A Travel Price Comparison for France Rouen vs. Calais for Food, Couples, Attractions, and Nightlife

Should you visit Rouen or Calais?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Rouen or Calais? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Rouen

Rouen is a charming, compact, and impressive city. With stunning beauty, it attracts visitors from all around. Other popular activities here include shopping, museums, and nightlife.

Calais

Calais is a undiscovered, coastal, and authentic city. It's a large city, so you'll find plenty of things to do around town. And you can't forget about the beaches, shopping, and museums.

Rouen and Calais: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Rouen or Calais?

Visitors will generally find more to do in Calais than Rouen. While Rouen is larger than Calais, Calais has more sights, attractions, and activities for tourists. Calais is more popular for its beaches and big city activities, while Rouen is known for its food, historical sights, and impressive beauty. Rouen is more touristy than Calais and is known for its architectural history, historical monuments, and sense of culture. Calais is popular for being a gateway for travelers to France. It is also home to The Town Hall.

How is Rouen different from Calais?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Calais and Rouen. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Rouen or Calais?

Plenty of people visit the good sights and museums in both Rouen and Calais.

Rouen offers a variety of museums and landmarks to choose from. You'll find the highest concentration of sights in the city's pedestrian zone. Highlights that you should check out include Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Rouen, Musée des Beaux-Arts, Abbatiale Saint-Ouen, and Aître Saint-Maclou.

If you're looking for an educational opportunity, there are a decent number of museums and historical sights around Calais. It's a port city with a few good museums and landmarks to see. Check out the Town Hall, Burghers of Calais, La Cité de la Dentelle et de la Mode, and Musée de la Guerre de Calais, as well as the Calais Lighthouse.

Is the Food Better in Rouen or Calais? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Rouen is well known for its restaurant scene. Also, Calais is still popular, but not quite as popular for its local flavors and cuisine.

Dining out in Rouen is an experience not to be missed. There are many local specialties found in town. Make sure you try the Passe Crassane, which is a French pear. The town is also known for its cheese, chocolate, and pastries.

There are plenty of up and coming restaurants around Calais. The region is known for its mackerel, andouillette sausage, and endive and ham gratin. If you're passing through, this is also a good place to stock up on wine and cheese.

Is Rouen or Calais Better for Nightlife?

Evening events are good in both Rouen and Calais.

There's a variety of activities in the evening in Rouen. You'll find wine bars, trendy cocktail bars, and local pubs where you can grab a drink.

With a handful of venues, visitors can find a fairly lively vibe in Calais. You'll find bars and pubs around town as well as a few clubs. Places range from trendy and high end to local dive bars.

Is Rouen or Calais Better for Beaches?

Calais is a popular place for the beache. However, Rouen is not a beach destination.

Calais is a good option for a beach vacation. There are some sandy beaches near town that have nice stretches of sand and plenty of sand dunes. Many locals enjoy sunbathing at the beaches.

Rouen is not a beach destination.

Is Rouen or Calais Better for its Old Town?

Rouen is a popular place for its historic old town charm. However, Calais does not have a historic old town.

Rouen offers a nice historic old town area. The old town is where you'll find spectacular Gothic churches and the most charming streets.

Calais does not have a historic old town.

Is the Shopping Better in Rouen or Calais?

Both Rouen and Calais are good shopping destinations.

Rouen offers some nice shopping areas. Some of the city's best shopping is found along the Rue du Gros-Horloge in the old city center. You'll find independent boutiques and well as upscale vendors.

Calais has a variety of shopping areas worth visiting. Many visitors stock up on wine and cheese when they're passing through. It's common to head straight to Auchan or Carrefour to stock up on some items.

Is Rouen or Calais Better for Families?

Kids will enjoy a visit to either Rouen or Calais.

Rouen is a family-friendly place to visit. This beautiful city is filled with nice parks, free museums, and towers that offer views over the city. Kids will enjoy climbing the clocktower, eating pastries, or riding a bike around town.

Calais is a family-friendly city. There's the Nausicaa Aquarium, the Museum of the Atlantic Wall, and the Second World War Museum. There are also beaches and parks to explore as well as some nice playgrounds.

Is Rouen or Calais Better for Couples?

Rouen is well known for couples. Also, Calais is still popular, but not quite as popular for romance.

Couples visit Rouen frequently as it offers plenty of romantic activities. The beautiful city makes a great retreat for couples who enjoy good food and nice architecture. There are many hidden gems around town that make this a favorite French city for many couples.

Calais is a nice destination for couples. Couples can picnic with wine and cheese or eat their way through the town's great restaurants. There are also some nice beaches where people enjoy sunbathing or relaxing.

Is Rouen or Calais Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Rouen is well known for its public transit. Also, Calais is still popular, but not quite as popular for times when you don't have a car.

Many visitors use the public transit system in Rouen. The city has two agencies that offer public transportation. Métro du Rouen is a tramway that runs north to south from Boulingrin in the north to Saint-Sever, where it branches off into two lines (one to Technopôle and one to Georges Braque). There are also buses and rail connections to town.

While Calais offers some public transit options, it might not be your first choice. The city has 13 bus lines that run through town and into the surrounding areas. If you're arriving by ferry from the UK, there are shuttle buses that connect the ferry terminal to the train station.

Is Rouen or Calais a more walkable city?

Rouen is well known for its ease of walking around. Also, Calais is still popular, but not quite as popular for its walkability.

Rouen is a very walkable destination. There are many parts of town that can easily be explored on foot.

Calais is somewhat walkable. Parts of the town are more walkable than others.

For even more information, also check out Is Rouen Worth Visiting? and Is Calais Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Calais or Rouen?

How long in Rouen or Calais?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Rouen and Calais. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Calais than in Rouen. Usually, 1-2 days is a good amount of time for Rouen, and 1-3 days is enough time in Calais.

Families should spend more time in Rouen than Calais. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Rouen, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in Rouen than Calais. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Rouen that are great for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Rouen than Calais if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Rouen.

One day in Rouen or Calais?

Many travelers enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting the destination of Rouen. One day is often enough time to do most activities.

In Calais, many people enjoy the shopping and museums that this undiscovered destination offers. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Because of this, one day is usually enough time for a trip here.

A weekend in Rouen or Calais?

Rouen is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. With all of its activities, you can easily fill a weekend here. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Calais. For many, it makes a great getaway for a weekend. This would be the perfect place to spend a weekend, as it has just the right amount of activities. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision.

Five days in Rouen or Calais?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Rouen. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

Calais is a fun place to experience. Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the destination of Calais. Most people find that five days is more than enough time to see everything.

A week in Rouen or Calais?

Travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the historical destination of Rouen. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

You'll find food and shopping around the undiscovered destination of Calais. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. One week is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in France, The Best Food and Culinary Tours in France, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in France, and The Best Luxury Tours to France.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Rouen and Calais, we can see that Calais is more expensive. And not only is Rouen much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Rouen would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Rouen and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Calais would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Calais than you might in Rouen.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Rouen Expensive? and Is Calais Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Rouen or Calais?

Rouen has a larger population, and is about 52% larger than the population of Calais. When comparing the sizes of Rouen and Calais, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.

When is the best time to visit Rouen or Calais?

Both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. And since both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.

Should I visit Rouen or Calais in the Summer?

The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Rouen and Calais. The summer months attract visitors to Rouen because of the family-friendly experiences. Furthermore, the beaches, the city activities, and the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Calais this time of year.

In the summer, Rouen is around the same temperature as Calais. Typically, the summer temperatures in Rouen in July average around 17°C (63°F), and Calais averages at about 17°C (63°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Calais this time of the year. In Rouen, it's very sunny this time of the year. Rouen usually receives more sunshine than Calais during summer. Rouen gets 241 hours of sunny skies, while Calais receives 212 hours of full sun in the summer.

In July, Rouen usually receives more rain than Calais. Rouen gets 57 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while Calais receives 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain each month for the summer.

Should I visit Rouen or Calais in the Autumn?

The autumn brings many poeple to Rouen as well as Calais. The shopping scene and the natural beauty of the area are the main draw to Rouen this time of year. Additionally, many travelers come to Calais for the city's sights and attractions and the shopping scene.

In October, Rouen is generally around the same temperature as Calais. Daily temperatures in Rouen average around 12°C (53°F), and Calais fluctuates around 12°C (54°F).

In the autumn, Rouen often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Calais. Rouen gets 127 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Calais receives 119 hours of full sun.

Rouen usually gets more rain in October than Calais. Rouen gets 72 mm (2.8 in) of rain, while Calais receives 62 mm (2.4 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Rouen or Calais in the Winter?

Both Calais and Rouen are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. Many travelers come to Rouen for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine. Also, many visitors come to Calais in the winter for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.

Calais can get quite cold in the winter. Be prepared for some very cold days in Rouen. Rouen is cooler than Calais in the winter. The daily temperature in Rouen averages around 4°C (39°F) in January, and Calais fluctuates around 4°C (40°F).

Rouen usually receives more sunshine than Calais during winter. Rouen gets 62 hours of sunny skies, while Calais receives 57 hours of full sun in the winter.

In January, Rouen usually receives more rain than Calais. Rouen gets 59 mm (2.3 in) of rain, while Calais receives 46 mm (1.8 in) of rain each month for the winter.

Should I visit Rouen or Calais in the Spring?

Both Calais and Rouen during the spring are popular places to visit. Many visitors come to Rouen in the spring for the natural beauty. Also, most visitors come to Calais for the beaches and the activities around the city during these months.

In the spring, Rouen is around the same temperature as Calais. Typically, the spring temperatures in Rouen in April average around 9°C (48°F), and Calais averages at about 9°C (47°F).

In the spring, Rouen often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Calais. Rouen gets 172 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Calais receives 162 hours of full sun.

Rouen usually gets more rain in April than Calais. Rouen gets 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Calais receives 42 mm (1.7 in) of rain this time of the year.

Typical Weather for Calais and Rouen