Gros-Horloge
- Visit: 35–40 min
- Not step-free
réduit EUR 4
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Why go
- Views over Rouen’s rooftops and Notre-Dame Cathedral from the belfry’s upper platform.
- One of France’s oldest clock mechanisms, made in 1389.
- A landmark painted by J. M. W. Turner, Camille Pissarro and Léon-Jules Lemaître.
Plan your visit
Prices
From the venue's website · checked 20 Oct 2026
Interesting facts4
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The wrought-iron movement is about twice the size of the Wells Cathedral clock.
Gros Horloge - Wikipedia -
A single hand tipped with a lamb points to the hour.
Gros-Horloge - Wikipedia -
Electricity has powered the mechanism since the 1920s, while its mechanical movement remains in working order.
Gros-Horloge - Wikipedia -
A carved angel on the right side has its head upside down; this is said to reflect workers’ discontent during construction.
Gros-Horloge - Wikipedia
Shorts
History
Jourdain del Leche began building the clock. Jean de Felain completed it and became its first governor.
- 1382–1398After the Harelle revolt, the earlier tower was demolished. Residents rebuilt the belfry, claiming they were constructing a clock tower.
- 1389The clock mechanism was made and installed.
- 1410An earlier clock face was installed above Porte Massacre.
- 1527–1529The present gateway pavilion replaced Porte Massacre. The clock moved to its present position in 1529, when a facade was added.
- 1862The monument received historic-monument protection.
Show all
- 1889–1893Louis Sauvageot restored the clock.
- 1997–2006Restoration began in 1997. The landmark reopened to the public in December 2006.
- 2023–2024The site closed in November 2023 for repairs and replacement of wooden dome parts. It reopened in March 2024.
Tips for your visit
- Enter through the former clockmaker’s shop beside the belfry.
- The adult audio tour is available in French, English, Spanish, Italian, German, Dutch, Japanese and Russian.
With kids
- Children aged 6–12 can use an audio tour based on Alice au pays des merveilles, in French or English.
Know before you go
- The museum is closed for renovation from 5 to 18 October 2026.
Don't miss
- Clock dialThe 2.5-metre dial shows a golden sun with 24 rays against red, surrounded by a starry blue band.On the arch over Rue du Gros-Horloge.
- Moon-phase sphereThe 30-centimetre sphere shows the moon’s phases and completes a rotation every 29 days.Above the dial.
- Weekday figureA figure symbolizing the weekday appears on a triumphal chariot beneath the numeral VI.Below the dial.At noon
- Christ as the Good ShepherdThe carved scene was originally painted in several colours.Under the arch.
How to get there
- On footTake the metro to Palais de justice, near the monument.
- TramTEOR lines 1, 2 and 3 stop at Théâtre des arts or Cathédrale.
- BikeBike parking is available near Palais de justice.
- On footLook for the monument midway along Rue du Gros-Horloge.
Accessibility
- Reduced-mobility access The monument is not accessible to visitors with reduced mobility; a film about its history and architecture is available in the shop space.
- Visual accessibility Request a Braille and large-print booklet at reception.
Sources: Gros Horloge - Wikipedia · Rouen - Wikivoyage (see) · Gros-Horloge | Rouen · Gros-Horloge - Wikipedia · Gros-Horloge - Wikipedia · checked 27 Sep 2026
- Website
- rouen.fr/gros-horloge
- Phone
- +33232081390
Questions and answers
What do the sheep motifs on the Gros-Horloge mean?
They recall Rouen’s wool trade. The Paschal lamb at the centre of the arch represents the town’s arms.
What does the Louis XV fountain at the Gros-Horloge depict?
The love story of the river god Alphée and the nymph Aréthuse.
Did the Gros-Horloge clock always have a dial?
No. When originally built, it had no dial, and its hour hand made one revolution every 24 hours.
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