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Follow me through Rouen Cathedral in Normandy. You’ll never see it the same way again.
The Gothic Glory of Rouen Cathedral
Imagine an explosion of lace petrified into white limestone.
That was my immediate impression of Rouen Cathedral, one of Normandy’s greatest attractions, and less than two hours from Paris by train.
If you’re thinking of visiting, this guide will help you along.
An Ever Changing View
While I was mesmerized by its magnificent portals, appealing mismatched towers and elaborate carvings, I had to ask myself a question.
Was it the cathedral itself I’d come to see, or was it a a vision – or at least a version – of it at a particular point in time in a particular light.
Because it’s never the same view twice.
Monet and Rouen Cathedral
Certainly Claude Monet never saw it the same way twice, which is why he painted it at least 28 times (30, if you count the Saint-Romain Tower).
He set up his easel in view of the western facade and worked obsessively on this Rouen Cathedral Series both onsite and in his studio between 1892 and 1893.
He wasn’t as interested in the hard reality of the cathedral as he was in the play of light and shadow on its elaborate exterior walls.
“To truly paint the cathedral, one must capture its essence, its spirit that changes with the light and the hour.”
Claude Monet
Monet’s Viewpoint on the Place de la Cathédrale
As luck would have it, I was able to view it from one of his favourite spots – the window of a former lingerie shop across the square.
Monet worked on much of the series here, and the end result was one of the most powerful images of Impressionist art ever to come out of France.
Admittedly I had a privileged position.
Impressionism in Normandy
Normandy is known as the birthplace of Impressionism, and I was here on a press trip with a handful of journalists to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Impressionist art, which is why I was able to access Monet’s vantage point.
The unadorned space in the Renaissance-era Finance Building at 25 Place de la Cathédrale isn’t yet open to the public, though plans are being made to do so.
I do hope they recreate it with period lingerie.
It’s such an irresistible image. Can’t you just imagine women shopping for corsets and drawers while a man is furiously covering a canvas with paint in the front room?
Book a private guided tour of Giverny and Rouen from Paris with a Michelin star lunch.
Why is Rouen Cathedral Such a Draw?
Monet’s passion for painting the cathedral has no doubt propelled it into superstar status, but the Cathédrale Notre–Dame de Rouen was no shrinking violet to start with.
An 800-year-old beauty, it’s one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in France.
Its location has a long history as a spiritual site, perhaps going as far back as far as 260 CE when Christianity first took root in Rouen.
A Turbulent History
We know a basilica was built here around 395 and enlarged over the years. Then the Vikings came in the 9th century and damaged it all.
In the 11th century a Romanesque cathedral was built, though not much more than the crypt remains. The rest was reconstructed in a grand Gothic style in the 12th.
Visiting Rouen Cathedral – History and Highlights
Additions and restorations haven’t really stopped since, and the cathedral evolves with the times. Here are a few key moments since.
The West Facade and Portals (14th and 15th century):
- The west facade, which so captivated Monet, was redone with 70 carved figures and elaborate stonework between 1362 and 1421.
The Butter Tower (Tour de Beurre) (1488-1506):
- Don’t you love that name? Funded by the sale of indulgences allowing the wealthy to eat butter during Lent, the Butter Tower exemplifies a Flamboyant Gothic style (and reveals how much people like eating butter).
The Iron Spire (1822-1876):
- After the cathedral’s wooden spire was destroyed by lightning it was replaced with a higher iron one.
- Clawing its way 151 meters towards the heavens, it made the cathedral, at the time, the tallest building in the world.
- The idea of a cast iron spire was controversial, however, with the writer Gustave Flaubert declaring it “the dream of a metalworker in delirium.”
World War II Damage and Restoration (1944-1956):
- Sadly, the cathedral suffered terrible damage in Allied bombing during World War II, and it led to years of restoration work.
Fire on the Spire (July 2024):
- After the shock of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris burning in 2019, there were plenty of horrified moments when plastic sheeting covering Rouen’s cathedral spire during restoration work caught fire.
- Luckily, with 70 firefighters responding, the cathedral, for the most part, was saved. (Which goes to show that Flaubert should have been happy the spire was made of iron rather than wood.)
Monet’s Obsession
The west facade, with its filigree detail and shadowy niches both fascinated and challenged Monet.
As he was a man who lived and dreamed his work – literally – it could lead him to the point of despair.
“I spent the night having nightmares. The cathedral was falling on top of me. It seemed blue or pink or yellow.”
Claude Monet
He had several canvases going at once, switching from one to another as the weather changed and the sun arced across the sky.
The paintings are thick and encrusted. Ranging from the palest sunrise of colours to golden or shadowy grey, they’re as much about the air and atmosphere as they are about the building.
Interestingly, Monet didn’t enter the cathedral until he’d finished the series.
Touring Rouen Cathedral
I’d never been inside either, and a tour was long overdue.
On my first trip to Rouen I’d only had time to rush to the cathedral and see the sun lop the top off with a fiery evening glow before racing off to Etretat. (Me, not the sun, though it undoubtedly went there, too).
Now, as I finally entered the centuries-old gloom, the air was hushed and still.
Light sprinkled in through ancient stained glass, pointed arches shot upwards and a faint scent of frankincense and old wood crept around my nostrils.
What to See Inside the Cathedral
While the overall look of the interior is spare (and some reviewers don’t like it at all), the dust of Normandy’s past lies deep here and there are several things to see.
The Tomb of Rollo
Rollo (or Rollon), the Viking Chieftain who adopted Christianity and was made the first Duke of Normandy was buried in Rouen Cathedral in 930.
Of course this was long before the current Gothic cathedral existed, or even the earlier Romanesque one.
Since then his tomb has been moved around, damaged and bombed so it’s no wonder the current one isn’t original.
The Tomb of Richard the Lionheart
Richard the Lionheart was not only King of England but the Duke of Normandy, too, and Rouen Cathedral has his heart – literally – while the rest (or at least most) of him went to Fontevrault.
Chapel of the Virgin
Another highlight of the cathedral is the Lady Chapel, or Chapel of the Virgin, though you need to be on a guided tour to enter.
Dedicated to the Virgin Mary, it’s the largest chapel in the cathedral.
Here you’ll find precious medieval and renaissance stained glass that looks down over the Renaissance tombs of the cardinals of Amboise.
The Booksellers’ Staircase
The Booksellers’ Staircase, the Escalier de la Librairie, once led to the chapter library.
Exquisitely carved with delicate stone lacework, it showcases the skill of late medieval and early Renaissance artisans.
Travel Tip: It’s named the Booksellers’ Staircase after the booksellers who used the library upstairs and traded their wares around the cathedral.
Joan of Arc Chapel
Within the cathedral, there is a chapel dedicated to Joan of Arc, who was tried and executed in Rouen.
Carved Figures
A row of carved figures brought inside from the west facade to protect them gave the cathedral a strangely human feel.
As my footsteps shuffled past the weathered figures, my mind hopped to a bearded image of Monet.
Why hadn’t he entered the cathedral until after his Rouen Cathedral Series was complete?
How could a person be so driven to paint a spiritual landmark like this – such a powerful symbol of permanence, solace and strength – and not want to first explore its every secret and crevice?
Did he think (pardon the pun) it would colour his impression of it?
Why Did Monet Paint Rouen Cathedral?
The simplest answer I can come up with is that Monet didn’t want to be swayed by the cathedral’s reassuring solidity because it wasn’t the idea of permanence he was after, it was impermanence – the transient light on the exterior that reflects the transience of life itself.
For Monet, perhaps, the spiritual wasn’t in the mighty but in the moment, a flash of time that so quickly goes away.
“Everything changes,” he said, “even stone.”
5 Travel Tips for Visiting Rouen Cathedral
1. Don’t Miss the Light Show
- During the summer months, Rouen Cathedral hosts a spectacular light show in the evening known as “Cathedral of Light”, when the facade of the cathedral is illuminated with a stunning display.
2. Take a Guided Tour
- A guided tour at 2:30 pm on weekends throughout the year provides deeper insights into its history, architecture, and significance.
- Tours include access to areas not typically open to the general public, like the crypt and the Chapel of the Virgin.
3. Check the Schedule for Services and Opening Hours
- Unless you’re interested in attending a service, it’s best to avoid visiting during mass as it can limit your ability to explore and disrupt others. Above all, the cathedral is a spiritual place and should be respected as such.
- Note that on Mondays the cathedral doesn’t open to the public until 2:00 p.m.
4. Explore the Surrounding Old Town
- The area around Rouen Cathedral is rich in history and charm, with narrow cobblestone streets, half-timbered houses, and a standout 14th-century astronomical clock.
5. See the Original Impressionist Artwork
- Don’t miss a visit to the Rouen Museum of Fine Arts (the Rouen Musée des Beaux-Arts) where you can see one of the series itself, entitled Rouen Cathedral, Facade and Tour d’Albane. Grey Weather.
- While you’re there, tour the rest of the museum’s excellent collection of Impressionist art.
- The Musée d’Orsay, the best Impressionist Museum in Paris, has 5 of the Rouen Cathedral Series.
