NORMANDY - France 2014 - page 370

Taxis (totherightasyouexitstation)willtakeyoutoanyofmyrecommendedhotels
for about €8.
By Bus: Rouen's bus station is a half-block off Rue Jeanne d'Arc, near the river
(CNA bus information office open Mon-Sat 9:00-19:00, closed Sun, Compagnie Nor-
mande d'Autobus, tel. [phone]). To reach the center, exit the station to the right,
turn left up Rue Jeanne d'Arc, then turn right on pedestrian-friendly Rue du Gros Horloge
to reach most hotels and the cathedral. (To find the start of my self-guided walk, turn left
on Rue du Gros Horloge.)
By Car: Finding the city center from the autoroute is tricky—assume you'll get lost
for a while. Follow signs for Centre-Ville and Rive Droite (right bank). You may see signs
for P&R Relais . These are tram stops outside the center where you can park for free,
then hop on a tram (€1.50 each way), avoiding traffic. For day-trippers taking my self-
guided walk of Rouen, the parking lot under Place du Vieux Marché is best. Other lots are
scattered about the city center and any central spot works(see map onnext page). Youcan
park in street spaces for free overnight (metered 8:00-19:00), or pay for more secure park-
ing in one of many well-signed underground lots. La Haute Vieille Tour parking garage,
between the cathedral and the river, is handy (about €13/day, €5/3 hours). When you get
turned around (likely, because of the narrow, one-way streets), aim for the highest cathed-
ral spires you spot.
When leaving Rouen, head for the riverfront road where autoroute signs will guide
you to Paris, or Le Havre and Caen (for D-Day beaches and Honfleur).
Helpful Hints
Closed Days: Most of Rouen's museums are closed on Tuesday, and many sights also
close midday (12:00-14:00). The cathedral is closed Monday morning and during
Mass (usually Tue-Sat at 10:00, July-Aug at 18:00; Sun and holidays at 8:30, 10:00,
and 12:00). The Joan of Arc Church is closed Friday and Sunday mornings, and dur-
ing Mass.
Market Days: The best open-air market is on Place St. Marc, a few blocks east of St.
Maclou Church. It's filled with antiques and other good stuff (all day Tue, Fri, and
Sat; on Sun until about 12:30). A smaller market is on Place du Vieux Marché, near
the Joan of Arc Church (Tue-Sun until 13:30, closed Mon). The TI has a list of all
weekly markets.
Supermarket: Small grocery shopsare scattered about the city,andabig Monoprix ison
Rue du Gros Horloge (groceries at the back, Mon-Sat 8:30-21:00, closed Sun).