Place du Vieux-Marché

When Joan of Arc stood on this square in 1431, it looked completely different from today. The execution site was surrounded by two medieval churches (Saint-Sauveur and Saint-Michel) and a large market hall - none of which survive today. Archaeological excavations in the 1970s uncovered the foundations of Saint-Sauveur church and the execution wall with its firebreak, proving this was the habitual site for public burnings in medieval Rouen.

The 13 stunning stained glass windows inside the modern church are Renaissance masterpieces created between 1520-1530 - nearly 90 years after Joan's death. They were originally made for Saint-Vincent church, which was destroyed by Allied bombing in 1944. Fortunately, the windows had been carefully removed and hidden during the war, preserving some of Normandy's finest glasswork for future generations.

La Couronne restaurant on the square is officially France's oldest inn, established in 1345 - making it 86 years older than Joan of Arc's execution. The half-timbered building has operated continuously for nearly 700 years, and Joan herself may have seen it when she was led to the square. Salvador Dalí was a regular patron and had a favorite table, while Julia Child ate her first French meal here in 1948.

After Joan's execution, her ashes were not buried but ceremonially thrown into the Seine River from Pont Mathilde. This was deliberately done to prevent her remains from becoming relics for pilgrims. A commemorative plaque on the right bank at Pont Boieldieu marks where this final act took place, completing the tragic journey of France's most famous heroine.