Rouen 10/13-15
We flew from Barcelona to Paris and then a train ride to arrive at Rouen, our first destination in the Normandy region. We will visit several cities in Normandy over the next 10 days. On our arrival in Rouen, we found a lively festival along the main street. We enjoyed browsing among the tented shops. Sara had her first taste of Calvados here, and we learned all about this Calvados region of France. Calvados is a kind of apple cider brandy. Sara likes it and anticipates more tasting along the way.
We stayed at a nice, older guest house near the center of town and recommended by Rick Steves. It was a pleasant place with a nice room and included a very nice breakfast.
Daytrip to Giverny: Home of Monet: A short train ride from Rouen took us to the home of Claude Monet, the great Impressionist painter. The day was overcast, and this time of year was not the best for colorful gardens. Even so we – along with many other tourists here – really enjoyed our time exploring Monet’s house and the wonderful gardens he designed and spent so many canvasses painting. Despite gray skies, these gardens were still delightfully colorful. We could easily picture the aging Monet taking delight in his lovely home, his beautiful gardens and the water lilies that he painted again and again to catch the changing patterns of color, light and shade.
Notre Dame Cathedral: We’ve learned that the famous Notre Dame in Paris is not the only one. Every French church and/or cathedral named for the Virgin Mary – and there are many — is named “Notre Dame.” This Notre Dame in Rouen is huge, and it’s especially famous because Monet painted its facade many times, exploring the effect of different light depending on the time of day and the season of year.
Joan of Arc Historial, an “experiential museum” [Jeanne D’Arc to the French] 1412-1431. Her life ended here when the clergy tried her for heresy, declared her guilty, and had her burned alive.
As a teenage girl, she claimed to have visions and to be guided by God to bring victory to the French. She led them to victory at Orleans and elsewhere, to the dismay of the English invaders, who then conspired with the Burgundians and the clergy to arrest and try her. Twenty years after her execution, the king ordered an inquiry to revisit her condemnation, and found the original trial to have been biased and unfair. Her legend grew over time, until she was canonized in 1920 by Pope Benedict XV. In 1922 Pope Pius XI declared Joan to be a patron saint of France. This “experiential museum,” in the historic rooms next to the cathedral, brought Joan’s story to life very effectively, with an emphasis on the trials that passed judgement on her. We heartily recommend this experience for anyone’s visit to Rouen.
Driving in France: We rented a car for our adventures in Normandy. Leaving Rouen was very confusing, and my wrong turns led us back and forth over the bridge, but eventually we emerged into the beautiful countryside of Normandy. Driving allowed us to explore many places we would never reach on public transportation, so we stayed on the smaller roads.
We were advised to skip the freeway and follow a more scenic route to Honfleur, following the Route of the Abbeys (Route des Abbayes). So we stopped at the Abbey of St. George de Boscherville in a small village. The grounds were lovely, but the gardens weren’t open. We enjoyed visiting the pretty, white-stone Church of Saint Martin.
We arrived at our next recommended spot, the Abbey of Saint-Pierre de Jumièges, just a few minutes after 1:00, when the gatekeepers closed for a two-hour lunch break. Waiting it out wasn’t in our plans, and the village was closed for business as well, with no place to even get a cup of coffee. So we settled for these few pictures of the Abbey ruins we could take from outside the gate. The ruins of this Benedictine abbey are impressive.
Another highlight was the small ferry ride across the river. For the most part we enjoyed our travels through this beautiful countryside on a gorgeous, sunny day – even when we took the wrong turns and waited for GPS to get us back on the right path. And then we arrived in Honfleur.
Honfleur 10/16,17
On our arrival, we checked in at our Guest House and then sought out drinks and snacks on the Vieux – the rectangular old harbor in the center of Honfleur. It’s the main tourist attraction here with its picturesque narrow houses and the many boats moored in the harbor, all reflected in the water. We especially enjoyed sitting at one of the many cafes along the Vieux and watching people pass by in this picturesque setting.
Our guest house, lovingly designed and run by Frederik, was a great place to stay, just a short walk from the center of town. And we enjoyed some great food – that renowned French cooking. We especially loved our meal at L’Art du Bistrot on the square around St. Catherine’s Church.
The Gatehouse at the entrance to the Vieux houses a small but interesting museum. A video condenses thousands of years of Honfleur history into six minutes, while numerous displays provide more detail about life in Honfleur. It was primarily a fishing town, but its location at the mouth of the Seine made it important.
In the center of town, lots of old, half-timbered houses give it a very medieval feel. It’s also known for its many artists, so there are galleries and all sorts of artworks on display as you walk the streets. Very Cool Stuff.
Saint Catherine’s Church: A Wooden Church: After seeing so many huge, gothic churches, all built in stone, Saint Catherine’s Church in Honfleur is unique. A stone church on this site was destroyed during the Hundred Years War (1337–1453). The fishermen of Honfleur hadn’t the wealth to rebuild in stone, but they knew how to build ships. So they built a wooden church in the 15th Century. Look up from within the church; the ceiling looks like an upside-down boat. This largest wooden church in France is quite beautiful in its own way.
Reversable Pews: Like so many churches, this one features a large pipe organ high over the main entrance, opposite the altar. That’s great for church services, but not so great for organ concerts. Who wants to sit with their backs to the performer? Now note how cleverly the designers of this church have made the permanent seats, the pews, with a back that’s on hinges so that viewers can comfortably face the rear of the church. We’ve seen this only once before, in the “Black Church” in Brasov, Romania.
The Viking Experience: Honfleur is also host to an “immersive experience museum” that tells the story of Vikings who over time became Normans, and of William, Duke of Normandy, who became William the Conqueror by leading his boats across the English Channel and then defeating King Harold at the Battle of Hastings (1066).
Another project of archeologists here involves using only the tools and technology of William’s time to build an accurate replica of the boat that would have carried him across the channel. La Mora – Guillaume Le Conquerant is still a work in progress.
