Rouen has been twinned with our nearest town Norwich for 45 years, and our family has done our bit towards Entente Cordiale by marrying a son of Norwich to a daughter of Rouen. Very possibly Thomas and Celia had a rather different agenda when they tied the knot some years ago in Cambridge, but they now live within walking distance of the city centre along with two rather nice little boys, our grandsons. Which explains why Rouen is currently our holiday destination of choice.
It is a beautiful city, every corner you turn presents another photo opportunity. I have probably photographed the same buildings every time I’ve visited, I am so struck by the shapes made by the timber framing, especially on the older houses which have settled, subsided and twisted over the years, and the wonderful colour combinations in which some of them have been painted.
Going under the clock on rue du Gros-Horloge you come into the old Market Place and the church of Joan of Arc.
Opposite the church is La Couronne, the oldest restaurant in France, which made me feel very inadequate about my window boxes!
Not far in the other direction from Thomas and Celia’s house is peaceful walk along the river bank to a water mill. Peaceful to all but a nervous granny who could never get quite as near to the three year old as she would like to feel relaxed!
I am finding a reoccuring theme to my recent posts… look, I found another dahlia!
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I love Rouen too! Your photos are lovely
Hmm — Benjy looks shifty. Just as well Rouen looks good.
Benjy ! Shifty ! Absolutely gorgeous!!
Doesn’t the big rusty wheel thingy look like a dahlia?!
I’m looking forward to our visit to Rouen in November, I shan’t forget my running shoes or maybe even roller skates !
Vive Rouen, vive Norwich! Vive l’Entente Cordiale!
Beautiful photographs, as usual, thank you Penny!
I hadn’t even noticed but you’re right!
Rouen looks beautiful ! I love the fact that their half-timbered buildings can have a blush of colour ….that makes it all so pretty !
I know what you mean about anxious Granny moments ….standing on a station platform with grandson , while an express train shot through , nearly finished me off ! Mind you , my grandmother held my hand to cross the road long after it was even remotely necessary , so we all do it !
You just whizzed me back, oh ten years in three blinks of an eye! Gorgeous shots – and such a different streetscape to the one I wander every day…
Hello Tania, thanks for dropping by, and thanks for all those lovely Spring things you write about which is very cheering for us in the Northern Hemisphere heading towards winter!