Once upon a medieval time…

Day: 4 (Honfleur to Rouen) & 5 (Rouen)
Km travelled: 92.5km
Steps:106.71

September 9th & 10th, 2017

A croissant and a short nap are the cure to most problems.  I arrived in Rouen, a medieval Norman city, damp, cold and slightly cranky; however, after self medicating with the above, I was all set to explore this medical city.  Rouen was the biggest city in Normandy that I was set to visit and I looked forward to exploring all that she had to offer.  Whenever arriving in a new city, I find that a walk through the centre of town is usually a great place to start.  Luckily for me (and everyone else around me), it was not raining at the moment.  

A short 10 min walk from where I was staying and was quickly transported to another world.  Never have I felt I was walking through a storybook then here. Everywhere you looked there were massive gothic monuments and churches and buildings that could have doubled as the set of Beauty and the Beast.  A quick trip to the ‘épicerie’ for supplies and I headed back to my Airbnb before the rain once again threatened to dampen not only my clothes but my spirits as well.

 After a very restful night, I awoke bright and early to maximize my time in the city.  The sun greeted me like an old friend and I set off to see one of Rouen’s famous sights: the Musée des Beaux-Arts.  The museum, built by Napoleon himself, boosts an impressive collection of impressionists painting second only to Paris. Claude Monet was inspired by the Rouen Cathedral (which hangs in the Musee d’Orsay in Paris) and some of his work is featured in the Rouen museum alongside those of Rubens, Degas, Renoir & Caravaggio to name but a few).  While not typically a fan of impressionist paintings, I was quite fond of 2 particular Monet pieces (The Rue Montargueil with Flags 1878 & Champ de coquelicots, environs de Giverny  1885 – look them up, they’re great!)and  leisurely spent some time getting lost in fields of poppies and flags before venturing outside once again (a side note: it seems I have trouble staying dry even on sunny days: upon arriving at the museum, I opted to sit on a stone bench outside to soak up some warmth while admiring the building, however did not notice the puddle of water and promptly sat in it.  Jeans + water = extra time in the sun to avoid the embarrassment of standing in front of masterpieces with a wet bum!).

Musee des Beaux-Art de Rouen
 

The Cathedrale Notre Dame and l’Abbatiale Saint-Ouen are by far the two most impressive architectural moments in the city.  The gothic cathedral was interestingly financed by the sale of indulgenced for the consumption of butter during Lent and now holds the heart of ‘Richard Coeur de Lion’, a Norman duke.  The detailed architecture of both sites if simply spectacular!  The more closely you examine it, the more intricacies are revealed.  Photos certainly do not due them justice as it’s impossible to capture their grandeur.

Abbatiale Saint-Ouen

Cathédrale Notre Dame de Rouen 

As popular as the above sights are with tourists, Rouen’s claim to fame lies elsewhere (at least with North American visitors).  In 1430-31, a young girl is captured and sold to the English.  She is then imprisonned in the Rouen Castle and tried for heresy.  Ultimately, on May 30th 1431 she is condemned and burned at the stake.  She was canonized in the 20th century for her martyrdom.  The heroin of our saga: Joan of Arc.  The site of her execution has since been transformed and modern, practicing catholic church in her honour now stands.  Inside is an entire wall of stained glad windows depict biblical scenes with beauty and light.

All throughout Normandy, I’ve had the sense of being transported directly unto the pages of a fairytale.   Buildings straight of out of a Disney movie greet me at every turn, providing a very small glimpse into the Middle Ages.

I finished off my time in Rouen the same way I started it: with a treat!  I indulged in a simple yet scrumptious diner at an actual restaurant and savoured every delicious drop of wine in my glass.  After all, the world looks better through rosé coloured glasses!