What to do · Rouen
Rouen Cathedral, the one Monet painted
Information
- Duration
- 1 h
- Season
- All year
- Who it's for
- Everyone
The façade that Monet painted twenty-eight times, in 1892 and 1893, at all hours of the day, from a first-floor room on the square. Notre-Dame Cathedral is Gothic, with a 151-metre cast-iron spire, the tallest in France, and a 16th-century tower, the Butter Tower, paid for with the alms of those who wanted to eat butter during Lent. In the choir are the tomb of Rollo, the Viking founder of the Duchy of Normandy, and the heart of Richard the Lionheart.
Opening hours
On Monday it is open from 14:00 to 18:00; Tuesday to Saturday, from 9:00 to 12:00 and from 14:00 to 18:00; Sundays and public holidays, from 8:00 to 18:00. There is Mass Tuesday to Saturday at 10:00 and on Sundays at 8:30 and 10:30.
At night, in summer
Every summer, at dusk, the show Cathédrale de lumière projects a different theme onto the façade: Joan of Arc, the Vikings or Impressionism. Check the dates at the tourist office.
Tips
- Mind the midday On weekdays it closes from 12:00 to 14:00: plan the morning around the Gros-Horloge and the Historial.
- Monet's façade Look at it from the side of the former Bureau des Finances, where Monet painted part of the series.
Frequently asked questions
What are the opening hours of Rouen Cathedral?
Monday 14:00 to 18:00; Tuesday to Saturday 9:00 to 12:00 and 14:00 to 18:00; Sundays 8:00 to 18:00.
How tall is the spire?
151 metres: the tallest in France.
What is the connection with Monet?
Monet painted its façade in 28 paintings, in 1892 and 1893.
As a familyWith teenagers
