Eau de Robec Street

Rouen is a great place to explore on foot. It’s quite easy to get lost in one of its 1,200 streets – but that’s half the fun! Especially if most of them look like the Eau de Robec Street. Talk about picturesque! It’s lined with beautiful half-timbered houses and there’s even a little stream. It’s a favorite among locals and visitors, and it recently beat out 31 others, like Damiette Street, to be crowned Rouen’s most beautiful. But beyond its old-world charm and convivial atmosphere, the Eau de Robec Street is also a living testament to Rouen’s past as a major player in the textile industry. Formerly crossed by the Robec River, after which it’s named, the Eau de Robec Street was once a bustling hub for drapers and dyers. Up until the 19th century, some 16 mills ground dye plants and wheat grown in the region. And all this, thanks to the hydraulic power of the stream that flowed past the houses. The river itself took on vibrant hues – blue, violet, even yellow – as dyers washed their hands and fabrics. Writer Gustave Flaubert even wrote about this in his novel entitled “Madame Bovary:” “The river, that makes of this quarter of Rouen a wretched little Venice, flowed beneath him, between the bridges and the railings.” Besides the colorful waters of the Robec, the dyers also left their mark on the distinctive half-timbered houses they called home. You see, many of them still have the so-called “greniers à étente,” roof extensions overhanging the porch, where these craftsmen dried fabrics. This old street truly had a unique feel, with all these colorful cloths hanging like ghostly curtains over the building façades. Needless to say, the dryers of Rouen made their presence felt. The Robec River was buried in the 20th century to be replaced by these fountain basins, and the street was renovated in the 1970s, so it’s hard to visualize what this whole place used to look like back in the day. Regardless, it’s still a great spot for a leisurely stroll!