Rouen

Rouen is the historic capital city of Normandy, in northern France on the River Seine, and currently the capital of the Haute-Normandie region. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe, Rouen was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages. It was one of the capitals of the Anglo-Norman dynasties, which ruled both England and large parts of modern France from the eleventh century to the 15th century. It was in Rouen where Joan of Arc was burnt in 1431. People from Rouen are called Rouennais.

Mainline train services operate from Gare de Rouen-Rive-Droite to Le Havre and Paris. Regional services operate to Caen, Dieppe, and other local destinations in Normandy. Daily direct trains operate to Amiens and Lille, and direct TGVs connect daily with Lyon and Marseille.

City transportation in Rouen is served by the métro. It branches into two lines out of a metro tunnel running through the city centre. Rouen is also served by TEOR and buses run in conjunction with the tramway by the transit company TCAR, a subsidiary of Veolia Transport.

Rouen has its own airport, serving major domestic destinations as well as international destinations in Europe. The Seine is a major axis for maritime (cargo) links in the Port of Rouen; and the Cross-Channel ferry ports of Caen, Le Havre, Dieppe, and Calais, and the Channel Tunnel are also within easy driving distance.

Rouen Cathedral (la cathédrale de Rouen) - the facade of the cathedral was famously painted by Claude Monet at various times during one day - like his Haystacks series of paintings - capturing the subject in a variety of lights. In the summer after dark the city puts on a light show projecting some of Monet's cathedral paintings onto the facade of the cathedral itself, each showing lasts approximately 10 minutes and runs until about midnight.