A Short but Colourful History!

There was a small city here in Roman times known to them as Rotomagnus but by 876 the Vikings had invaded and colonised the local area.

Eventually the Viking leader Rollo met with the French King Charles the Simple because inevitably there were confrontations between the Franks and the Vikings over territorial claims. They met at St-Clair-sur-Epte and signed the treaty of the same name, Rollo, from now on to be called Robert, became the first Duke of Normandy being given all the land north of the River Epte to the Sea plus Brittany. Importantly he made Rouen his capital city.

Following the Norman Conquest of England, Rouen was English till the French retook it in 1204 until 1419 and finally from 1449 it became French for good.

Ste Jeanne d’Arc

Joan of Arc, was captured by the Burgundians who handed her over to the English and tried on trumped-up charges of heresy. She burned at the stake in the Place du Vieux Marché on 30th May 1431. In 1920 Joan was canonised and made Patron Saint of France.