Rouen sits in the heart of Normandy, easily reached from Paris and both Paris airports. During the Armada, leave the car behind where you can — the quays are best on foot.
Frequent trains from Paris Saint-Lazare to Rouen Rive-Droite, a short walk from the quays. Book seats early for the Armada weekends.
Both Paris airports connect to Rouen by train or coach in roughly 2–3 hours. Le Havre and Deauville airports are closer but smaller.
Central parking fills fast and roads close near the river. Use the city's park-and-ride sites and take the metro or bus to the quays.
The ships line several kilometres of riverbank on both sides. Comfortable shoes, water, and an early start beat the afternoon crowds.
On the closing Sunday, every ship raises sail and heads downstream toward the sea. Crowds gather from early morning to wave the crews off — the emotional high point of the whole event.
You can watch from the Rouen quays, but the riverside villages downstream offer quieter, spectacular views as the fleet passes:
The full programme, official ship list and exact timings are released closer to the event. Join the list and we'll send them the moment they're announced.
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