Gothic Rouen

Saint-Maclou & Saint-Ouen.

Rouen's cathedral gets the fame, but two more Gothic masterpieces sit a short walk away — and both are free to enter.

Église Saint-Maclou

A jewel of flamboyant Gothic built in the 15th–16th centuries, Saint-Maclou is famous for its richly carved west front with a fan of porches and beautifully sculpted Renaissance doors. It stands in the medieval quarter, a step from the Aître Saint-Maclou.

Abbatiale Saint-Ouen

A former Benedictine abbey church on a near-cathedral scale, Saint-Ouen is a soaring example of Rayonnant Gothic with luminous stained glass and one of France's most celebrated organs, built by Aristide Cavaillé-Coll. It sits beside a leafy garden next to the city hall.

Visiting

Both churches are normally free to enter; opening times vary by season. Together with the cathedral and the Gros-Horloge, they make an easy Gothic walking trail. See more in things to do in Rouen.