Rouen wants to change era

Nov. 21 2013

by Elliot Clairaut / TÊTU

In 2003, Olivier Ducastel and Jacques Martineau's film "Ma vraie vie à Rouen" (My Real Life in Rouen) told the story of a young gay man's awakening in the homeland of Flaubert and Corneille. IsRouen a gay city? The reality appears to be much more contrasted. In recent years, the city of a hundred spires has seen several of its gay bars close down (Tenden's, B-Side, Insolite, Miss Marple, Coq's Café) and its associative fabric has also suffered. The proximity of Paris, the development of internet chat rooms and the crisis have considerably transformed Rouen's gay life.

However, one bar remains stainless, theXXL. The historic establishment remains the center of all meetings, especially on Wednesdays during the "you've got a message" evening, the real-life chat. On weekends, the XXL with its dance floor is packed until 5am! Indeed, there is no exclusively gay club in Rouen. However, four discotheques claim to be gay-friendly. On the sex side, the offer seems excessive with two saunas (Les Trois Colonnes andLe Square) and three sex clubs, notably Le C, located in... a former hetero porn cinema!

A place of inescapable drag in downtown: the square Verdrel. On the small paths, the evening visitors make the bushes shiver. The quays of the Seine on the right bank are also conducive to furtive encounters. In addition, the forests of the Rouen agglomeration (Le Madrillet, La Londe) are dangerous places to pick up women. In 2009, they were the scene of a homophobic attack that left a lasting impression.

PACS in the city hall
As a place to affirm gay and lesbian identity, associations are trying to renew themselves in the Normandy area. In 2009, under pressure from the Collectif Comme Ça, Valérie Fourneyron, the new socialist mayor, gave in: Jean and Jean-Jacques are the first to benefit from a PACS ceremony in the town hall. Since then, due to the lack of a president, the historical association has been dormant. On two occasions, associations (Homogène and l'Arche) have been formed in a hurry to avoid the disappearance of the gaypride in Rouen. it is worth noting the success of Axel, which offers a space for women to speak and accompanies them in their administrative procedures, from pacs to artificial insemination.

Find all the gay and gay-friendly addresses in Rouen onthe Rouen gay guide