Rouen as a day trip from Paris?

Very easy day trip and done often. Train times vary from 1 HR 10 MIN to 1 HR 39 MIN depending on train and what time of day you go. Trains leave from Paris St Lazare station.

Makes a nice one-two punch with Giverny as a day trip from Paris, too.

Maybe not in March? The gardens will probably not be in bloom?

Giverny opens for the season on March 24, 2017 so if you're there at the end of the month it's possible there will be some spring blooms. And, even without lots of flowers blooming, the grounds with the ponds and bridges are still worth visiting if you're a die-hard Monet fan.

I be done it as a day trip and loved it , however I personally don't think I'd combine it with Giverny , but then I went in summer when it was light out late , of you are going in March be sure to look up daylight hours

We have done both Giverny and Rouen as day trips from Paris but I would not combine them. Rouen is a perfect day trip; the center is close to the train station and very walkable and the churches that are its biggest draw are quite close together. Look closely at web sites for the places you want to visit to make sure those things are open.

I would give Rouen at least a day alone. We enjoyed it very much and it was easy to walk everywhere. We spent two days. I was dazzled by the sound and light Cathedral show. Others more familiar with the 21st century may not be as amazed, but it took my breath away (my last sound and light was pretty much a few colored bulbs and some tinny canned music). Safe travels.

Yes, an easy day trip. Plenty of trains both ways, and the center is an easy walk from the station (Gare de Rouen, rive droit). The city has a very large historic center, a nice cathedral and the Joan of Arc history connection.

Incredibly easy to do this by train as a day trip from Paris. I did combine Giverny (morning) with Rouen (afternoon/early evening), but wished I had more time to explore more of Rouen.

Having been to both I suggest a separate day for Rouen for sure! There is so much to see - the architecture, church and sites related to Joan of Arc but so much more. the Musee des Beaux Arts has a fine and eclectic art collection including one of Monet's finest depictions of the Rouen cathedral. Musee des Tournelle is interesting and unique - unlike what one sees elsewhere. Don't miss the Palais of Justice to see the evidence of damage done to this former Gestapo headquarters by the Canadian airforce and, the old courtyard surrounded by the houses plague victims were housed in, This walkable, friendly, charming town has something for everyone. Giverny easy to do in 1/2 day...enjoy a stroll through the village to the cemetery where Monet is buried. day trips by train from Paris are easy and in an hour one is transported back in time!

Reading the comments about Rouen and Giverny, I see that there is a lot of good advice. Here's my (minor) quandary. I hope for some advice on this and am piggybacking on wwd1944's question. In May we are staring a road trip through parts of France, and want to begin with a visit to Giverny and Rouen. We want to leave the Paris suburb of St Germain les Arpajon, where we are staying, early, and train to Giverny, visit the gardens and have lunch. Then on to Rouen, arriving mid/late afternoon to see the cathedral and stroll the old quarter, spending the night there. We are renting a car for the two weeks, and I'd prefer to pick it up at Rouen, rather than the Paris area, returning it at CDG at the end of the trip. We will have our luggage with us (hopefully no one of the five of us will have more than a carry-on size bag). Is this doable, given the bus trip needed to get to Monet's house? Or should we just rent our car the night before leaving for Giverny and Rouen? I add that after the night in Rouen, we will meander our way to Bayeux and the D-Day sights, then continue with our planned itinerary.

Reading the comments about Rouen and Giverny, I see that there is a lot of good advice. Here's my (minor) quandary. I hope for some advice on this and am piggybacking on wwd1944's question. In May we are staring a road trip through parts of France, and want to begin with a visit to Giverny and Rouen. We want to leave the Paris suburb of St Germain les Arpajon, where we are staying, early, and train to Giverny, visit the gardens and have lunch. Then on to Rouen, arriving mid/late afternoon to see the cathedral and stroll the old quarter, spending the night there. We are renting a car for the two weeks, and I'd prefer to pick it up at Rouen, rather than the Paris area, returning it at CDG at the end of the trip. We will have our luggage with us (hopefully no one of the five of us will have more than a carry-on size bag). Is this doable, given the bus trip needed to get to Monet's house? Or should we just rent our car the night before leaving for Giverny and Rouen? I add that after the night in Rouen, we will meander our way to Bayeux and the D-Day sights, then continue with our planned itinerary.

Given your plan to spend the night in Rouen I'd think seeing Giverny first is doable. The bus ride from the train station is only 15 -20 minutes. There are a couple of quaint places to have lunch in Giverny though as we know, lunch in France means an hour or two.....May I suggest you pack a small lunch to have on board the train so you have more time in Rouen? There were a number of very charming, local restaurants in Rouen which would be lovely for dinner after you check out the sites still open.

Patricia, Thanks for the reply, and the idea of lunch on the train. Looking forward to both Giverny and Rouen!