Hello,
I am looking for folks with any (direct or indirect) knowledge regarding walking and/or bike tours in the cities of Rouen and Reims. I can't seem to find any online that aren't a super pricey "private tour." I am looking for any tours (tip driven or paid) of ~2 hours for a city walking tour and up to 4 hours for a city bike tour (think Fat Tire Bike Tours) where the cost includes the bike rental and tour guide for Spring 2019.
Thanks in advance! :)
I have been to both cities but didn't take a walking tour in either. There's a 2015 Trip Advisor post saying the Rouen tourist office rents audio guides. I think Reims attracts more champagne travelers in rental cars and is perhaps less likely to have an option like that, but it's worth checking the websites of both cities' tourist offices. Last year I noticed a couple of times in eastern France (but don't remember which cities) that there was an English-language tour offered on weekends only. The timing never worked out for me.
@acraven
Thanks for the tip, I'll give it a shot.... by the way, how long did you spend in each of those towns?
I know in Rouen there a a few special walking tours that leave from the Office de Tourisme
I'm traveling in Czechia right now and don't gave access to my notes from last year's trip. I take long, slow trips, trying to find good day-trip destinations so I can avoid 1- and 2-night stops.
I think I was in Reims for 3 nights, but I didn't get to my hotel until about 5 PM on arrival day. That gave me more time than I needed since I didn't make any side-trips and had no interest in the champagne houses. I went to the Surrender Museum (perfectly OK, but not as interesting to me as other WWII museums I've seen), the cathedral two times (fabulous glass), the Foujita Chapel (attractive but certainly not a must), the Musee des Beaux-Arts (not one of my favorites), and the stained-glass museum (probably not of much interest to the typical tourist). I walked around the city a lot; it's frankly not as visually arresting as many other places in France.
I liked Rouen more from the standpoint of surface attractiveness. Lots of restored (or totally rebuilt) half-timbered buildings. I think Rouen was just a two-night stop. Again, I took no side-trips. I remember feeling somewhat rushed. There were three museums, all of which I enjoyed, but one of which I think was a temporary exhibition, then I went to the cathedral and walked pretty much the entire large historic area. I didn't go inside the Jeanne d'Arc church.
@ acraven
Thanks tremendously for the detailed info. I know people travel differently, but all info is helpful in consideration of a travel plan.
I have sent you a private message as well if youre willing to provide a little more info :)
