ROUEN

Rouen is in Normandie about 70 minutes west of Paris by train. We were invited there by our new friends - Emeline and Fabien. It is a beautiful town with medieval origins and Emeline and Fabien knew everywhere of interest to show us. I am sure we wouldn't have seen half as much on our own. It is really quite different to Paris and we saw many things of fascination, including Le Gros-Horloge, the clock tower in the centre of town that is certainly the oldest working clock I have ever seen. You can walk all the way up it and at the top it affords a beautiful view of the surrounding buildings that will transport you back to the 14th Century. Rouen is also greatly associated with Joan Of Arc and has the dubious honour of being where she was burned to death for heresy. Emeline and Fabien also took us to a courtyard that was used as a cemetery at the time of La Peste (The Plague or Black Death). The courtyard is surrounded by buildings decorated with images of death - like warnings to all who enter here. Rouen also has many exceptional churches, including its own Notre-Dame Cathedral which is a rival for Paris' Notre Dame with its amazing spire, similar building height, and inspired stained glass windows. Perhaps it is even more Gothic than the cathedral in Paris. We had lunch at a traditional Rouen creperie - Roland - where we all had beautiful savoury crepes, very tasty and surprisingly filling.
Next, Fabien and Emeline took us to the University where they both take Economics - it is surprisingly new and modern for a city of so many Middle Age architextural marvels but it just goes to show that it is a living, changing city like all vibrant places. After stopping for tea/coffee, Fabien drove us all up to an overlooking hilly viewpoint that surprised us with its all-embracing view of the whole city. Quite extraordinary. We were going to have a last leisurely drink at the station but when we got there our train was nearly ready to leave, so it was a sad goodbye to Emeline and Fabien, whose company and easy friendship we have been fortunate to have enjoyed. It may seem that our friendship has been acquired with death always in the background since you may remember that we originally met Emeline and Fabien at the entrance to The Catacombs in Paris but it's really that all of us are interested in history and how the past influences the present. And another thing that we have learned from both Emeline and Fabien is that while much of the momentous history of France may have occurred in Paris, really in France, History is everywhere, and Rouen is a fine illustration of that fact. So many thanks, Emeline and Fabien, we will miss you and hope that we may meet again.