Caen – Introduction

Caen is one of those cities you can have a problem understanding or coming to grips with. The 110,000 people city is a medium sized city dating back to the beginnings of the Iron Age, but the first real settlements where to be found in the 1st century AC. It was also William The Conqueror‘s city (he is buried here), a city with a very strong Celtic DNA.

This city/town forms part of one of the French legs of the Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage route.
Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage routes
Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage routes

Caen was steeped in history, with a strong Celtic, Viking, Frank and Roman culture to be seen throughout the city. Signs of these cultures were well preserved and visible … UNTIL … WWII. Then, towards the end of World War II, the Battle of Caen wiped out 80% of the city. So what can be seen now is a very small sample of what was there previously. However, the most notable structure is brand new; the WWII Memorial.

Caen was rebuilt in haste and unfortunately it shows. Looking out over the rooftops the skyline is not pretty:

Skyline of Caen
Skyline of Caen

The only pretty part is the number of church steeples. Caen is also dubbed the “City of 100 Church Bells” thanks to its many churches. But when you are walking in the city centre, you can see several older buildings, like this one:

Old house in Caen
Old house in Caen

This is a house in which Francois de Malherbe (a famous French poet) was born in 1555. But not too far away from this house you will find modern monstrosities like this “Battlestar Galactica“:

Very modern building in Caen
Very modern building in Caen

Interspersed in between the older houses and modern buildings, you’ll find the occasional statue or monument:

Joan of Arc statue in Caen
Joan of Arc statue in Caen

Here a golden statue of Joan of Arc (in French Jeanne d’Arc), who had nothing to do with the city. The city where Joan was burned at the stake is not that far from here; Rouen.

Although public transportation is very good, with an excellent bus network, they do have a strange mixture of tram/trolley system:

Tram/Trolley bus system of Caen
Tram/Trolley bus system of Caen

The vehicle is a mixture of a bus, tram (there is one rail under the vehicle) and trolley (the electric wires are above it). It doesn’t make much sense, the only thing is it’s slightly quieter than a tram, but it can not go around stranded objects since it’s also on a rail.

The inner city is a nice and pleasant walking city, especially for shopping:

Pedestrian shopping street in Caen
Pedestrian shopping street in Caen

There are several, reasonably long, pedestrian streets with many shops. You can walk without the fear of being run down by a car. There are a multitude of shops; from very modern to…

Old book shop in Caen
Old book shop in Caen

.. a very old book shop. It’s in fact not that old, since it was “only” created in the year 1900 (for French standards, it’s young).

Maison des Quatrans in Caen
Maison des Quatrans in Caen

This is the “Maison des Quatrans” built in 1460 as private residence for nobility but now belonging to the city. It’s located next to the castle/fortress and houses several cultural associations, but it can not be visited.

The courts of law of Caen
The courts of law of Caen

As you would expect, the courts look imposing, however they no longer serve as courts. Built in 1783, the courts have been abandoned for a new building not to far away. The cost of repairing the old building were far superior over building new ones. No information about what will happen with this old building.

Hotel de Than - Gendarmerie recruitment centre in Caen
Hotel de Than – Gendarmerie recruitment centre in Caen

This is the former “Hotel de Than” (“hotel” in French has different meanings, in this case it’s house) built in 1520 as private house. Later it became a restaurant (brasserie) and even a cinema. Now it’s the recruitment centre for the Gendarmerie (national police, part of the military).

City Hall (Mairie) of Caen
City Hall (Mairie) of Caen

The City Hall (in French “Mairie”) is very imposing. It’s enormous and built against a church (in fact it’s an Abby).

City Hall (Mairie) of Caen
City Hall (Mairie) of Caen

Click here to see more of the City Hall and Men’s Abbey of Caen.

Horse racing track of Caen
Horse racing track of Caen

Caen also has a rather big horse racing track in the South of the city centre. It’s in a walking distance from the City Hall and shopping streets.

Pecker in Caen
Pecker in Caen

I’m sorry… I just couldn’t resist.

Tourist Office of Caen
Tourist Office of Caen

The Tourist Office of Caen, located opposite of the Caen Castle/Fortress, is situated in an old building. As tourist offices go, this one is well stocked with interesting information. But before you go in, go through the gate (on the left of the photo) and have a look.

Courtyard of the Tourist Office of Caen
Courtyard of the Tourist Office of Caen

Inside you will find an interesting courtyard. Not bad for a tourist office.

Castle/Fortress (Chateau Ducal) of Caen
Castle/Fortress (Chateau Ducal) of Caen

Opposite of the Tourist Office you will find the enormous fortress/castle, called the “Chateau Ducal”. For more photos and information on this fortress, click here.

St. Pierre church of Caen
St. Pierre church of Caen

In between the Tourist Office and the Castle is the St. Pierre church. More about this church and other ones in the article “Some of the Churches of Caen“.

Caen and the Artists

As is the case with most of Normandy, artists flocked to the region to capture the stunning sceneries help by an amazing light. Even today, you will see painters, photographers and other artists honing their art in the region.

Especially towards the end of the 1700’s and 1800’s, many artists from all over the world came to make paintings. Here is a list of artists with links to their works:

Artists featured here who painted in Caen (but not limited to) are (a link “” will be placed next to an artist name when their works are published. A “*” means that the artist did NOT work in Caen itself, instead worked in nearby villages and towns):

Summary

Caen is a mixture of a pretty and old city with some not-so-pretty parts. The biggest negative factor, IMHO, is the pollution. You can see it on every monument, every church and even on the castle; black soot, green mold and grime. It’s an expensive business cleaning these monuments, so they don’t do it every year, so it shows and it’s not pretty. Pity.

As a city to walk in, it’s nice. Thanks to the many pedestrian streets, you are less bothered by the pollution.

Apart from an airport, Caen also has a ferry operating in a small beach resort town named Ouistreham.

Apart from the interesting fortress, the most important thing to see is the War Memorial. It’s unique and very special. More coming on the Memorial shortly. Stay tuned in.

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Caen – Some Of The Churches

Caen is also known as the “city of 100 church bells” and as the name says, there are a lot of churches, abbeys and monasteries in this former royal city. William the Conqueror, who lived and reigned here, had several built (and the enormous fortress/castle).

Before WWII there were some 40 churches in the city, but unfortunately during the last part of the Second World War, 80% of Caen got bombed out of existence, and therefore many churches were destroyed. But there are still some left (some 28) over that are interesting to see. Here are the main ones:

Saint-Jean Church

Saint-Jean Church of Caen
Saint-Jean Church of Caen

The foundations of this church goes back to the 7th century, but the church was badly damaged during the 100 year war, so the current church’s construction started in the 15th century. It was again badly damaged during the 2nd World War, but the reconstruction rendered it like it was before.

The top photo is that of the Saint-Jean church as well.

Saint-Jean Church of Caen
Saint-Jean Church of Caen

Like most of the monuments of Caen, pollution can be seen everywhere. Soot, grime and green mold are visible everywhere.

Saint-Saveur Church

Saint-Saveur Church of Caen
Saint-Saveur Church of Caen

The Saint-Saveur (Saveur means saviour in French) was built in the 14th century, but the initial foundation was laid back in the 7th century.

Saint-Saveur Church of Caen
Saint-Saveur Church of Caen

The church used to be surrounded by houses, but after the bombings in WWII (the church escaped miraculously unscathed) the houses were destroyed. During the reconstruction of Caen, the houses were never rebuilt and a square was created to show the church in a proper light.

Prior to that, in 1775 part of the church was destroyed due to an earthquake.

Inside the Saint-Saveur Church of Caen
Inside the Saint-Saveur Church of Caen

The inside of the church is quite austere (like most other churches in Caen), most of it a result of the looting during the French Revolution.

Inside the Saint-Saveur Church of Caen
Inside the Saint-Saveur Church of Caen

There is one stairway that is “mysterious”, since the archeologists do not know or understand the function and objective of the stairs.

Inside the Saint-Saveur Church of Caen
Inside the Saint-Saveur Church of Caen

Saint-Pierre Church

Saint-Pierre Church of Caen
Saint-Pierre Church of Caen

The Saint-Pierre church in Caen is probably one of the more visible churches in the city, and constitutes the main church. Many people think this is a cathedral, but it’s not. The current church dates back to the 14th century but the church was mentioned as far back as the 10th century.

Saint-Pierre Church of Caen
Saint-Pierre Church of Caen

The church itself is located right in front of the fortress/castle of Caen. The bells are considered the “king of bells of Normandy” and have been a model for many other churches and monuments.

Saint-Pierre Church of Caen
Saint-Pierre Church of Caen

Parts of the church were destroyed during the bombings towards the end of WWII, but everything has been restored. Unfortunately, pollution is visible everywhere.

Inside the Saint-Pierre Church of Caen
Inside the Saint-Pierre Church of Caen

The inside of the church are grandiose and in good nick. This church was (and still is) used for all official religious ceremonies.

Inside the Saint-Pierre Church of Caen
Inside the Saint-Pierre Church of Caen

The organ is remote controlled and was installed in 1997 as replacement of the organ destroyed during the Second World War.

Abbaye aux Hommes – Men’s Abbey

City Hall and the Abbaye aux Hommes in Caen
City Hall and the Abbaye aux Hommes in Caen

In the 11th century, William the Conqueror ordered three massive building projects; the castle/fortress and two abbeys; one for men, the other for women. Part of the Benedictine’s Men’s Abbey later became a school and today it’s the City Hall of Caen (in French “Mairie”).

Wedding room at the City Hall of Caen
Wedding room at the City Hall of Caen

The City Hall fulfils all the traditional roles of a City Hall, including weddings. Above is the wedding room, one of the former refectories of the Benedictine abbey. William the Conqueror had the two Abbeys built to get back in favour with the Pope (he was out of favour because he married his cousin against the wishes of the Pope). William the Conqueror is buried in the Men’s Abbey, while his wife is buried in the women’s Abbey.

Abbaye aux Hommes in Caen
Abbaye aux Hommes in Caen

Inside the Abbey portion, now the City Hall, you will find a beautiful and tranquil courtyard with a small garden. Its very peaceful and quite, no traffic noise reaches the area.

Abbaye aux Hommes in Caen
Abbaye aux Hommes in Caen

Alongside the courtyard are the arched walkways used to reach all rooms in the Abbey now City Hall.

Inside the Abbaye aux Hommes in Caen
Inside the Abbaye aux Hommes in Caen
Inside the Abbaye aux Hommes in Caen
Inside the Abbaye aux Hommes in Caen
Inside the Abbaye aux Hommes in Caen
Inside the Abbaye aux Hommes in Caen

Ruins of St. Etienne-Le-Vieux church

St. Etienne-Le-Vieux church in Caen
St. Etienne-Le-Vieux church in Caen

Opposite of the imposing Men’s Abbey and City Hall is the Saint Etienne-Le-Vieux church, or at least the ruins of the church. The church was built in the 15th century on a foundation dating back to the 10th century.

During the 100 year war (in 1417) it was badly destroyed, rebuilt but during the English bombardment of Caen towards the end of WWII it was badly damaged and never rebuilt. Now it is no longer used.

Summary

There are many other churches that can be viewed in Caen, and of course the Female Abbey not to far from the Men’s one. All the churches that are not in ruins can be viewed, but as I stated above, the pollution has marred the picture. Pity.

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Fecamp – Introduction

Fecamp is a small coastal city with an active fishing fleet. The fishing fleet is central to the city, since the fishing boats have been going to Newfoundland for over a century to fish for cod, and another large portion of the fleet fished for herring.

The city used to have several herring smoking factories, but all have disappeared today. The last herring factory is being turned into a museum, however, next to the new museum is a bar/restaurant that has maintained and restored one of the smoking walls.

The city itself is squeezed in between two cliffs while the Valmont river runs through the city. The city has a long beach (like most of Upper Normandy, the beach is made out of pebbles, not sand), two pleasure boat marinas, fishing boats and their resulting fish markets and an active wood industry imported from Scandinavia.

The earliest recording in history of Fecamp dates back to 875 AD. Fecamp was during several years the main quarters of the Duke of Normandy. Their castle can still be seen, but it is in ruins.

Fecamp's Duke of Normandy castle
Fecamp’s Duke of Normandy castle

Lighthouses of Fecamp

At the maritime entrance of Fecamp are two lighthouses attached to land by a wooden pier (open to public).

One of two lighthouses of Fecamp
One of two lighthouses of Fecamp

There are two lighthouses at the harbour entrance. The tallest (pictured above) was built in 1836 but destroyed during WWII by the Germans. It is 14.5 meters high.

One of two lighthouses at the Fecamp harbour entrance
One of two lighthouses at the Fecamp harbour entrance

The two long piers go all the way to the entrance of the marina. On one side you can see a row of fishermen houses.

Row of fishermen houses at the Fecamp harbour entrance
Row of fishermen houses at the Fecamp harbour entrance

A close inspection of the fishermen houses will show you that they are very small and narrow. Each house usually consists of a single room and stairs to the upper levels. Like on ships, the ceilings are low.

3 fishermen houses next to each other in Fecamp
3 fishermen houses next to each other in Fecamp

TIP: Today, Fecamp’s biggest claim to fame comes from their Benedictine factory and museum, a “must-see” if you are in the area. More about this incredible beautiful Palace that houses the factory and museum can be found by clicking here.

World War II

During World War II, Fecamp was a main defence position for the Germans. A very long and deep fortified bunker complex was built on the main cliff of Fecamp (that part of the cliff is called Cap Fagnet). At the harbour side you can still some enormous fortifications:

Enormous WWII bunkers on the cliffs of Fecamp
Enormous WWII bunkers on the cliffs of Fecamp

The underground network of the bunkers goes on for kilometres. There are several levels with at the highest levels stairs to many of the observation and defence posts.

WWII air towers of the bunkers in Fecamp
WWII air towers of the bunkers in Fecamp

It is only in recent years that the authorities discovered a complete hospital, including operating rooms, hidden away inside the cliffs, capable of handling up to 80 patients.

TIP: During the summertime the bunker can be visited but only with a guide. If you are interested, you will need to contact the tourist office for a reservation. The phone number is: +33 (0) 2 35 28 51 01. Click here to access their web site.

The Cliffs

On top of these cliffs (height is 110 meters) is a converted farm and chapel. The farm is now a hotel, which includes a small swimming pool. The chapel, Notre-Dame de Salut, is open to the public and can be visited and was primarily used for the sailors who went to sea.

Fecamp's farm and chapel converted to hotel on the cliffs
Fecamp’s farm and chapel converted to hotel on the cliffs

The area around the farm/hotel is ideal to park to visit the cliffs and WWII bunkers. A large public car park has been built close-by. On one side you can see Fecamp (as shown on the top photo), and on the other side you can see the cliffs stretching for miles.

Fecamp cliffs
Fecamp cliffs

You can also see the WWII bunkers on the top.

WARNING: The cliffs are eroding and can topple over at any moment. Although there are many hiker paths, you are expected to stay several metres away from the edge.

Fecamp Harbour

The harbour at Fecamp is divided into two pleasure boat marinas, one which is dependent on a lock/bridge which only opens at certain times of the day. The other can be accessed at any moment. The fishing fleet has its own area and at the furthest edge of the harbour you can find occasional cargo ships loading and offloading wood.

Pleasure boat marina of Fecamp
Pleasure boat marina of Fecamp

The main road giving access to Fecamp crosses part of the harbour. The road arrives via a drawbridge that opens on preset hours of the day, and when open, results in daily traffic jams.

Main bridge/road into Fecamp
Main bridge/road into Fecamp

The Fishing industry was the mainstay of Fecamp, and therefore you will find a rather big and well presented museum in the centre of the harbour in one of the old fish factories. It’s worth a visit, if not just for the killer view from the top observatory floor.

View from the top floor of the Fisheries Museum in Fecamp
View from the top floor of the Fisheries Museum in Fecamp

Click here to read more about the Fisheries Museum.

City Hall/Abbey

The city hall is built onto the Trinity Abbey (Abbaye de la Trinité) church. The abbey itself was built starting in the year 659 and belongs to the Benedictine order.

Fecamp City Hall built against the Trinity Abbey church
Fecamp City Hall built against the Trinity Abbey church

Click here to read our review of the enormously long abbey.

Saint-Etienne de Fecamp church

Another rather large church and square dominate Fecamp. The church, Saint-Etienne de Fecamp is located before a large square.

WWII Monument in front of the St. Etienne church of Fecamp
WWII Monument in front of the St. Etienne church of Fecamp

On the square, and around it, on every Saturday you will find a big and very busy market. But it is inside that the real action takes place; a real farmers market with farmers coming from around the area selling their food directly to the consumers. Usually it is food that was picked that morning, often still carrying the dirt and mud.

Fecamp's farmer market
Fecamp’s farmer market

Often the farmers come with cool-boxes and sit on the ground selling their wares.

GR21

Fecamp is part of the long distance hiking path, GR21, which brings you from Le Havre to Le Treport via the cliffs over some 180 kms.

Fecamp and the Artists

Fecamp is a picturesque fishing town which made for a great backdrop for many artist. Here are all the artists who applied their arts in the town and its surroundings (a link “” will appear when we have published an article on this artist’s works in Fecamp):

NOTE: a “*” besides the artist’s name indicates that the artist did NOT work directly in Fecamp, instead worked in Fecamp’s surroundings only.

Conclusion

Fecamp is a very pretty small city with an enormous potential. It’s very underutilized due to bad investments. Roads are very bad, buildings are not maintained and infrastructure is sadly missing. However, it has a certain charm that makes Fecamp a nice weekend getaway place.

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Lannion – Introduction

Lannion in Brittany is one of those places that you can take or leave. When you walk around the city, you do see some nice things but there is something missing. It’s probably what the French call “je ne sais quoi“, a soul to the place.

The city is well kept and clean, and the buildings have all been restored properly.

Don’t get me wrong, Lannion has some interesting buildings and architecture, but they are spread out. Even the city centre is not the place to be to see interesting architectures, but you will find a few.

Oldest house (16th century) of Lannion
Oldest house (16th century) of Lannion

For example, the above house (on the left) dates back to the 16th century. The ones next to it are younger by 100 years. Next to them are modern houses.

A house in the city centre of Lannion, Brittany
A house in the city centre of Lannion, Brittany

On most of the city centre streets you’ll encounter several older house, but they are dispersed. In between the older houses are recent houses built to look a bit like older ones, or just plain modern houses.

A house in the city centre of Lannion, Brittany
A house in the city centre of Lannion, Brittany

Most of the older houses are made the traditional way in Brittany (and Normandy), using stone, wood and clay/mud.

A house in the city centre of Lannion, Brittany
A house in the city centre of Lannion, Brittany

Or you will find some houses built in the style of the region; using stones and granite.

Small garden next to the church in Lannion, Brittany
Small garden next to the church in Lannion, Brittany

You can also discover hidden away some gems like this garden, part of the refectory of the Saint-Jean-du Baly church.

Shopping street in the city centre of Lannion, Brittany
Shopping street in the city centre of Lannion, Brittany

Lannion has a couple of pedestrian shopping streets. They are not long, but do the job of providing hassle-free shopping.

Shopping street in the city centre of Lannion, Brittany
Shopping street in the city centre of Lannion, Brittany

Most of these streets are on a slope. But the streets have been made with stones that are even and do not pose problems for wheelchairs.

Leguer river and its kayak obstacle infrastructure in Lannion, Brittany
Leguer river and its kayak obstacle infrastructure in Lannion, Brittany

The Leguer river (a river known for its fly fishing, including trout and even salmon) which transverses Lannion has an interesting feature on one side, involving concrete and suspended metal bars. After some asking, I was told they are for kayak and canoeing, a sort of obstacles course like you see in the Olympics.

Saint-Jean-du-Baly church

Saint-Jean-du-Baly church of Lannion, Brittany
Saint-Jean-du-Baly church of Lannion, Brittany

On of the main churches in Lannion is the Saint-Jean-du Baly church.

Saint-Jean-du-Baly church of Lannion, Brittany
Saint-Jean-du-Baly church of Lannion, Brittany

The church tower dates back to the 14th century, while the rest of the church was remade in the 15th and 16th century.

Inside the Saint-Jean-du-Baly church of Lannion, Brittany
Inside the Saint-Jean-du-Baly church of Lannion, Brittany
Inside the Saint-Jean-du-Baly church of Lannion, Brittany
Inside the Saint-Jean-du-Baly church of Lannion, Brittany
Inside the Saint-Jean-du-Baly church of Lannion, Brittany
Inside the Saint-Jean-du-Baly church of Lannion, Brittany

In the Lannion city centre, like in most French cities, you’ll find a monument to French who have fallen during one of the many wars.

Monument to the fallen French during subsequent wars in Lannion, Brittany
Monument to the fallen French during subsequent wars in Lannion, Brittany

The names of the Lannion citizens fallen in these wars are displayed here.

Ursulines convent

Ursulines convent in Lannion, Brittany
Ursulines convent in Lannion, Brittany

Close by the monument you will find this immense Ursulines convent dating back to the 17th century. It is no longer used as convent and has been turned into a labour union house (left portion of the photo above) and an exhibition area (centre and right).

Saint Joseph - Bossuet School in Lannion, Brittany
Saint Joseph – Bossuet School in Lannion, Brittany

The Saint Jospeh-Bossuet school next to the convent is a merger of the Saint Joseph school of 1622 and the Bossuet Institute from 1836 (where they teach hotel management).

Sainte-Anne monastery

Sainte-Anne monastery in Lannion, Brittany
Sainte-Anne monastery in Lannion, Brittany

The Sainte-Anne monastery next to the Leguer river is the dominant building in Lannion. Initially a hospice, the location next to a river was the reason to eventually close it down and build a monastery in the 17th century (the humidity from the river was making it a difficult place to live for the poor, sick & dying).

Sainte-Anne monastery in Lannion, Brittany
Sainte-Anne monastery in Lannion, Brittany

Today the whole building structure has been changed to a media library, an expo centre and a senior citizens’ home, all including a vast park.

Sainte-Anne monastery in Lannion, Brittany
Sainte-Anne monastery in Lannion, Brittany

The Sainte-Anne chapel was replaced in 1894 by a more modern one.

Summary

As I said in the beginning, Lannion is a city that will leave you either warm or cold. It’s not beautiful, it doesn’t have magnanimous buildings or structures, but as a reasonably large city it does offer a lot to its citizens.

The few interesting buildings have been well maintained, and some are being transformed for us by its citizens. But does it serve the tourist trade??

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Lisieux – Introduction

Lisieux, in the lower part of Normandy, is an interesting and different kind of place to visit. It’s a very small city (or a very big town) with a population of some 22,000 inhabitants, but despite its relatively small size it contains an enormous basilica AND a big cathedral. Because of that, and the large population of Carmelite nuns and monks, the city is very religious. The city was indeed home to three saints (though all from the same family).

The city is old. It used to be the capital of the Gaulles until the Romans took over. It became an important Roman city (you can still see some of the Roman ruins), but it was only in the 4th century AC that it became more “local”. There is also a lot of German influence in the city.

Carmel Monastery

Carmel monastery in Lisieux, Normandy
Carmel monastery in Lisieux, Normandy

The Carmel monastery and adjacent pilgrimage buildings take up an enormous amount of space. The main part of the Carmel monastery is located opposite of the Tourist Office. The monastery itself was founded in 1838 and had as prominent resident the nun who would later become Saint Therese (also know asSacred Keeper of the Gardens” or “The Little Flower“).

Carmel monastery in Lisieux, Normandy
Carmel monastery in Lisieux, Normandy

The Carmelites religious order dates back to the 12th century with its head office in Rome, Italy. It takes up an important place within the Catholic church, and the Lisieux chapter so much so that Pope Jean-Paul II visited Lisieux and the Carmel monastery in 1980.

Carmel chapel

Chapel of the Carmel monastery in Lisieux, Normandy
Chapel of the Carmel monastery in Lisieux, Normandy

The small chapel of the Carmel monastery is worth a visit. It is surrounded by several buildings designed to accommodate and inform pilgrims coming on their pilgrimage (to the Saint Therese Basilica). Daily guided visits are available in different languages.

Pilgrimage accommodation and information in Lisieux, Normandy
Pilgrimage accommodation and information in Lisieux, Normandy

Several buildings accommodate the millions of pilgrims who come here every year and have been designed to facilitate wheelchairs and people who have problems walking.

Pilgrimage accommodation and information in Lisieux, Normandy
Pilgrimage accommodation and information in Lisieux, Normandy

These are just a few of the buildings reserved for this purpose.

One of many religious souvenir shops in Lisieux, Normandy
One of many religious souvenir shops in Lisieux, Normandy

When you walk through the town, especially close to the religious monuments, you will find many religious souvenir shops (just like in Lourdes, since this is the 2nd most visited pilgrimage city in France, 2nd only to Lourdes).

Visiting the city

Lisieux was very badly damaged during World War II, and it shows. Although some houses and buildings escaped the WWII intense bombardments, most of the buildings were destroyed.

Building inside Lisieux, Normandy
Building inside Lisieux, Normandy

Luckily they rebuilt the city with care. Although many of the “newer” buildings are just that; new, they at least show some character and are not just concrete blocks. The newer buildings are not unattractive though they can never replace the historical buildings the city had before WWII.

Building/restaurant/hotel inside Lisieux, Normandy
Building/restaurant/hotel inside Lisieux, Normandy

Some of the new buildings have been constructed in the old Normandy style with wood and bricks. They fit right in but you can see they are brand new.

River and locks in Lisieux, Normandy
River and locks in Lisieux, Normandy

Where ever you go in Lisieux, you will always run into rivers. There are 4 of them, the main river being the Touques and three rivers that flow into the Touques; the Orbiquet, the Cirieux and the Graindain.

There are even locks in some of the rivers used to maintain water levels.

Sightseeing blue line of Lisieux, Normandy
Sightseeing blue line of Lisieux, Normandy

You don’t need maps or even a GPS to discover the city. The Tourist Office has painted a nice blue line on all streets that have interesting things to see.

TIP: When visiting the city, best is to park close to the Tourist Office and visit the city on foot from there. The Blue Line starts at the Tourist Office.

Sightseeing blue line of Lisieux, Normandy
Sightseeing blue line of Lisieux, Normandy

Start at the Tourist Office and just follow the blue line. It will take you through the city and this way you will not miss anything that there is to see. Even in a wheelchair, it’s easy to follow the blue line (there is only one slightly climbing section, the rest is flat).

Cathedral and courthouse of Lisieux, Normandy
Cathedral and courthouse of Lisieux, Normandy

The main square of Lisieux contains the Saint-Pierre cathedral, courthouse and post office. All three buildings are built against each other.

Cathedral and courthouse of Lisieux, Normandy
Cathedral and courthouse of Lisieux, Normandy

This photo was taken from the courtyard inside the three buildings. Behind is the “bishopric garden” (in French “Jardin de l’eveche“).

Bishopric garden" (Jardin de l'eveche) behind the Lisieux cathedral
Bishopric garden” (Jardin de l’eveche) behind the Lisieux cathedral

The gardens are slightly elevated so you need to access them using the stairs. In the gardens you will not only find many plants and trees but also several statues and a pond.

WWII monument at the Bishopric garden" (Jardin de l'eveche) behind the Lisieux cathedral
WWII monument at the Bishopric garden” (Jardin de l’eveche) behind the Lisieux cathedral

At the far end you will find a big statue dedicated to the people from Lisieux who have died during World War II.

The Saint-Pierre cathedral is rather long at takes up the rest of the block in Lisieux.
The Saint-Pierre cathedral is rather long at takes up the rest of the block in Lisieux.

The Saint-Pierre cathedral is narrow but very long, taking up the rest of the rather large block. It ends with its own little park.

Click here to read and see more of the Saint-Pierre cathedral.

Small manor in Lisieux
Small manor in Lisieux

Walking through Lisieux (following the blue line) you see many different kinds of buildings. From regal buildings like the manor above (a private dwelling), to…

Lisieux hospital in the city centre
Lisieux hospital in the city centre

… to this very modern building located right in the city centre. The building in question is the Lisieux hospital. But you can still see some very old houses in the city….

Very old houses in the city of Lisieux
Very old houses in the city of Lisieux

…. These are some very old houses that have escaped the WWII bombardments. Notice how crooked the middle house is! It is not an optical illusion but the house is very much like the Tower of Pisa in Italy. Even the floors are slanted.

Centre Communal d'action Sociale (Social communal Centre) of Lisieux
Centre Communal d’action Sociale (Social communal Centre) of Lisieux

These old buildings are part of the communal social centre. They are located close to the cathedral.

A restaurant in Lisieux, Normandy
A restaurant in Lisieux, Normandy

This was once a restaurant, located on the last partion of the blue line. The restaurant was inside a private chapel, but unfortunately the place is gone out of business.

Saint-Jacques church

Saint-Jacques church of Lisieux
Saint-Jacques church of Lisieux

Taking one of the side streets (not following the blue line), I stumbled upon this enormous church.

Saint-Jacques church of Lisieux
Saint-Jacques church of Lisieux

This is the Saint-Jacques church.

Saint-Jacques church of Lisieux
Saint-Jacques church of Lisieux

The Saint-Jacques church was built in the 15th century but suffered a lot of damage towards the end of the World War II.

Saint-Jacques church of Lisieux
Saint-Jacques church of Lisieux

Today it no longer functions as a church but instead is used as an exhibition hall. When there are expos, the church can be visited (although quite bare inside).

Mairie (city hall) of Lisieux
Mairie (city hall) of Lisieux

The City Hall (Mairie) of Lisieux is located in a nice castle-like building. A “Hotel Particulier” (in English a large townhouse) built in 1713 by Charles Le Bas de Preaux, advisor to King Louis XVI and taxman for the Rouen region.

Summary

Obviously for religious people, this is the place to visit, but also for people just interested in history and beautiful buildings, a visit can be of interest.

The fact that you don’t have to worry about finding places thanks to the blue line makes it easy to visit. You’ll not be spending days here, count a few hours to visit all interesting places, with as prime objective to visit the basilica.

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Mont Saint-Michel – Introduction

The Mont St. Michel is France’s second most visited monument, second only after the Eiffel Tower in Paris. With over 3 million visitors each year, it is no wonder United Nation’s UNESCO put it on their World Heritage Sites. And there are several good reasons for this.

Mont St. Michel has not been changed over the centuries, and the reason for this is that it’s very difficult to change. No flats, no supermarkets, no big hotels … all because the town is built on a rock which is at times an island. During high tides, the whole town becomes an island, at low tide there is a road (causeway) that leads to the island which can be taken. In the last 2 years, work has been done so that the town can be accessed 24 hours per day; tourism rules!

Mont St-Michel seen from land
Mont St-Michel seen from land

Today you need to drive your car to a public parking outside the area and take a shuttle bus to visit Mont St. Michel (there are also horse & buggies to take you there the slow way). It also means you will have more problems visiting the souvenir shops, restaurants and hotels located outside Mont St. Michel. But once inside, there is nothing that will spoil your fun, since there are no cars, buses or trucks to pose a danger.

This city/town forms part of one of the French legs of the Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage route.
Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage routes
Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage routes

History

Mont St. Michel started in the late 800’s as a monastery, built on the very top of the rock island. Over the centuries and the many wars that followed, Mont St. Michel turned into a heavily fortified monastery and abbey. It had become almost impossible to conquer, because if invaders were at the foot of the fortified walls, they did not have the time to set up their machines to scale the walls since the rapidly rising tides would sweep everything away.

Tide difference can be up to 14 meters, which as surprised many hikers in the area.

Fortified walls of Mont St Michel
Fortified walls of Mont St Michel

And even if the invaders managed to scale the walls, they would need to climb up the rocks to reach the next layers of fortified walls. An impossible feat, hence the reason the place was never conquered (apart from in the very beginning when there where no walls by the Vikings).

Upview of Mont St. Michel
Upview of Mont St. Michel

This is why Mont St. Michel has stayed as it was many centuries ago, and this is why when you walk the narrow streets, you know what the feel was centuries ago. There is no concrete, nor asphalt. Stones for the building and cobblestones for the roads.

The Town

“Town” is a big word, since the population of Mont St. Michel is around 50 souls. So it’s more a very small village. But nevertheless, there are 8 restaurants and 9 hotels inside the walls (plus several on the other side of the causeway).

Narrow streets and wall of Mont St. Michel
Narrow streets and wall of Mont St. Michel

All the streets are very narrow, and quite sombre. During the main tourist season (July/August), it can get very busy and difficult to pass. But you can also walk all around the town via the walls. The views are quite breathtaking.

However, there is one thing you need to take into account, and the following photo tells it all:

Steep stairs of Mont St. Michel
Steep stairs of Mont St. Michel

There are many, many steps to climb, and no elevator nor escalators. At the top of the shopping street (called “la Grande Rue”), there are 350 steps to go straight up to the church.

TIP: If you have problems climbing stairs, Mont St. Michel is NOT the place for you.

But you are able to walk all around the place on the sea bed and marshes when the tide is low. In fact, there are organised hiking tours allowing you to discover the area, its fauna and animals. But you will need to check with the tourist office when the tides are in and out, and make sure you can get back to dry land when the tides comes in (which it does at a very fast rate).

Outside when the tide is lowering of Mont St. Michel
Outside when the tide is lowering of Mont St. Michel

If you do manage to walk around the island, not only are the views to the sea and land spectacular, but also all the angles in which you will be seeing Mont St. Michel.

The fortified walls from Mont St. Michel seen from below
The fortified walls from Mont St. Michel seen from below

On the climb up the many steep and narrow stairs, more and more of the upper structures will become apparent. It’s a long climb, but worth it.

Upwards Mont St. Michel
Upwards Mont St. Michel

Notice the two openings in the middle of the above photo. The people of Mont St. Michel had made an “elevator” to hoist up food and weapons using a pulley and rails system. Inside there is an interesting pulley & wheel system to ensure that even heavy items get lifted into the monastery safely:

Pulley inside Mont St. Michel
Pulley inside Mont St. Michel

During the clim up, the view is not only what you are climbing towards. There are several places where you can look downwards to the fortifications:

Fortified Tower of Mont St. Michel seen from above
Fortified Tower of Mont St. Michel seen from above

Since the stairs are all around the rock, you will always see the walls below you when climbing. It often shows an intricate infrastructure of narrow and protected walkways.

Fortified Walls of Mont St. Michel seen from above
Fortified Walls of Mont St. Michel seen from above

The Monastery and Abbey

The main objective of your climb is the monastery and abbey above. It’s a long climb, but as you can see, the buildings are amazing. Just imagine the building of this place centuries ago without the help of cranes, bulldozers and JCBs:

Mont St. Michel Abbey
Mont St. Michel Abbey

Up close you can see the efforts that were put into the design of the place, and apart from minor restoration works and cleaning, the place is “as is” when it was first made centuries ago.

Mont St. Michel monastery chapel
Mont St. Michel monastery chapel

Once inside, another world opens that you would not have imagined. Inside the walls is a haven of peace and quite, an inner courtyard designed for reflection of the soul, the cloister.

Inner courtyard above in Mont St. Michel
Inner courtyard above in Mont St. Michel

All around the cloister are the passages to the different rooms inside the monastery. Walking the passages gives you a feeling of calm.

Passages to the monastery rooms above in Mont St. Michel
Passages to the monastery rooms above in Mont St. Michel

Below is a 360° photo (courtesy Google) of the cloister. Click on the photo and keep your left mouse clicked, drag up/down/left/right to see the 360°. You can also zoom in and out by clicking on the “+” or “-” buttons on the photo:

Inside, the rooms are amazing in structure. High vaulted ceilings with pillars all over the place. Sound carries very far, and even someone breathing can be heard on the other side of the room.

Inside the monastery of Mont St. Michel
Inside the monastery of Mont St. Michel
Vaulted ceilings of the monastery of Mont St. Michel
Vaulted ceilings of the monastery of Mont St. Michel

Summary

Mont Saint-Michel is an amazing place to visit. Although most tourists visit Paris, going to the rock is a 3 hour bus ride, and many companies organise trips to Mont St. Michel starting in Paris. It will be a day trip, but it’s worth it.

All the stair climbing is worth it, not only for the views, but also for the very historically rich monastery and abbey at the top. If you do plan to come to France, do make it a point to visit this magical place.

Things To Do/Things To See/Tips

Click here for Tips/Things To See/Things To Do of Mont Saint-Michel

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Mont Saint-Michel – Tips

Transport

Getting There

By car, the A84/E3 motorway (autoroute) comes about 10 kilometres away and it’s well sign posted.

TIP: If you reserve a hotel (or restaurant) make sure you get the access code for the barriers into the area. If not you will be forced to park in the parking areas (paid) and walk with your luggage. With the access code (which changes daily), you can drive up to the hotel (or restaurant).

TIP: There is a left-luggage area at the main car park in the Tourist Office (CIT Centre D’Information).

Train: you will need to go to Rennes and then take the SNCF bus.

Within Mont St. Michel

There is no public transportation in Mont St. Michel itself, but there are shuttle buses from the closest village, the parking areas and the causeway. Apart from buses, there are also several horse & buggies to take you along the 1 kilometre causeway.

Both shuttle buses and horses bring you 400 metres from the gate. The rest you will need to do on foot.

TIP: Bring comfortable walking shoes. You will be glad you did.

Restaurants

There are several restaurants in the town itself, bordering from good to mediocre. But not matter how good they are, at lunch time they will be full, no matter what time of the year.

TIP: If you plan to eat in Mont St. Michel, reserve a table and make sure you arrive on time. 10 minutes late and your table is gone.

You can also eat at the land side. Several restaurants can be found there, many with a nice view of Mont St. Michel.

TIP: The speciality of the area is mouthwatering: salted lamb also known as “Salt meadow lamb” (in French agneau pre-sale)! This is lamb that has been fed salted grass, and therefore they taste salty and soft. A must eat.

Hotels

This is the 2nd most touristy place in France, so there are plenty of hotels, but very, very, few in the town itself. You will need to search the surrounding areas for accommodation, and it’s not going to be cheap.

Things To See/To Do

  • The rock island and town itself
  • The monastery and abbey
    The monastery of Month St. Michel

  • At low tide, a hike through the marshes
  • Nighttime at Mont St. Michel is magical as well. If you are staying the night, it’s a worthwhile view and excursion. And no, this is NOT Disney castle.
    Nighttime at Month St. Michel

  • Keep your ears open. Very often the French Air Force conduct training flights for their fighter jets around the area. They fly low over the water and marshes and can be spectacular to photograph.

Montbard – Fontenay Abbey

The Fontenay Abbey, located next to the city of Montbard  in Burgundy, is part of the Unesco World Heritage sites. Therefore you can expect something that is out of the ordinary, and you’ll not be disappointed.

The Cistercian Abbey is old, very old. It is the oldest Cistercian abbey in the world that has preserved its original form and that is still visitable. It was created in the year 1118 by Saint Bernard, making it a branch of the Citeaux order.

Fontenay Abbey in Montbard, Burgundy entrance
Fontenay Abbey in Montbard, Burgundy entrance

The Abbey is a few minutes away from the Montbard city centre. It lies in a valley alongside a small river with forests (which can all be visited for free).

You might recognise the place when you see it. It has featured in many movies, including the popular Cyrano de Bergerac.

Fontenay Abbey in Montbard, Burgundy entrance
Fontenay Abbey in Montbard, Burgundy entrance

The Abbey is now in private hands. You will need to pay €10 to visit the place, but trust me, it’s worth it. The Cistercian monks prescribed a life of poverty, therefore the buildings are very austere. The 200-odd monks who lived here used to elect their abbot, but in the 16th century, the king decided that he would elect the abbot, and since then the place was run down. By the time the French revolution came, there were only 12 monks left.

Dovecote at the Fontenay Abbey in Montbard, Burgundy
Dovecote at the Fontenay Abbey in Montbard, Burgundy

The place got sold off in 1790 to Elie de Mongolfier (the family of the hot air balloon inventors) and turned the abbey into a paper-mill. In 1906 it was bought by Eduoard Aynard, the son-in-law, who undertook the restoration of the abbey. Today, it still remains part of the Aynard family.

In 1981, Unesco made it part of the World Heritage Sites.

Next to the 13th century dovecote you will find the dog kennels. The dogs belonged to the Duke of Burgundy who used them for hunting, and when he was not hunting, the dogs were cared for on these grounds.

Church of the Fontenay Abbey

The church of the Fontenay Abbey in Montbard, Burgundy
The church of the Fontenay Abbey in Montbard, Burgundy

From the outside, all the buildings have been restored properly. All the grime and slime of the paper-mills have been removed. But when you go inside….

Inside the church of the Fontenay Abbey in Montbard, Burgundy
Inside the church of the Fontenay Abbey in Montbard, Burgundy

…. it’s empty! The inside is yet again really well restored, but there is absolutely no furniture, nothing on the walls, not even a cross. The Cistercian monks lived a life of poverty, but not like this. Indeed, they did not have any decorations on the walls but they did have chairs to sit on, and tables to eat their meals on. During the war of religion, the French revolution and the turning the abbey into a factory, all furniture has disappeared.

It’s strange to enter a church and not see a single piece of wood…

Former altar of the church of the Fontenay Abbey in Montbard, Burgundy
Former altar of the church of the Fontenay Abbey in Montbard, Burgundy

This is where the altar used to be. Empty! On the bottom right of the above photo you see the tomb of Knight Mello d’Epoisses and his wife.

Knight Mello d'Epoisses and his wife's tomb inside the church of the Fontenay Abbey in Montbard, Burgundy
Knight Mello d’Epoisses and his wife’s tomb inside the church of the Fontenay Abbey in Montbard, Burgundy

These were Burgundy nobles (Epoise is a city not far away from the Abbey which is best known for its very smelly cheese). These two tombs are the only ones to be found in the church. Other noblemen and monks are buried in the cemetery next to the formal gardens (including Bishop Ebrard of Norwich, who fled persecution from the UK).

Our Lady of Fontenay Statue inside the church of the Fontenay Abbey in Montbard, Burgundy
Our Lady of Fontenay Statue inside the church of the Fontenay Abbey in Montbard, Burgundy

This is the only statue you will find in the abbey, the “our lady of Fontenay”. Behind the statue is the door that leads to the cemetery (called the “door to the dead”).

Stairs to the dormitory of the Fontenay Abbey in Montbard, Burgundy
Stairs to the dormitory of the Fontenay Abbey in Montbard, Burgundy

From within the church you will find the stairs leading to the monks’ dormitories.

Monks dormitory of the Fontenay Abbey in Montbard, Burgundy
Monks dormitory of the Fontenay Abbey in Montbard, Burgundy

All 200 monks slept in the same room. The roof of the dormitory was made the only way they used to know how to make these kind of constructions; the hull of a boat turned upside down.

Mind you, there was no heating, and temperatures in Burgundy can drop to -20°C (-4°F) during the winter. More on their heating further down…

Monks dormitory of the Fontenay Abbey in Montbard, Burgundy
Cloisters of the Fontenay Abbey in Montbard, Burgundy

The cloister is quite beautiful. It’s a rather large garden surrounded by arched walkways belonging to the buildings that are around the garden.

NOTE: Below is a 360° photo. To see more of this beautiful cloister click on the photo, keep your mouse clicked and move your mouse left/right/up/down (you can also zoom in by clicking on the + or –):

The cloister is the heart of the abbey, where monks would gather to read or meditate.

Warming room inside the Fontenay Abbey in Montbard, Burgundy
Warming room inside the Fontenay Abbey in Montbard, Burgundy

On the other side of the cloister is the warming room and the chapter room (for gathering, reading and discussing practical daily tasks).

Only fireplace inside the Fontenay Abbey in Montbard, Burgundy
Only fireplace inside the Fontenay Abbey in Montbard, Burgundy

Next door was the only heat allowed in the abbey (apart from the infirmary and the bread ovens). These two big fireplaces gave up some heat, and would warm up (slightly) the dormitory. That’s it! No central heating, no fireplaces in the bedrooms, eating halls, or anywhere else.

Formal gardens of the Fontenay Abbey in Montbard, Burgundy
Formal gardens of the Fontenay Abbey in Montbard, Burgundy

One side of the abbey has a large garden, called the Formal Gardens. These are not part of the original abbey, and where put in by the new owners in 1996 by British landscaper Peter Holmes. On the far side of the gardens is where you will find the cemetery.

Infirmary of the Fontenay Abbey in Montbard, Burgundy
Infirmary of the Fontenay Abbey in Montbard, Burgundy

On the other side of the gardens you will find the abbey’s infirmary.

The Forge

But the most important part of the abbey will be found on the right side of the abbey complex; the Forge.

Forge of the Fontenay Abbey in Montbard, Burgundy
Forge of the Fontenay Abbey in Montbard, Burgundy

The iron forge is housed in the large building that was constructed in the 12th century by the monks.

Forge of the Fontenay Abbey in Montbard, Burgundy
Forge of the Fontenay Abbey in Montbard, Burgundy

The monks extracted extracted iron ore from the nearby hills and worked the iron into tools which were then resold. But to do that requires a lot of force, and therefore the monks invented the very first hydraulic hammer! The abbey is believed to be one of the oldest metallurgical plants in Europe.. dating back to the 12th century.

Here is how the hydraulic hammer worked:

Watermill used by the forge of the Fontenay Abbey in Montbard, Burgundy
Watermill used by the forge of the Fontenay Abbey in Montbard, Burgundy

The hydraulic hammer starts with a watermill located outside the forge building. The watermill’s wheel turns with the water streaming below it…..

Part of the hydraulic hammer used by the forge of the Fontenay Abbey in Montbard, Burgundy
Part of the hydraulic hammer used by the forge of the Fontenay Abbey in Montbard, Burgundy

… which in its turn turns a shaft with pins on them (centre of the above shaft). These pins hit a beam ….

Part of the hydraulic hammer used by the forge of the Fontenay Abbey in Montbard, Burgundy
Part of the hydraulic hammer used by the forge of the Fontenay Abbey in Montbard, Burgundy

…. that lift the hammer up and then with gravity, falls down. Simple but very effective.

Fountain and fish lake of the Fontenay Abbey in Montbard, Burgundy
Fountain and fish lake of the Fontenay Abbey in Montbard, Burgundy

Next to the forge is a small pond where the water from the mill goes. In the pond you’ll find enormous carp fish.

Bread oven of the Fontenay Abbey in Montbard, Burgundy
Bread oven of the Fontenay Abbey in Montbard, Burgundy

And finally in one of the out-buildings you will find the bread ovens. The monks are totally self-sufficient, and that included the bread they ate.

Summary

This place is not part of the Unesco World Heritage Sites for nothing. It’s very special, especially taking into account one of the world’s first hydraulic hammers, and the whole place is beautifully restored. It’s worth a detour to go and see this place.

For more information about the abbey, click here.

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Rouen – Introduction

Rouen has a lot going for it, and a few things that are not so nice. But after a visit to Rouen, you will leave with two impressions in your mind: the sheer number of churches & cathedrals and Joan of Arc (in French “Jeanne d’Arc”). Because this is the city where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake.

This city/town forms part of one of the French legs of the Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage route.
Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage routes
Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage routes

Rouen is a reasonably big city (by French standards, some 110,000 inhabitants in the city, 500,000 in the suburbs), and it was hit extensively (45%) during the bombings in WWII, but the inner city is pretty much “as it was” centuries ago. Although some of the older buildings, like the cathedral, were hit during the Allied bombings, it has been magnificently restored. This is what makes Rouen very special; it’s old. The city became a real centre during the Vikings (like most of Normandy) in the year 841 AD (though the area was already mentioned in the 3rd century AD, inhabited by the Celts). From then, the city switched owners between the English, French, Italians and Germans many times over. It was in the 10th and 11th century that Rouen really became in its own right, growing faster and richer thanks to the Seine river and becoming the second most import city in France.

Rouen is also the capital of Normandy, so this is where the “governor” (in French “Prefet”) resides. The most interesting part of Rouen is the Right Bank, the Left Bank was greatly destroyed during WWII and therefore not so interesting for sightseeing.

Old house in Rouen
Old house in Rouen

When walking in the inner city (walking is the best way, though there is a good public transportation system, the inner city is mostly pedestrian) you will be impressed by two things; the very old, medieval houses (some date back to the 13th century) and the sheer number of religious buildings  (some 35 currently used churches, abbeys, monasteries, chapels or ruins thereof).

These older houses and buildings are made out mostly wood and brick. The houses are well maintained, the wood is treated regularly and therefore still the original wood used centuries ago.

Old house and shops in Rouen
Old house and shops in Rouen

Many of the houses now have a shop beneath. But do not be fooled! Many of these “old” houses are often brand new, they have been built to resemble the older houses. The wooden frames are still there, but the “torchi” (a mixture of straw and mud) placed in between has been replaced with cement.

Recent "old" houses in Rouen
Recent “old” houses in Rouen

No matter where you go, no matter which street you take in the inner city, you will stumble up on old traditional Normandy-style houses:

Old houses and shops in Rouen
Old houses and shops in Rouen

Rouen was one of the most rich and influential cities in Europe during the Middle Ages, and it shows today. In the inner city the streets are still made out of cobblestones, just like the old days.

Cobblestone streets in Rouen
Cobblestone streets in Rouen

But not all houses & buildings are as old as in the previous photos, some are more “modern“, typically from the early part of last century (for Europe, that’s modern).

"Modern" building in Rouen
“Modern” building in Rouen

But the majority of houses and buildings are either old, or made to look old:

Old house in Rouen
Old house in Rouen

NOTE: To see more photos of old houses and their styles, click here.

Alleyways

Walking through the old city, you will see many small alleyways scattered around the inner core:

Small alleyway in Rouen inner city
Small alleyway in Rouen inner city

Sometimes the alleys are so small and narrow you have to bend over and walk sideways (they remind you a bit of the Traboules in Lyon):

Narrow alley in Rouen
Narrow alley in Rouen

But these are official alleys and allow you to cross to other bigger streets. In fact, they are interesting and useful shortcuts to walk through the city. You will find them anywhere in the inner city:

Alleyway in Rouen
Alleyway in Rouen

Joan of Arc

As mentioned in the beginning, Rouen played a very important part in Joan of Arc’s (in French Jeanne d’Arc) life. We’ll not go into the history of this historical and valiant women, but it is in this city that the clergy were forced by the English to condemn her and burn her at the stake.

Archbishop's cathedral palace where Joan of Arc was tried and condemned in Rouen
Archbishop’s cathedral palace where Joan of Arc was tried and condemned in Rouen

These walls above are part of the archbishop’s palace (built against the imposing cathedral) where Joan of Arc was tried and condemned to be burned at the stake. Today, part of the palace is a museum dedicated to Joan of Arc.

Market place where Joan of Arc was burned in Rouen
Market place where Joan of Arc was burned in Rouen

Above is where Joan of Arc, aged 19 years, met her end. The wooden sign in the middle of the photo is where she was burned. Today it’s still a market, and on the left you see a modern church, built in 1979, named after her (Eglise Sainte-Jeanne-d’Arc).

During her imprisonment, Joan was held captive in the dungeon tower:

Joan of Arc's dungeon, the now named "Joan of Arc Tower" in Rouen
Joan of Arc’s dungeon, the now named “Joan of Arc Tower” in Rouen

The “Joan of Arc Tower” as it is called today, is the last surviving structure of the fortress that used to stand here. The restored details of the tower as amazing, just as you would imagine it centuries ago:

Details of the Joan of Arc Tower in Rouen
Details of the Joan of Arc Tower in Rouen

Obviously, anywhere you go in Rouen, you will see the name “Jeanne d’Arc”. Shops, hotels, restaurants, museums; the name sells well.

Notre Dame Cathedral

One of the main sights is the imposing cathedral of Rouen, named the Notre Dame Cathedral:

Notre Dame cathedral of Rouen
Notre Dame cathedral of Rouen

The place it is built on used to be a church, which then became a cathedral. But the buildings were burned to the ground by the Vikings during the 9th century. The construction of the current cathedral started in the year 1202.

Notre Dame cathedral of Rouen
Notre Dame cathedral of Rouen

The work is intricate, but different from each angle you look at the building. That is because the work may have started in 1202, but after fires, hurricanes, lighting strikes and bombings, parts of the cathedral had to be rebuilt. Officially the building was finished in the year 1880. So different styles, materials and decorations make the building very interesting, if not striking. At one stage, the tower was considering world’s tallest construction (from 1976 to 1880).

Doors of the Notre Dame cathedral of Rouen
Doors of the Notre Dame cathedral of Rouen

Many famous people are buried in the cathedral; Richard the Lionheart (King of England) and also Rollo, the Viking and founder of Rouen.

Gardens of the Notre Dame cathedral of Rouen
Gardens of the Notre Dame cathedral of Rouen

Alongside the cathedral are some nicely kept gardens and reflection areas. Next to these is a street leading you to the Archbishops palace which is joined to the cathedral;

Street leading to the Archbishop's palace from the Rouen cathedral
Street leading to the Archbishop’s palace from the Rouen cathedral

It’s behind those doors that Joan of Arc was condemned to burn at the stake.

NOTE: To see more of the churches and other religious buildings in Rouen, click here.

The Big Clock

Another famous sight in Rouen is the big clock (in French “Gross Horloge”).

The Big Clock of Rouen
The Big Clock of Rouen

The clock is one of the oldest still-working mechanisms in France. The actual clock inner mechanism was made in 1389.

The Big Clock of Rouen
The Big Clock of Rouen

In 1529 the clock was moved into the tower it is currently residing in and a face was added to the clock. The street it is on was named “Rue du Gros Horloge“.

On the other side of the clock tower, it looks like this:

The Big Clock of Rouen
The Big Clock of Rouen

The clock is like a upmarket Swiss timepiece; it shows the moon phases, even the day of the week and of course the time.

Museum of the Big Clock of Rouen
Museum of the Big Clock of Rouen

Today, the tower is a museum, and you can visit and see the clock’s mechanism. Click here for more information about the museum.

The Courts

The courts of Rouen, in French the “Palais de Justice” (=Justice Palace) is an imposing Neo-gothic style building:

The Courts in the Justice Palace of Rouen
The Courts in the Justice Palace of Rouen

Construction started in the 15th century, but the building was not a court then but the parliament for Normandy.

The Courts in the Justice Palace of Rouen
The Courts in the Justice Palace of Rouen

Inside the building they discovered under the rightmost stairs, a wall and inscriptions in Hebrew (there was a very big and active Jewish population living in Rouen in the early Middle Ages). The wall and inscriptions date back to the 12th century. The inscription in Hebrew reads “That this house may be sublime“.

The Courts in the Justice Palace of Rouen
The Courts in the Justice Palace of Rouen

Here is a photo of the side of the Palace, but mind you, the photo is a panoramic one, so it’s distorted:

The Courts in the Justice Palace of Rouen
The Courts in the Justice Palace of Rouen

Mairie – City Hall

The City Hall (in French “Mairie”) is in fact the sleeping quarters of the Saint-Ouen Abbey. The abbey was no longer used, and after having lived in several buildings over the centuries, in 1800, the City Hall was moved permanently into the sleeping quarters of the monks.

Rouen's City Hall and Saint-Ouen Abbey
Rouen’s City Hall and Saint-Ouen Abbey

You can still see the imposing Saint-Ouen abbey built against the current City Hall.

Rouen's City Hall
Rouen’s City Hall

Other Monuments and Special Buildings

One very interesting building that in recent years opened is the Bourgtheroulde Hotel.

Rouen's Bourgtheroulde Hotel
Rouen’s Bourgtheroulde Hotel

This used to be a private house and built in the 16th century in gothic style. It had become a bank, but in 2006 it became a luxury hotel and spa managed by the Marriott group.

Entrance to the Bourgtheroulde Hotel in Rouen
Entrance to the Bourgtheroulde Hotel in Rouen

If you ever get the chance to go there, head for the bar inside. You’ll be standing on a glass floor, and underneath you is the swimming pool. Click here to go to the Hotel’s web site.

Sainte-Marie fountain in Rouen
Sainte-Marie fountain in Rouen

This is the Sainte-Marie fountain, built at the end of the 19 century over a water well. Today, water from the underground spring and well is still used for drinking water in Rouen.

The SNCF railway station of Rouen
The SNCF railway station of Rouen

Another interesting visit is the railway station with its big clock tower. The station lies on the Paris-Le Havre railway line and it was built in 1847. Like most of the railway stations in Upper Normandy, it was designed and built by the British, in this case William Tite. Inside the station is an old fashion brasserie where you can eat lunch or have a beer while waiting for the delayed train.

Fine Arts museum of Rouen
Fine Arts museum of Rouen

The Fine Arts museum of Rouen is one of the biggest in France covering arts from the Middle Ages until today. The museum was inaugurated in 1809. It’s extensive collection covers the range of famous artists, including (but not limited to) Monet, Pissarro, Renoir and Degas. Click here to access the Museum’s web site.

In front of the museum is a well appointed park with water, even swans:

Park in front of the Fine Arts museum in Rouen
Park in front of the Fine Arts museum in Rouen

Summary

Rouen is definitely a place to visit and spend a day or two. It’s big enough with enough things to see to spend at least 2 full days. But as I said in the opening sentence, there are three downsides to Rouen:

  1. Pollution. Rouen is located in a valley, and there is little or no wind to chase away the car fumes. You can see this with all the buildings and monuments: they are all black.
  2. Because Rouen’s inner city is small and narrow, expect a lot of traffic jams.
  3. For some reason, there are a lot of hobos, drunks and beggars/buskers around town.

But it shouldn’t prevent you from seeing the majestic and medieval city. Walk the cobblestone streets, duck into an alley and see where it brings you, take in the old buildings and enjoy the good food.

Other articles about Rouen on this Site

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Rouen – Some of the Churches

As stated in the Introduction article of Rouen, there are some 35 churches, abbeys, monasteries, and ruins scattered around Rouen and most of them are from the Middle Ages, so medieval. When you see the construction, you’ll be amazed they were constructed 4-500 years ago.

Here are some of the religious buildings to be seen around Rouen:

Saint Maclou Church

Saint-Maclou church
Saint-Maclou church

The Saint Maclou church, a roman catholic church, is one of the prime examples of the Flamboyant Gothic style.

Saint-Maclou church
Saint-Maclou church

Building began after 1435 on the grounds of a collapsed church. The church was finish in 1521.

Saint-Maclou church
Saint-Maclou church

As you can see from the photos, the church, like most buildings in Rouen, suffer from pollution.

Saint-Maclou church
Saint-Maclou church

Saint-Laurent Church and Le Secq des Tournelles museum

The Le Secq des Tournelles museum is installed in the no-longer-used Saint-Laurent church. The church was built in the 15th century.

Saint-Laurent Church and Le Secq des Tournelles museum
Saint-Laurent Church and Le Secq des Tournelles museum

In 1920 Henri Le Secq des Tournelles willed his collection of ironworks, which then became a museum inside the church.

Saint-Laurent Church and Le Secq des Tournelles museum
Saint-Laurent Church and Le Secq des Tournelles museum

The chapel portion of the church was actually built in the year 1024. It was rebuilt, but in 1791 was removed as church.

Saint-Laurent Church and Le Secq des Tournelles museum
Saint-Laurent Church and Le Secq des Tournelles museum

Click here to access the museum’s web site.

Saint Godard Church

20 meters away from the previous church/museum and 50 meters behind the Fine Arts museum, the Saint Godard church:

Saint Godard church in Rouen
Saint Godard church in Rouen

The majority of the church was built in the 15th and 16th century, but the initial church received the remains of Saint Godard in the year 525.

Saint Godard church in Rouen
Saint Godard church in Rouen

The church, over the years, acquired 3 naves.

Saint-Lo Priory (ruins)

The only thing remaining of the Saint-Lo priory is the front door. The first mentions of the priory was 913. Over time, it became a church, even a cathedral and then a prison and finally a school.

It is now a high-school.

Saint-Lo Priory ruins in Rouen
Saint-Lo Priory ruins in Rouen

Monastery of Saint-Ouen

The monastery of Saint-Ouen is now part of the City Hall of Rouen.

Monastery of Saint-Ouen of Rouen
Monastery of Saint-Ouen of Rouen

The monastery was built in 1318 and was the prime church for the Benedictine order.

Monastery of Saint-Ouen of Rouen
Monastery of Saint-Ouen of Rouen

The monastery was finally finished in the 15th century. It was named after Saint Ouen, the Archbishop of Rouen at the time.

Monastery of Saint-Ouen of Rouen
Monastery of Saint-Ouen of Rouen

The monastery was vacated at the French Revolution and the City Hall took over.

Monastery of Saint-Ouen of Rouen
Monastery of Saint-Ouen of Rouen

Saint Eloi Temple

The Saint Eloi temple is a protestant church that saw life as a roman catholic church in 1228. The church saw any changes and in 1791 was closed.

Saint Eloi Temple in Rouen
Saint Eloi Temple in Rouen

After that it became a factory, a shop and in 1803 it became a protestant church which it still is today.

Saint Eloi Temple in Rouen
Saint Eloi Temple in Rouen

Summary

This is but a small sample of the churches that are to be seen in Rouen. My own count shows 35, but I expect there are more. Up to you to discover them.

Vannes – Some Churches

There are 15 (out of 27) Catholic churches, cathedral and chapels and 2 (out of 9) convents still active in Vannes.

The above photo is that of a school’s chapel (Saint-Yves chapel of the Jules-Simon school next to the City Hall of Vannes) that is no longer used.

Saint-Patern de Vannes Church

The Saint-Patern (named after the first bishop of Vannes) was built in 1727.

Photo 1Photo 2Map
Saint-Patern de Vannes church in Vannes, BrittanySaint-Patern de Vannes church in Vannes, Brittany
Backside of Saint-Patern de Vannes church in Vannes, BrittanyBackside of Saint-Patern de Vannes church in Vannes, Brittany

The original Saint-Patern was destroyed by the Norman invasion in the 10th century. When the new church was built, there was struggles between different religious groups for the ownership of the relics of Saint Patern (and the thereby financial offerings that went with it). Eventually it was Rome who intervened.

In 1721 until 1726 major storms destroyed the church and it was rebuilt a third time.

NaveAltarFountainChapelBustChapelChapelChapel
The nave of the Saint-Patern church in Vannes, BrittanyThe nave of the Saint-Patern church in Vannes, Brittany
Altar part of the Saint-Patern church in Vannes, BrittanyAltar part of the Saint-Patern church in Vannes, Brittany
Fountain outside the Saint-Patern church in Vannes, BrittanyFountain outside the Saint-Patern church in Vannes, Brittany
Small chapel inside the Saint-Patern church in Vannes, BrittanySmall chapel inside the Saint-Patern church in Vannes, Brittany
Bust in one of the chapels inside the Saint-Patern church in Vannes, BrittanyBust in one of the chapels inside the Saint-Patern church in Vannes, Brittany
One of the chapels inside the Saint-Patern church in Vannes, BrittanyOne of the chapels inside the Saint-Patern church in Vannes, Brittany
Bigger chapel inside the Saint-Patern church in Vannes, BrittanyBigger chapel inside the Saint-Patern church in Vannes, Brittany
Part of a chapel inside the Saint-Patern church in Vannes, BrittanyPart of a chapel inside the Saint-Patern church in Vannes, Brittany

Ursulines Chapel

The “Chapelle des Ursulines” is the sole survivor of the Ursulines Convent. The chapel was built in 1688 was part of the convent. The convent burned down in 1949.

Photo 1Photo 2Map
The Chapelle des Ursulines in Vannes, BrittanyThe Chapelle des Ursulines in Vannes, Brittany
The Ursulines Chapel in Vannes, BrittanyThe Ursulines Chapel in Vannes, Brittany

Today it’s a library. Only the facade is the way it was, inside everything was transformed.

Carmel Monastery

The grounds for the Carmet monastery was given to the “Discalced Carmelites” in the 17th century. The monks built a church and buildings, but the work was not done properly and the city decided to destroy the buildings and build a new church in 1737.

Photo 1Photo 2Photo 3Map
The former Carmel Monastery in Vannes, BrittanyThe former Carmel Monastery in Vannes, Brittany
The church portion of the former Carmel Monastery in Vannes, BrittanyThe church portion of the former Carmel Monastery in Vannes, Brittany
The main building of the former Carmel Monastery in Vannes, BrittanyThe main building of the former Carmel Monastery in Vannes, Brittany

The monastery was never popular, and during the French revolution, only 12 monks were there. The buildings were confiscated, and over the later years changed hands many times until the city of Vannes bought it. The former monastery served as school, museum and now, since 1981, it’s the national music school and has been renamed “Conservatoire de Vannes“.

Conclusion

There are still some very nice and well kept religious buildings in Vannes, thanks to the fact that Vannes was never bombed during WWII.

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