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40 maltatoday SUNDAY 4 MARCH 2018 Travel ≠≠ CITY BREAKS Rouen, stretching beside the Seine, is Normandy's cultured, historic, gastronomic, vibrant capital. Victor Hugo described Rouen as the "city of 100 bell towers". With a variety of medieval churches and the half timbered houses that line the streets, this city has survived two world wars whilst keeping some of history's most beautiful buildings from the Middle Ages still in tact. The subject of a series of 28 paintings by Monet prove that if there ever was an Instagram-able city, Rouen is it. NEED TO KNOW How to get there Thought there are no direct flights to Rouen, Air Malta, Air France and Ryan Air offer direct flights to Paris. Rouen is a two-and-half- hour train ride away from Paris. Best time to visit The busiest month for tourism in Rouen, France is June, followed by May and July. Prices for hotels and flights will be most expensive during these months, though you can save if you purchase well in advance. Tourists are unlikely to visit Rouen in December. Those willing to visit at these times will likely find it the least expensive month. Currency France is part of the European monetary union and uses the euro. Visas As part of the European Union, Europeans do not need a travel visa to get to Rouen. Rouen – A medieval city of history, food and art BEST SPOT FOR SIGHTSEEING Rouen's history is as rich as its dairy products. The old town consists of 2,000 half-timbered houses, 227 of which are listed as historical monuments. Rouen is reputed for the picturesque cobbled street of its his- toric centre. Charming half-timbered houses used to be built on waterproof stone bases, some of them with richly decorated corbellings made of oak. Some experts date a few of the houses along the Rue du Gros Horloge to before the time of Joan of Arc's death at the stake in 1431. The older they get the more crooked they become, add- ing a sense of charm to the winding streets. Le Gros Horloge is the pride of the Rouennais. The astronomic clock hangs from a Renaissance arch, which has spanned the street since 1527, roughly equidistant between the Place du Vieux Marché and the cathedral. The Gros Horloge itself dates back to the 16th century and its movement from 1389. The two facades of the clock display 24 rays of sun against a blue starred sky. Rouen's most prestigious monument has got to be Notre-Dame Cathedral. The tallest cathedral in France at 151 metres, Rouen Cathedral was the tallest building in the world for just four years after it was built, conceding the title to the Cathedral of Cologne in 1880. But its height is not the only thing that is impressive. The cathe- dral has been captured on canvas by Monet in a series of 28 paintings, all depicting the façade of the cathedral at different times of day, at different times of year, in different weather conditions. Though the paintings are scattered around the world you can still see them online at the Rouen Par- ish website. While you are in Rouen, don't miss the opportunity to learn the story of the historical figure Joan of Arc. An inter- active museum opened in 2015 entirely devoted to the woman known as "the maid of Orleans" who was burned at the stake in the Market Square in 1431. The museum is housed in a historical building that found Joan of Arc inno- cent in a posthumous trial in 1456. Rouen's Notre-Dame Cathedral is her most prestigious monument