Rouen - a hundred spires & bell towers!

I finally get to visit a town that was included in many historical books and interesting novels that I read about growing up.   Many Americans stopped here to visit the historical sights (especially the cathedral!) after they came across the Atlantic on their way to Paris.

Before the Americans .. the Vikings arrived in 841 in their longboats to pillage & plunder.  Here's a statue dedicated to them on the main bridge over the Seine :

The cathedral was started in .. 1030 and worked on for 800 years.   In WWII seven bombs came through the church only damaging parts of it.   On July 11, 2024 a fire damaged the spire. That is why you see it wrapped in white undergoing restoration.

Enjoy a few more pictures from inside and outside this spectacular cathedral!

This is the building, built in 1509, from which Claude Monet painted  a series of over 30 paintings in a span of 2-years that showed different lighting affects :

Here's one of his paintings :

Rouen did get bombed in WWII but damage was sporadic.   Many of its 2000 medieval half-timbered houses survived.   Enjoy some pictures :

Like I said .. churches EVERYWHERE !   Here's their astronomical clock, 1389, Gros-Horloge, views from both sides :

This also the main street, especially for .. shopping.  We're on our way to the main square where Joan of Arc was executed in 1431.   The spot is where the cross is.

It took awhile, but finally the Catholic Church admitted their wrong in the politically-motivated verdict after 600 years and made her a saint in 1922.   A new church was built near the sight on 1979.   Here's a look inside.

The stain glass windows were saved from the 16th century Church of Saint Vincent.

This is the remaining bell tower of Saint Andrew's Church :

OK .. you've been waiting for some food pics.

appetizer:   thinly sliced prime beef, lime hollandaise, tomato salsa, pesto sauce cress, parmesan, potato crisp, oysters mushrooms

appetizer wine:   Stoller NV Estate Sparkling

soup:   leek cream soup, farmers bread chips

main course:   roasted duck breast, grapes sauce, glazed red cabbage, goat cheese

main course wine:   Stoller Reserve Pinot Noir 2017

dessert:  puff pastry raspberry mille feuille, vanilla cream

Hope I didn't bore you with all of the historical stuff, but I really enjoy river cruising and docking close to a town's/city's historical center to learn about the evolution of people prior to their emigration to America!   It also doesn't hurt that you're living in the 'lap of luxury' while you're doing this!

Take care,  Joe & Jan