The visit of tall ships, the Armada, takes place every five years or so and is a spectacular sight along the quays of the River Seine in Rouen. Crowds throng the quaysides to visit the many stalls, see the ships, even go aboard some of them, and enjoy the festivities. The next Armada is in June 2019.

Rouen has a medieval centre with many half-timbered buildings (colombages), Gothic churches, including Notre Dame cathedral, the modern church of Joan of Arc with its stained glass windows, and the medieval necropolis of Aître St Maclou. Some of these images are linked to a website.

Apart from a wealth of museums and monuments Rouen is a thoroughly modern city hosting festivals of all sorts, musical events and activities on the Seine.

Being in Normandy, Rouen is a great centre for gastronomy and local producer markets.

Getting round Rouen by hire bike, bus or tram is easy - and doesn't cost much! Rouen station dates from the 1920s but has been recently modernised inside. You can cross the Seine by ferry to La Bouille.

Visit some of the castles and abbeys along the Seine or not far from Rouen... St Georges-en-Boscherville, Arques-la-Bataille,Chateau Martainville, Chateau Vascoeil, the ruins of Jumièges, the castle of Dieppe.