Upper Normandy Travel Guide

Have Fun in this place. Go see Evreux. I lived here for 3 months. Its nice but small. Nice walking trails in the forest. Have Fun

The most amazing, relaxing city I've ever been to and I plan on retiring there! Being on the English Channel, they take great pride in their seafood and stellar food service. Five to seven course meals are the norm, so take your time eating and brush up on the European way of using silverware, (left hand for the fork and right hand for the knife only!) The wait staff will pour your drinks such as water and wine into the correct glasses so don't worry about that, but try to keep your conversations low and intimate. The other diners are there to enjoy their food and do the same. Never be in a hurry! Sit in the square at the Cafe des Tribunaux and watch the world pass you by as you listen to the old Frenchman play accordion (just like in the movies!) for as long as you please drinking some of the best espressos and wine in France. Don't be offended if people watch or appear to stare at you -- it's not that you stick out, it's that the French enjoy people watching! St. James cathedral, where the building started in 500 A.D. is just down the street. It's HUGE and beautiful. Visitors: do NOT forget to attempt to speak French. Bring a book or pocket computer. If you even try to speak in their country's language, you will not come off as an "arrogant American." They are too used to Americans (and Brits) walking around as if the French are supposed to accommodate you) Also visit: the Benedictine Monestary Le Manhattan Bar: tell the owner Franck that Kori sent you, the one who gave him the Rugby ball that sits behind the bar. You want to party? Le Manhattan is the place for you! (Franck speaks very passable English)

The most impressive building in Rouen is its cathedral and the most important place to see is Place de Jeanne d'Arc. That's the square where Joan of Arc was burned. Nowadays there is a very modern church there and a cross standing on the place she was burned just outside the entrance of the church. Behind that church there is a little market going on in the morning - sorry - do not know which weekdays. And there are special sweets you need to buy in Rouen - Tears of Joan of Arc - delicious cookies or candy sticks with apple flavour - in former times children received those candy sticks as christmas presents. Yummy. Rouen is as well great for shopping - long shopping street between the cathedral and Joan of Arc Church. And there is plenty of cute french restaurants too. It's really worth a visit.