Ile-de-France

The Ile-de-France Region includes the following Departments: 95 Val d'Oise (capital: Pontoise); 94 Val de Marne (capital of Créteil); 93 Seine (capital of Saint Denis Bobigny); 92 Hauts de Seine (capital of Nanterre); 91 Essone (capital - Evry); 78 Yvelines (capital - Versailles); 77 Seine et Marne (capital - Melun); and 75 Paris with of course, the capital being Paris.

 

 

les Andelys

This is just one of the many scenic places you can stop at when traveling through Haute-Normandie. It is only 72 km from Paris and we passed through here on our travel one year to drive along the Seine towards Le Havre. les Andleys is set in one of the loops of the river as it makes it way to Channel. At one time, Richard the Lionheart held court in the Château Gaillard, now in ruins.

 

Rouen

On our first true driving trip to France we arrived in Calais, got off the train on at the station by the docks (the tunnel was not finished) and then toured down through the Haute Normandie and Basse Normandie Regions. Rouen was one of the first steps and we were impressed with the city - partly because it was the first "we are in France" experience, but also because of the sights and feelings. It is a big city (500,000), of the top tops in France and the docks and industry of the port stretch for some 20 km. The centre has been restored and there are pedestrian streets that make visiting the city pleasant.

The Place du Vieux Marché is where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in 1431 - and with that sense of history that has taken place here, the city has a good feel.

Impressive door of the cathedral.	Inside the cathedral is "lighter in appearance and large.	The famous clock of Rouen.

We stayed at a hotel right on the Rue du Gros Horloge, and although I would not recommend it as a great place to stay, it was right there in the centre of the old city and made visiting very easy. The Rue du Gros Horloge is a pedestrian street, and walking on it you walked through the archway of the Gros Horloge, a clock and town from 1390.

	Of course the cathedral is impressive, work started in the 12th Century and continued for another 50 years. The Flamboyant Gothic decoration was added in the 15th and 16th Centuries. Continue down the Rue St Romain and you will find the Church of St. Maclou, it has five curved porches, a lacy spire and good stained glass. The Church of St. Ouen is also impressive with a Flamboyant Gothic lantern tower.
Church of St. Ouen