ROUEN, France It's Wednesday afternoon and I'm sitting in a starkly modern, spacious church, among a handful of other tourists, gazing at the wall of 500 year old stained glass windows in back of the alter.
Stained glass windows removed before WWII
Remarkably, in 1939, with rumblings of war all over the Continent, these windows were removed from St. Vincent's, a 16th Century church that stood in the same spot, and placed in safe keeping. Five years later, during World War II, the old church was destroyed by bombs, and it wasn't until 1979 that the windows found a new home in this modern building. The architect wished to resume the tradition used in many old churches--of designing the building in the shape of an upturned boat, but to me the building seems out of place among the surviving old town structures surrounding it.
Joan of Arc died here
This new modern church is located near the same site, the place du Vieux Marché, where Joan of Arc was burned alive in 1431, and a towering cross and plaque marks the spot where she was executed. Old half-timbered buildings surround the square that used to contain several churches and a marketplace, all destroyed during the war. A smaller open air market was retained next to the church when the square was redeveloped, and I shopped there for fresh fruit.
The capital of Normandy memorialized in Monet paintings
Rouen is the capital of Normandy, and it is also the home of the beautiful Cathédral Notre Dame, made famous by Claude Monet in one of his best known works. The Cathedral has history dating from the 4th Century, having been destroyed, burned, pillaged, and finally nearly destroyed again during World War II. Its restoration is still under way, the structure a study in the development of various types of Gothic architecture. Inside are Renaissance tombs of cardinals and French royalty, but perhaps the most famous is of the heart of Richard the Lionhearted of England, which was given as a token of his affection for the people of Rouen.
See the Old Town from miniature train
Just outside the cathedral a miniature "train" with open air cars (on tires) can provide a 45 minute tour of the old part of the city. It zigzags through the narrow, cobbled streets as the driver narrates in French and bare bones English. Some of the fine old buildings survived the war (Rouen has about 2,000 old half-timbered houses) and it's a great way to sightsee when you have limited time, as I did. There are other guided tours available, too, as well as a good Information Center across the square from the cathedral.
See Monet paintings at Musée des Beaux-Arts
An absolute must-see in Rouen is a Monet original painting of the cathedral at the Musée des Beaux-Arts. After seeing reproductions of it I was surprised at how small the original was. The museum is considered one of the finest regional museums in France, with paintings from the 15th to the 20th Centuries, and all the major European art movements represented.
Stained glass windows removed before WWII
Remarkably, in 1939, with rumblings of war all over the Continent, these windows were removed from St. Vincent's, a 16th Century church that stood in the same spot, and placed in safe keeping. Five years later, during World War II, the old church was destroyed by bombs, and it wasn't until 1979 that the windows found a new home in this modern building. The architect wished to resume the tradition used in many old churches--of designing the building in the shape of an upturned boat, but to me the building seems out of place among the surviving old town structures surrounding it.
Joan of Arc died here
This new modern church is located near the same site, the place du Vieux Marché, where Joan of Arc was burned alive in 1431, and a towering cross and plaque marks the spot where she was executed. Old half-timbered buildings surround the square that used to contain several churches and a marketplace, all destroyed during the war. A smaller open air market was retained next to the church when the square was redeveloped, and I shopped there for fresh fruit.
The capital of Normandy memorialized in Monet paintings
Rouen is the capital of Normandy, and it is also the home of the beautiful Cathédral Notre Dame, made famous by Claude Monet in one of his best known works. The Cathedral has history dating from the 4th Century, having been destroyed, burned, pillaged, and finally nearly destroyed again during World War II. Its restoration is still under way, the structure a study in the development of various types of Gothic architecture. Inside are Renaissance tombs of cardinals and French royalty, but perhaps the most famous is of the heart of Richard the Lionhearted of England, which was given as a token of his affection for the people of Rouen.
See the Old Town from miniature train
Just outside the cathedral a miniature "train" with open air cars (on tires) can provide a 45 minute tour of the old part of the city. It zigzags through the narrow, cobbled streets as the driver narrates in French and bare bones English. Some of the fine old buildings survived the war (Rouen has about 2,000 old half-timbered houses) and it's a great way to sightsee when you have limited time, as I did. There are other guided tours available, too, as well as a good Information Center across the square from the cathedral.
See Monet paintings at Musée des Beaux-Arts
An absolute must-see in Rouen is a Monet original painting of the cathedral at the Musée des Beaux-Arts. After seeing reproductions of it I was surprised at how small the original was. The museum is considered one of the finest regional museums in France, with paintings from the 15th to the 20th Centuries, and all the major European art movements represented.
Rouen was also the home of writer Gustav Flaubert, and the Musée Flaubert et de l'Histoire de la Médicine is in the former hospital where Flaubert's father worked as a surgeon, a tiny museum in the apartment in which the Flauberts lived.
Be sure to stay in the medieval center of the city where just about everything is within easy walking distance. I stayed at the Hôtel du Vieux, a great location right at the square of that name, but the mattresses on the beds are like boards--not my idea of comfort. It's primarily a business person's hotel, three stars, which means just the basics with no original touches.
The Crêperie Tarte Tatin, a few blocks from the cathedral, has good crepes and salads, but is so popular there's usually a long wait, so try to go during off-hours.
Photos
Left: typical cobbled street in Rouen old city
Right: Cathédral Notre Dame, still being renovated
Bottom: place du Vieux Marché, part of the roof of church Sainte Jeanne d'Arc visible at far right
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