. An hour away is Monet's famous garden at Giverny, the ports of Dieppe and Honfleur. Discover Rouen and the region at http://en.rouentourisme.com/
Rouen is a UNESCO City of Gastronomy and is applying for European Capital of Culture 2028.

NNRFA and the Rouen-Norwich-Club
The NNRFA President is the Lord Mayor of Norwich, currently Cllr James Wright. NNRFA is represented on Norwich City Council's Twinning Committee and in the Norfolk Association of Twinned Communities. The Rouen-Norwich Club is our partner association in Rouen and we jointly arrange links and visits.

Individual membership of NNRFA is £7, £12 for two people at the same address, and £3 for students. Please join us! You can fill out the form here and send it with your subscription to the address on the form.
You can use the + and - signs on the map to zoom in and out
Rouen in numbers
- Rouen is the prime port in Europe for the export of cereals
- The city has about 110,000 inhabitants. It's a young city with the biggest age group being those between 20-24
- Eight km of pedestrianised streets make the centre of the city and the shops easily accessible
- Rouen cathedral, immortalised by Claude Monet, is the highest in France
- Rouen is surrounded by 22,000 hectares of forests and 500 km of hiking trails

adapted from: Bien-dire, no. 139, nov-dec 2021