Road To Rouen

A summer spent in a new environment, new homes and new coffee shops.

We arrived in Rouen on a rainy August afternoon. We quickly settled into our Airbnb in the basement of a town house on Rue du Champ des Oiseaux, and set out in search for coffee shops.

Rouen, like Europe as a whole, has no shortage of places to get coffee. My wife and I aren't connoisseurs by any measure, but we love the cosiness of sipping a coffee in the relaxed atmosphere of a café, and it was fun to try and compare the same drinks made by different people. From local places, to independent roasters who use their own beans, to French chains we were just discovering, every coffee was a new experience and gave us a moment to pause, soak up the atmosphere and people watch for a while.

Prices were correct as of January 2024.

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Café Love, Rue des Basnages

Café Love is a beautifully decorated little café in the heart of Rouen. A personal favourite, it quickly became a place where we spent a lot of our time. It's just around the corner from Station Service (see below) and is only a short walk away from a big bookshop. The staff here are lovely, even after we accidentally left without paying when a lengthy visit left us with long empty coffee cups and a regression to our American pay-before-you-drink mindset.

With big cups and a soft ambience, I recommend coming here for a rainy afternoon cappuccino or for one of their delicious mochas.

Cost of an espresso: €1.70

Station Service, Eugène Delacroix

By the end of our residency in Rouen, Station Service was a part of our daily routine. With its friendly staff members, sunny patio seating and comfortable indoor seating, no matter when we got here, we were always at home. Our drinks of choice were two cappuccinos; even the waitstaff stopped asking and began presuming after a while. Everything we had here was delicious though, you can't go wrong!

Cost of an espresso: €2

First Liberty, Rue aux Juifs

First Liberty is vaguely New York themed in decor but as French as everywhere else in reality. We only drank here once, but passed by its overflowing patio most days. Not a place I'd come to daily because of its touristy vibe but their drinks were nice and they had an expansive menu that included food and alcohol in addition to a variety of coffee drinks. In most French cafes, you won't find too many sweet drinks, but there were several here that would have been appealing to even the most American of tastebuds, including a delicious white chocolate mocha.

Cost of an espresso: €1.50

Le Central, Rue du Bec

A nice espresso in the heart of old Rouen, with Le Gros Horloge AND Rouen Cathedral only a stones throw away. We only spent a few minutes here, and it seemed like they were about to close, so we didn't get the full experience of it but.. nice coffee, nice area!

Prelude Café, Place de la Pucelle

Based in a lovely part of town, Prelude is a cafe/bakery with ample indoor and outdoor seating. Neither coffee we had here was our favourite and the customer service was less than warm. We only went here once and might again, but it wouldn't be our first choice.

Cost of an espresso: €2

Citizen, Rue de I'Écureuil

Owned by the same people as Station Service, this little cafe just around the corner is a cute and cosy place to get some coffee and pull out your laptop. It has a nice atmosphere, with an aesthetically pleasing industrial yet colourful interior with art adorning the walls and kitchenware on display. A nice place to spend time over a coffee, or if you're ordering food too, a beer!

Cost of an espresso: €2

L'Ardoise, Eugène Delacroix

Situated in the same square as Station Service, L'Ardoise is a similarly set up coffee shop. We only came here once but the coffee and atmosphere was lovely, a really nice place to get some sun and replenish yourself. You can get ice cream here too, and it's often busy with people enjoying a meal.

New York Coffee, Place du Vieux Marché

Very America-centric with strong retro vibes, booth seating and a jukebox. There lots to offer here, beer on tap and food is served too. It's located in a bustling part of town and is easily a destination in its own right.

Café Viktor, Rue Ganterie

One of our first places to visit. Nice staff, tiny indoor seating area with a more generous outdoor patio. We only ended up going here once but I liked it a lot and would definitely visit again. As with many other cafes, it turns into a more bar-like atmosphere at night, and is often crowded due to the small interior, which made it somewhat difficult to find a good time to come back.

Cost of an espresso: €1

Couleur Café, Rue Eau de Robec

Not my favourite staff and not my favourite coffee but Couleur is a roasters first so it's easier to forgive both, especially as we could have chosen a better coffee. We do plan to revisit this one and I feel it's likely our opinion will change. The setting of Couleur is absolutely beautiful; a small stream decorated with arched trellises and climbing vines runs alongside the cafe that you can sit beside as you sip your espresso.

Cost of an espresso: €1.60

Atelier 17, Rue Saint-Nicolas

The barista did apologise for the milk art on the lefthand coffee; little did he know it would be drawn as is for this project, immortalising it for life. Atelier 17 has a really nice vibe to it as well as a unique and artistic interior, and our drinks came with Werther's, so they'd won me over already. It's more of a tapas bar than a cafe, and we plan to return for some food and drinks in the future.

Flo's Café, Rue Socrate

This is a low-key café that serves a solid selection of coffee and beer; it doesn't stay open too late and stops serving espresso earlier than I'd like, but with plenty of other places around, it's a minor inconvenience at most. The staff are friendly, and the location is ideal, right next to a central square with a fountain, and partially shaded by sweetgum trees.

Cost of an espresso: €1.60

Big Fernand, Rue Rollon

A burger chain that was completely empty when we sat on the patio for these espressos. I didn't know it was a chain until I saw a branch in London on our way back home. Nevertheless, it was good coffee in a pretty location, just over the road from where Joan of Arc met her fiery demise.

Paul, Rue Jeanne d'Arc

Another chain, although much bigger; you can find a Paul in pretty much every town in France, as well as several other countries. It's also where we got many a pretzel while on our jaunt to the south of France, and as a souvenir at the Eurostar station before heading back to London. It's a classic bakery setting that is difficult to fault, with good coffee, a large selection of baked goods and sandwiches, and a casual vibe.

Le Socrate, Rue Ganterie

Le Socrate is the coffee shop equivalent of a greasy spoon, it's down to earth, big enough to fit the masses and turns into a bar at night. While Blotti (see below) is more to my taste, Le Socrate is much more easy going, and the staff are friendly.

Blotti, Rue Socrate

Blotti is a restaurant more than a cafe, but the most we ever ate here was a small bowl of €7 melon sorbet, which was incredible, if a bit overpriced. Blotti is where you go when you want an espresso but Flo's has stopped serving it, and although it's a lot more upmarket, the staff are welcoming and the patio area is large enough to give you a sense of privacy while you watch the evening go by.

Le Bistrot des Carmes, Place des Carmes

A firm favourite of ours, with consistently nice staff, good coffee, and delicious desserts, in a classic setting.They also have beer and are open pretty late, whatever you're looking for, you'll be covered!

Cost of an espresso: €1.50

Moby's Café, Boulevard de I'Yser

We never got coffee here, but we did get drunk once or twice. Moby's is hands down our favourite place in Rouen; not too busy, not too expensive, well placed for where we live and the owner is really nice. The beer selection is small but good, and the owner/bartender is very talented, and will make you some of the nicest drinks you've ever had, regardless of your tastes. It has a warm ambience, and live music every week; if you're in Rouen, Moby's is the place to be.

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