Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Rouen - Historic Norman Metropolis. . . . . .


I'm picking up here where I left off in our trip through France with
 Avalon Waterways last September/October. 
This post is on Rouen. I have hundreds of photos, but don't worry 
I won't show them all! The city was so interesting and the weather was
 perfect for our short visit.
I think you will enjoy it - especially if you're a Francophile, and many of us are.


Rouen, capital of Upper Normandy, sits on the River Seine north of Paris.
 It's an important commercial city perhaps best known for its connection to
 Joan of Arc (Jeanne d'Arc), who lived, was imprisoned, and burned at the stake
 in the marketplace in 1431.
Called by Victor Hugo the 'city of the hundred spires', Rouen still has the 
Old City containing 800 classified buildings and countless lovely half-timbered
 houses from the 15th to 18th centuries.

Rouen's beautiful Gothic Cathedral of Our Lady was once the tallest building
 in the world!  It was the subject of a series of amazing paintings by Claude Monet.

The three large windows above are very special. They are the room from
 where Claude Monet painted thirty one canvases between 1892 and 1894
 showing the west facade of the glorious Gothic Rouen cathedral.
 These beautiful paintings showed the cathedral in different weather and light
 conditions, see them HERE.
 Stunning stained glass windows in the cathedral.
Statue of Jeanne d'Arc in Rouen cathedral.
Marker in Rouen's old marketplace where Jeanne d'Arc, aged 19, was burned at the stake.
There is no grave as her cremated remains were thrown into the River Seine.
Cobblestones and old half-timbered houses give the Rue du Gros Horloge
 its medieval character. A Renaissance arch spans the street of one of Rouen's
 best-known sights, The Great Clock Tower. 
The clock only displays hours but its mechanism (1389) is one of the oldest in the world.

Some very beautiful half-timbered houses with typical overhanging construction.
In many of these houses each floor was built to project a foot over the one below, 
thus land was saved and so was money. Nowadays the shops on the ground floors 
house restaurants and antiques dealers.
Before saying au revoir to the city of Rouen, we have to have a quick discussion
 about FOOD and Julia Child.  After all, this is France!
LA COURONNE, said to be the oldest auberge (1345) in France, and is where Julia
 dined with her husband, for her very first meal, on her first visit to France in 1948.
Thanks to France, that funny American woman learned how to cook! 
She kept us all chuckling as we enjoyed hours of television whilst sharing her
 kitchen in the '60's through the '80's - that was probably the first real cooking show!


Beautiful LA COURONNE has been reviewed by all and sundry in the 
restaurant/travel business - I enjoyed this article HERE 
which tells the story better than I can because, sadly we didn't have time to
 enjoy the famous Menu Julia Child. 
Apparently it's still the place to eat in Rouen and is still quite affordable.
Has anyone eaten there? Do let me know if you have please!


14 comments:

  1. Your fantastic photos shows the beautiful French architecture at it's best. the half timber houses are so typical if most cities, I really enjoyed seeing Rouen. I've not visited this part of France.

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  2. Such a beautiful city. Never got there. Closest I've been is an old pie carrier from there.

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  3. Your photos are wonderful, Mary. There are certain memories that stay fresh, and for me, one of those is the first time I saw the cathedral in Rouen. I was stunned - still am, when I think of it. Thank you for this lovely trip down Memory Lane.

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  4. It is many years since I was last there, but I enjoyed seeing it again through your beautiful pictures.

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  5. What a lovely "trip" through France with you. Your photos are absolutely beautiful and breathtaking. My favourite part are the stained-glass windows.I've always been amazed at the beauty and detail of these windows.

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  6. What a beautiful place. I suppose it's another city that I need to add to my bucket list.

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  7. Stunning city with so much history. I know nothing of France, though I do live in a Franco-American state. The building on the lower left is so attractive with the flags flying and the beautiful window boxes on the upper story windows.

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  8. Oh, what beautiful pictures. I'm not familiar with this city at all. I've now added it to my list of dream vacations.

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  9. I have so enjoyed this little taste of France through your camera lens. The cathedral is magnificent. I'm always amazed at the details that make up each part of these buildings, and marvel at their creation without the tools we have today. The half-timbered buildings are cozier looking and full of charm.

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  10. Oh I loved your tour of the spires and delights of Rouen. That clock tower is magnificent. How I would love joining you at the restaurant too.

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  11. A lovely tour, Mary. And while the cathedrals are fabulous with their spires and stained glass, the carvings and incredible details, its the half timbered houses that have won my heart. The windows, those blue shutters with the sweet hearts, and all the rusticity. Pure charm! xo ~ Nancy

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  12. Mary, have you ever seen the movie (or read the book), "Julie and Julia?" It was a wonderful script based on how Julia inspired this young woman to learn how to cook. I think you would enjoy it if you haven;t seen it but something tell me you have. Maybe I've read that here before? Hmm...

    Oh yes, Monet's paintings of that gorgeous Cathedral are so incredible, aren't they. I'm always amazed at how he captures the intricate details yet does an "impression" of it too. Inspiring... as us the Cathedral of Our Lady. Rouen too is utterly lovely--your photos show that clearly. It looks like you enjoyed good weather when there too. Perfect! thanks for sharing with all of us here. Loved it.

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  13. A lovely set of pictures of a beautiful city - but didn't you visit the Church of Saint Joan - it is modern, but I think it is beautiful. Here's the wiki page (https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89glise_Sainte-Jeanne-d'Arc_de_Rouen) with some photos on it.

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