Cycling to Rouen's Enchanting Christmas Market

At the end of 2023 I was looking to rack up some miles in preparation for the Paris Gravelman 700 so I figured why not combine that with some vin chaud at a new Christmas market for us in Rouen!

Rouen is the capital of the Normandy region about 150km north west of Paris. Just follow the Seine towards the ocean and you can't miss It. I decided I would ride there and then back the next day and Anna would join me via train. The train route was quite simple with a direct TER train from Saint-Lazare.

Getting There

For the cycling route to Rouen, I went out of Paris towards Forêt domaniale de Saint-Germain, which is a typical route for Paris-London. I then cut back to following the Seine around La Roche-Guyon. The view when you approach the river is one of my favorites as you look down from the bluffs to the river winding below cut into the white limestone cliffs. The route out does not go past the chateau but It could be an add on If you have not seen it and are not riding my route back.

From there you mostly just follow the Seine. The route cuts the corner of a few bends but keeps you on pretty decent paved roads and paths for the rest of the way. There are a few pitfalls that can arise if you simply use Strava to click start in Paris and end in Rouen. It can go one of 2 ways, either busy roads or muddy paths. There is an official Seine à Vélo cycle route but it not very efficient for a single day trip and features some unpaved and potentially very muddy sections depending on the weather.

The Christmas Market

Once you arrive, you get to experience a festive Christmas market and refuel on some local fare. The Rouen Christmas market is on the medium-small side and has food, drink, and shops with a Normandy spin. There are some special differences between the markets in Paris and the ones in Normandy. Unsurprisingly, there are more drinks and dishes related to apples, which are very popular in the area. We tried a drink made of hot Calvados cider instead of our usual vin chaud, which was tasty; however, we still prefer the classic vin chaud (which they also serve!). You can also try the Bûche Normande, which is a yule log with apples and caramel.

The market is set right in front of the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Rouen and not far from the Gros-Horloge, which is an astronomical clock from the 14th century in Rouen, Normandy. It's an iconic clock, dating all the way back to 1389. The clock sits in a Renaissance arch crossing the rue du Gros-Horloge. This port city that sits on the Seine has so much old and rich history to it; it's definitely worth taking the day to explore!

Return Route

The route back is pretty similar but has enough changes it feels like a new route. It takes a bit more of a direct route into the city through Saint-Germain-en-Laye instead of the forest. While you could opt for the forest, I always find it more cumbersome ridding south with how a few one-way roads line up so it ends up being more gravel and hassle than I prefer. While the last hour can feel like a bit of a drag, there is not much you can do, the end of any ride into Paris feels like a slog,

If you are looking for a longer single day route you can easily do this with a train in either direction, or if you are looking for a nice back to back weekend as I did, its a great choice. While the weather may not be ideal it was great to do it In December because we really enjoyed the Christmas market and trying new things, So if you havent checked out Rouen, add it to your list now!

Cold foggy morning, crossing the Seine

GPX File

GPX File