The Legend of the Gargoyle of Rouen

The legend of the Gargouille of Rouen

The legend of the Gargouille tells how a dragon that terrorised Rouen was defeated by Saint Romain. The Rouen audio-guided tour stops here to evoke this founding tale, rooted in the imagination of the town and at the origin of the word gargoyle.

The dragon defeated by Saint Romain

You find me on the gutters of the monuments, sculpted in stone in the appearance of an animal or human figure: have you guessed? I am a gargoyle. But in Rouen, the Gargouille is also a creature of legend. The tale tells that formerly, a terrible dragon, named the Gargouille, lived in the marshes of the Seine and terrorised the region, devouring men and beasts and causing floods. It is Saint Romain, bishop of Rouen, who, by his faith and his courage, managed to tame and defeat the monster, before having it burned. This founding legend is so important that it gave birth, it is said, to a famous privilege: that of the Fierte, which allowed the chapter of the cathedral to pardon a prisoner each year. The word gargoyle, designating these sculptures that evacuate the water of the roofs, would come from this creature. A tale rooted in the imagination and the identity of the town, the legend of the Gargouille is a charming stop of the discovery of Rouen.

What to see

Here you discover the legend of the Gargouille, this terrible dragon of the marshes of the Seine that terrorised Rouen, defeated by Saint Romain, bishop of the town, by his faith and his courage; this founding tale gave birth, it is said, to the privilege of the Fierte and to the origin of the word gargoyle. The legend of the Gargouille is rooted in the imagination of Rouen. It is a charming stop, to be explored on foot.

Practical information

The legend of the Gargouille is linked to the heritage and the history of the heart of Rouen, which you discover on foot. You find its echo in the sculptures, the gargoyles of the monuments and the traditions of the town. It is a tale to be discovered during the walk in the historic centre.

What does the legend of the Gargouille of Rouen tell?

That a terrible dragon named the Gargouille, living in the marshes of the Seine, terrorised Rouen, until Saint Romain, bishop of the town, tamed and defeated it; this legend would be at the origin of the privilege of the Fierte and of the word gargoyle.

Where to discover the legend of the Gargouille in Rouen?

Through the heritage and the traditions of the historic heart of Rouen, in France.