Welcome to the Normandie Lovers tourist diary, a page listing our selection of the main events not to be missed in 2024 Rouen.
Whether you’re visiting for the weekend, on vacation or looking for something to do today, you’re bound to find something to suit your taste in Rouen’s dynamic mix of concerts, temporary exhibitions, festivals, shows and outings.
This selection is completely independent, based on our experience and knowledge of the city. We refuse all paying partnerships and pay for all our entries in full.
Events in Rouen in 2024
July diary
ON VIEW THROUGHOUT JULY
Exhibition – Passion Japon: from Nestuke to Manga
Passion Japon, from netsuke to manga” presents the evolution of Japanese art from the 19th century to the present day, with an immersive journey through three key periods in the collection of Japanese objects, including ceramics, prints, dolls, and elements of pop culture such as manga and video games.
Musée de la céramique de Rouen – June 15 to September 22, 2024
All information on the exhibition
Exhibition – Colors
To mark its 30th anniversary, the Musée industriel de la Corderie Vallois presents a sensory exhibition entitled “Couleurs”. Created by Céline Nadal, this travelling exhibition appeals to the senses of sight, touch, smell and hearing through an interactive journey divided into four areas. Each space explores a different dimension of color, from vision to symbolic meaning, making the exhibition suitable for all ages.
Musée industriel de la Corderie Vallois in Notre-Dame-De-Bondeville – June 16 to September 22, 2024
Exhibition – Whistler, the butterfly effect
The “Whistler, the Butterfly Effect” exhibition is dedicated to the American painter James Abbott McNeill Whistler, and explores the influential Whistlerism art movement of the 19th and early 20th centuries. The exhibition offers an immersive sensory experience, integrating mediation devices to make Whistler’s aesthetic accessible to all audiences, including children, through adapted texts, sound creations and interactive spaces.
Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rouen – May 24 to September 22, 2024
Exhibition – Sensory impressions – Sunrise, sunset
This immersive exhibition uses video mapping and light effects to bring the Impressionists’ vision to life and relate it to current environmental issues.
Musée Beauvoisine container, Square André Maurois – June 15 to September 22, 2024
DISCOVER Rouen
- Best things to do in Rouen: 15 ideas
- Rouen’s tourist calendar: our selection of events
- Where to stay in Rouen: our best hotels
- Where to eat in Rouen: 20 best restaurants
- Rouen’s 10 best museums
- Itineraries in Rouen: 1 day – 2 days
- Rouen Museum of Fine Arts
- Rouen Cathedral
- Rent a car in Rouen
JULY IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER
Photo – Impressionism
Normandy-born Jonathan Bertin presents some thirty photographs inspired by the landscapes and works of the Impressionist masters, capturing the fluidity and movement of the region.
Abbatiale Saint Ouen – June 15 to July 14
Event : Olympic Torch Relay
The Olympic flame will pass through Rouen as part of its journey through the Seine-Maritime region. The procession will start on the Left Bank, cross the Pont Boieldieu to reach the Right Bank, and pass by iconic sites such as the Rue du Gros Horloge and the Place de la Cathédrale before ending on the forecourt of the Hôtel de Ville. This symbolic event highlights Olympic values while celebrating Rouen’s culture.
Rouen – July 5
Workshop – Perfume creation
Find out if you have unsuspected “nose” qualities during a perfume creation workshop. This workshop, organized by Rouen Tourisme, lets you test your olfactory creativity by composing a unique perfume from over 40 scented accords of French origin. Guided by artisans Eugénie and Charles, you’ll create your own fragrance and leave with a 30 or 50 ml bottle. The workshop offers a fun and instructive experience in a relaxed atmosphere, in the heart of Rouen’s historic center.
Parfumerie Damiette, 35 rue Damiette – July 5, 2024
WHERE TO STAY IN Rouen
Option 1: in the old town center
A charming historic heart, museums and attractions around every corner… We recommend..:
- Gustave Flaubert Literary Hotel with lots of quotes – see prices, photos and availability.
- Hôtel de Bourghteroulde set in a 16th-century residence – see prices, photos and availability.
Option 2: near the station
Just a 10-minute walk from the historic center, you’ll find more modern options. We recommend..:
- Blu Radisson Hotel next to the Jeanne d’Arc Tower – see prices, photos and availability.
- Hotel de Dieppe Best Western and its Art-deco ambience – see prices, photos and availability
August diary
TO BE SEEN THROUGHOUT AUGUST
Exhibition – Passion Japon: from Nestuke to Manga
Passion Japon, from netsuke to manga” presents the evolution of Japanese art from the 19th century to the present day, with an immersive journey through three key periods in the collection of Japanese objects, including ceramics, prints, dolls, and elements of pop culture such as manga and video games.
Musée de la céramique de Rouen – June 15 to September 22, 2024
All information on the exhibition
Exhibition – Colors
To mark its 30th anniversary, the Musée industriel de la Corderie Vallois presents a sensory exhibition entitled “Couleurs”. Created by Céline Nadal, this travelling exhibition appeals to the senses of sight, touch, smell and hearing through an interactive journey divided into four areas. Each space explores a different dimension of color, from vision to symbolic meaning, making the exhibition suitable for all ages.
Musée industriel de la Corderie Vallois in Notre-Dame-De-Bondeville – June 16 to September 22, 2024
Exhibition – Whistler, the butterfly effect
The “Whistler, the Butterfly Effect” exhibition is dedicated to the American painter James Abbott McNeill Whistler, and explores the influential Whistlerism art movement of the 19th and early 20th centuries. The exhibition offers an immersive sensory experience, integrating mediation devices to make Whistler’s aesthetic accessible to all audiences, including children, through adapted texts, sound creations and interactive spaces.
Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rouen – May 24 to September 22, 2024
Exhibition – Sensory impressions – Sunrise, sunset
This immersive exhibition uses video mapping and light effects to bring the Impressionists’ vision to life and relate it to current environmental issues.
Musée Beauvoisine container, Square André Maurois – June 15 to September 22, 2024
DISCOVER Rouen
- Best things to do in Rouen: 15 ideas
- Rouen’s tourist calendar: our selection of events
- Where to stay in Rouen: our best hotels
- Where to eat in Rouen: 20 best restaurants
- Rouen’s 10 best museums
- Itineraries in Rouen: 1 day – 2 days
- Rouen Museum of Fine Arts
- Rouen Cathedral
- Rent a car in Rouen
September diary
Show – Jonathan Lambert: Rodolphe
Jonathan Lambert, French comedian renowned for his eccentric characters and mastery of situational comedy, promises evenings of laughter and entertainment. Audiences can expect unique and hilarious performances, reflecting his talent and the diversity of his characters.
Théâtre à l’Ouest – September 17 and 18, 2024
Art – Fabrique minute ” Normandie Impressionniste ” Musée des Beaux-arts Rouen
Come with your family or friends and create your own work of art under the guidance of a visual artist.
Musée des beaux-arts de Rouen – September 21 and 22, 2024
Religious heritage – Guided tour of the carillon at Rouen Cathedral
On the occasion of Heritage Days, a 30-minute tour of this emblematic instrument will take you up 129 steps. It explores the history of the carillon, its historic civil functions, and its role in the network of carillonneurs and concert listeners.
Rouen Cathedral – September 21 and 22, 2024
Concert – Organ concert
This 45-minute concert will take place on the great organ of this historic temple, built in the 16th century and assigned to Protestant worship by Napoleon in 1803. The Temple Saint-Eloi, on Place Martin-Luther-King, is famous for its 16th-century stained glass windows and vestiges of Protestant iconoclasm.
Temple Saint-Eloi, Place Martin-Luther-King – September 21, 2024
