August 1, 2025
It is a lovely country drive from Rouen to Giverny with some sightseeing along the way.
Chateau Gaillard
Chateau Gaillard
Château Gaillard is a medieval castle ruin overlooking the River Seine above the commune of Les Andelys. Construction began in 1196 under the auspices of Richard the Lionheart, who was simultaneously King of England and feudal Duke of Normandy. It took a mere two years to build.
In his final years, the castle became Richard’s favourite residence, and writs and charters were written at Château Gaillard, bearing “apud Bellum Castrum de Rupe” (at the Fair Castle of the Rock). Richard did not enjoy the benefits of the castle for long, however, as he died in Limousin on April 6, 1199, from an infected arrow wound.
After Richard’s death, King John of England failed to effectively defend Normandy against the ongoing campaigns of King Philip II of France between 1202 and 1204.
The Seine and white chalk cliffs near the Chateau Gilliard
Statue of Liberty by Dali
Statue of Liberty by Dali
Located at the Vascoeuil Castle, a modern art sculpture museum, Salvador Dali’s statue of liberty with not one but two flames sits within view of the road.
Chateau Vascoeuil with a 17th-century dovecote to the left.
The fence of Vascoeuil Castle
I was intrigued by the stone used to build the walls in the area of Vascoeuil Castle. It is flint, which can be found as nodules within the upper part of clay formations and is formed of pure silica, better known as quartz. The outside is dull, but once split, the inside is lovely and glossy.