  We present the first results of the observations of the supernova remnant RX
J1713.7-3946 (also G347.3-0.5) obtained with the EPIC instrument on board the
XMM-Newton satellite. We show a 5 pointings mosaiced image of the X-ray
synchrotron emission. We characterize this emission by mapping its spectral
parameters (absorbing column density NH and photon index). The synchrotron
spectrum is flat at the shock and steep in the interior of the remnant. NH is
well correlated with the X-ray brightness. A strong NH is found in the
southwest rim of RX J1713.7-3946. We suggest that the SNR is interacting with a
HI region there.
