Top 7 activities in Rouen

Having fun in Rouen is a challenge! Whether it’s a sporting event with friends, a fun and educational family outing or a bucolic getaway for two, the activities on offer in Rouen have more than one surprise in store. For the most intense of these, you’ll need to get away from the quiet streets of the city centre.

The heart of Rouen is more a place to visit than to experience. You can wander around the monuments and religious heritage. From Notre-Dame de Rouen cathedral to the city centre’s emblematic Gros horloge, from the rue du Gros-Horloge with its half-timbered house facades to the peaceful Jardin des plantes… Visits will take up a good part of your time, between architecture, museums and beautiful residences, one opportunity to marvel will not wait for the next.

As you go along, you’ll feel a deep desire to explore the surrounding area and discover Rouen’s Art de Vivre!

What do Rouen’s best activities have in store for you? Without a doubt: challenges (laser games, escape games), sports sessions, immersion in the Normandy countryside and, above all, great moments of togetherness with friends and family, thanks to a wide choice of leisure activities.

What to do in Rouen? 7 ideas for activities in Rouen

In Normandy, the people of Rouen love cider as well as… beer! In various bars in Rouen, you can take part in beer tasting and brewing workshops. These are friendly, rewarding experiences that allow the curious to immerse themselves in this popular craft. During these workshops, you’ll sometimes have the chance to make your own beer, as well as taking part in the tasting. Isn’t that great? There’s no shortage of shops in the city centre for beer lovers…

1. Learn the secrets of coffee roasting

Category: €€€ / Gastronomic

Description activity rouen : Join a Rouen roaster for a 2-hour culinary exploration. As you learn about the secret of coffee and master the roasting techniques, you’ll discover some unique things and all the secrets of coffee! Then it’s on to the tasting of several coffees, with their history, subtleties and, of course, the coffee roasting process. You’ll learn about the tools used, the roasting process and the crucial stage of cooking the coffee. At the end of the session, you’ll leave with 250g of roasted coffee!

2. Let off steam together at Verticabana

Category: €€ / Sensations / Sporty

Description: Go on an adventure at the Verticabana climbing park. Near Rouen, climbing in the heart of nature will take you to new heights! More than just courses, you’ll also find group activity areas: mini-golf, tennis, football pitch… A total of 85 workshops spread over the 5 courses. As you reach the heights, the adrenalin rushes will make the hairs stand up on the back of your neck! Come and let off steam with your family, aged 3 and over, or with your friends, and create some unforgettable memories.

3. Challenge yourself to a Donut quiz

Category: €€ / Unusual / Cultural

Description: Who will win Rouen’s super quiz? Come and take up the challenge and try to win the three rounds of the Donut Quiz. Test your knowledge on a thousand and one questions covering your favourite themes and including mini-games all the way to victory! More than one surprise awaits you in this temple of fun and games. All in a zany, wacky atmosphere worthy of the best TV shows with your family or friends.

4. Enter the fantastic jungle of Biotropica

Category: € / €€ / €€€ / Unusual / Gastronomic / Sensations / Cultural / Sporting

Description: Immerse yourself in the fantastic ecosystem of wild animals in the Biotropica park. By following the paths laid out through the vegetation of the park’s seven worlds, you will discover species each more astonishing than the last. Start your visit with the outdoor trail and finish in style in the heart of the rainforest… Although children are at the heart of the park’s activities, adults won’t be left out! There are plenty of sessions and activities planned within the Biopark. Something to keep an eye on for animal lovers.

Good to know: The admission ticket includes a special moment of entertainment in the day of the residents: the daily snack with the Biotropica animals. It’s a touching, playful and enriching experience that’s sure to delight visitors of all ages.

5. Take part in a Harry Potter-style escape game

Category: €€€ / Unusual

Description: A curse has prevented access to the platform of the Hogwarts Express departing from Rouen. As muggles, it’s up to you to find the platform before the train passes! As you make your way through the attractive sights of Rouen, complete one challenge after another until you reach the final enigma, and meet some wizards. The clock is ticking against your team. Will you be able to complete the Harry Potter escape game?

Good to know: Please note that this activity is an outdoor escape game whose plot is not directly linked to the city (although it takes place in places of interest in the city centre, including the Rue du Gros Horloge). It is a game on a given theme and not a guided tour of the city.

6. Go on an invigorating canoe-kayak trip

Category: €€ / Sensations / Sporty

Description: Head for the Base Nautique de Belbeuf, accessible by bike from Rouen. Take to the water in a kayak, dragon boat or stand-up paddle for a long paddle on the Seine! When the fine weather arrives, take a water excursion to Port Saint-Ouen. Accompanied by an expert in the field, you’ll be able to take in all the natural riches along the Seine, just a few kilometres from Rouen. The area around Rouen is also well worth a visit.

7. Enter the depths of the Caumont caves

Category: €€€ / Sensations / Sporty

Description: Accompany professional potholers as they infiltrate the vast Carrières de Caumont, near Rouen. This 12km network of gigantic galleries will lead you to chambers 10 to 20m wide and 5 to 10m high. This underground passageway is the result of Caumont stone quarrying in the 10th century. If you’re an occasional sportsman, you’ll be able to enjoy the thrill of exploration! Particularly when you have to make your way through the narrowest gutters. Authentik Aventure offers you a unique and spectacular caving experience in these immense underground tunnels.

A wide choice of hotels to suit all budgets in the Rouen area. As a family, with friends or as part of a team-building activity, there’s plenty to discover, depending on what you want to do. All you have to do is choose the dates!