My Favourite Addresses in Rouen: Spas, Restaurants, Small Businesses
After 2.5 months in Rouen, we appreciate this city more or less. It is only 1h15 by train from Paris, people are 10 times nicer, everything is 5-10 minutes walk away… there are many small shops, conscientious specialized doctors (with easy appointment). Here are my favorite addresses (completed also by the owner of my Airbnb in Rouen).
Rituals from Elsewhere
Address: 17 Rue des Arsins, 76000 Rouen
Google Maps
Website: http: //www.rituelsdailleurs.fr/
I should have tried other spas in Rouen, but I like this spa so much that I frankly didn’t feel like going anywhere else. They use the whole range of the “Charme d’Orient” brand, based on argan oil. Their oil is of excellent quality, it smells like hazelnut. After my stay in Morocco, I know that it is a guarantee of quality, because it means that the argan nuts were broken by hand, and not just picked and broken by machine (these would have given an oil smelling like goat droppings).
I tested at their home:
- a facial treatment (50€)
- japanese facial massage, I took a cure of 5 treatments of 45 minutes, which cost me 35€/session
- a customized body massage (1€ per minute)
- waxing – it’s not painful, beauticians pay close attention to the temperature and sensitivity of each client
The advantage of this spa is that the level is rather homogeneous. There is no need to book with a specific beautician, they all seem to be very well trained and follow the program to the letter. In addition, they are equipped with self-heating beds, I love it 😀 it relaxes so much. And last point: I don’t let go during the treatment, i.e. during the application of the mask, the esthetician massages my shoulders and hands, unlike other spas. Not to mention the very affordable rates, especially if you take packs like me (5 or 10 sessions at once).
My first treatment at their place was a one-hour custom massage. Because of the uncomfortable Lilac bed during the confinement, I had a lot of pain in my shoulders and back, and I told myself that if the massage didn’t fix me, I would go see an osteo, but after an hour, all the pain was gone. I asked for a strong pressure, and the beautician explained that it would warm up my muscles, going in crescendo. Indeed, she worked super well and after 30 minutes I started to feel super hot because she had worked my muscles so well.
The disadvantage is that you have to think about booking in advance. It is impossible to get an appointment for the same week (unless there is a cancellation), you must remember to reserve for the following week’s treatment. You can also book online. Here is their website: https: //www.rituelsdailleurs.fr/
Saint-Vivien Butchery
Address : 1 Place Saint-Vivien, 76000 Rouen, France
Google Maps
I used to pick up black pork sausages from Bigorre in this butcher shop, three minutes from our house. These sausages are so good that I can’t eat any more sausages afterwards. They are super nice, the products are fresh, varied and above all, they accept reservations, even small ones. For example, I could reserve minced pork (to make spring rolls), tartar cut with a knife… and even foie gras (to make my own foie gras if I was motivated). They have quality suppliers, from small farmers who supply to starred restaurants, to farmers who take two years to raise a piglet.
They went on vacation before me, and while they were away, it was a pain to find something to eat ahaha even the free-range chicken from the butcher next door doesn’t taste the same. Anyway, I’m going to miss them a lot. If I ever come back to Rouen, it will be largely for this butcher shop.
Robec’s Market
Address: 247 Rue Eau de Robec, 76000 Rouen
Google Maps
Just behind us, there is a small store that sells farm products that are at most 60km from Rouen. It’s not completely organic, but I’m absolutely in love with their yoghurts & and JB with their goat cheese and apple juice. From time to time, they have homemade ice cream, you have to rob them because it’s too good 😀
The Canteen
Address : 192 Rue Eau de Robec, 76000 Rouen
Google Maps
Almost in front of the Bolbec Market is “La Cantine”, a participatory restaurant. It’s quite hard to know who works here, because the volunteers look a lot like the customers. I’m a fan of their homemade Italian ice cream. The flavours change every 2-3 days, you have to come back regularly to test all the flavours.
My Little Hanoi
Address : 30 – 32 Rue des Fossés Louis VIII, 76000 Rouen, France
Google Maps
When I saw the spring rolls sold at Mon P’tit Hanoi, I almost shed a small tear of joy because it’s been a long time since I have not seen such beautiful and especially … so crunchy . You can see that they manage to get special wafers to roll the spring rolls. The wafers sold in France are very thick because the French weather would have made the Vietnamese wafers brittle. But I don’t know how they manage to find these Vietnamese wafers, making the egg rolls 10 times crispier.
Desserts will speak more to the Vietnamese than to the French though, but for me, it’s just incredible to find “banh chay” that I used to eat every morning in Hanoi, and “che dau xanh”, one of my favorite snacks… here in Rouen.
Euro Pressing
Address : 4 Place Saint-Marc, 76000 Rouen, France
Google Maps
Dry cleaning is a service that was unknown to me until then. But I bought some second hand clothes on Vinted and I prefer to give them to the dry cleaner first. There were two tops, in silk & cotton, beautiful but stained… I brought the clothes to them in “try to clean them but I don’t believe it myself” mode. And they were returned to me as good as new.
In addition, they are used to cleaning very expensive brands (I saw some Christian Dior on one of the hangers), and you can entrust them with Hermès squares without being afraid (I bought two recently and didn’t know who to entrust them to). The deadlines have always been respected and the prices are very affordable (8.5€ for a square). I clearly prefer to give them my silk scarves rather than cleaning them myself with petrol and getting intoxicated.
Retouch Axis
Address: 31 Rue des Bonnetiers, 76000 Rouen
Google Maps
I’m not used to having my clothes altered either, but this lady has fairy hands and thanks to her, I was able to save clothes that didn’t fit me. Moreover, she is good advice and saved me from unnecessary alterations. JB entrusted her with Bermuda shorts to secure the pockets with zippers (to limit the damage of pickpockets), we advise you to do it for all the pants you take with you on a trip around the world. The delays of realization & prices are super reasonable (count 10 days and 7€ to 16€/retouch).
Axcel Telecom
Address: 64 Rue de la République, 76000 Rouen
Google Maps
It’s my favorite World Relay Relay in Rouen. The gentleman who runs the store is always courteous and smiling, while for each parcel received/sent, he gets maybe 30 cents. His main job is repairing telephones / electronic devices. He also sells reconditioned smartphones.
Cocci Market on Maintainville Street
Address: 74 Rue Martainville, 76000 Rouen
Google Maps
I really like this small supermarket. On the one hand, it’s my favorite Chronopost/Colissimo relay in Rouen. The owner is super nice: I was desperate, my arms loaded with a big parcel to send, but the post office across the street was closed, the man still tried to scan it for me and try to send it via his relay. Moreover, he always has fresh Arizona in the fridge ahaha (which isn’t the case in supermarkets within 100ml).
The Trawl
Address: 29 Rue Armand Carrel, 76000 Rouen
Google Maps
I really like this fishmonger’s shop because they have oysters from Veules les Roses (which they can open for free) and live winkles.
The winkles are very similar to the Vietnamese “ốc”. And they have to be alive for me to be able to cook them the Vietnamese way (ốc luộc).
At the Café Couture
Address: 7 Rue Alsace Lorraine, 76000 Rouen
Google Maps
Website: http: //aucafecouturerouen.fr/
It is a very friendly place where you can rent a sewing machine by the hour, or take sewing lessons. I went there several times to do some alterations
It’s a real café where you can sit down and just have a coffee/chocolate/tea. The difference is that around you you will know sewing and knitting books and in the side room, sewing machines, overlockers and a high-tech iron that recognizes the fabric by itself and adjusts the temperature.
Rates: 10€ annual subscription + 5€/hour rental.
The other addresses can be found on the map below. This map contains my favorite addresses but also those of my owner of Airbnb in Rouen
