Rouen
Walking Tour of Rouen
Situated on the River Seine in northern France,
Rouen is one of the largest cities in France. Formerly one of the largest and most prosperous cities of
medieval Europe it also served as the seat of the Duchy of Normandy during the Middle Ages. Claimed by both the French and the English during the
Hundred Years' War, it was here that
Joan of Arc was tried and burned alive on 30 May 1431.
Rouen was founded by a Gaulish tribe and thrived under Roman rule. It was overrun by marauding Vikings (known as Northmen or Normans) a number of times in the 9
th century until 912 when Charles II made the
Viking Rollo the first Duke of Normandy. He was then charged with stopping any foreign forces (mainly other Vikings) from attacking from the English Channel up the Seine River.
Occupied by the Germans in WWII, the city was heavily bombed on D-Day and the
Cathedral of Notre Dame was nearly destroyed.
To Caudebec-En-Caux