Contents. Picture This. Lifestyle. Savour the flavour. Out and about. SEINE VALLEY - NORMANDY The Tourist Office magazine

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3 SEINE VALLEY - NORMANDY The Tourist Office magazine Contents Front cover: Detail from Claude Monet s Rouen panorama Picture This 5 Rouen, source of inspiration 15 The reason why 21 Monet, Pissarro, Gauguin worldwide fame 26 Total impressions Lifestyle 33 A green and pleasant land 39 Jumièges, the orchard trail 43 Roll up! Roll up! The circus is coming 47 From garret to gallery 55 It s always springtime at Printemps Savour the flavour 57 Hats off to our chefs 65 Let the music begin 68 Looking for somewhere to stay? 75 Voyage of gourmet discovery 83 Where shall we go for lunch? Out and about 89 A veritable pleasure trove 93 On your bike in the CREA 97 Magical myths and fantastic fables 103 When Isilde gets the green light 107 Events diary 1

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5 Foreword Normandy and the Impressionist movement go hand in hand both are famous in their own right - one as a historic region of France and the other as a popular modern art school. Together this summer they will stage one of the most exciting cultural events of 2010: the first International Normandy Impressionist Festival. There is no doubt that this event will be a fabulous experience and to put you in the picture so to speak I would ask you to take a moment, close your eyes and think Impressionist Which is the painting that springs to mind? Is it the Japanese bridge and gardens in Giverny as depicted by Monet or the Normandy cliffs as seen by Courbet or a delightful little Normandy beach scene by Boudin? Whatever your choice the fact is that Impressionists are imprinted on our consciousness and even today we can all recognize one of their paintings and the art form remains one of the most popular and well loved movements ever to grace a gallery. Yet this is the first time that so many major Impressionist works will have been on display together. Some of them have never been on show in France before but you will find all the details a little further on in this magazine The main exhibition: A city for Impressionists: Monet, Pissarro and Gauguin in Rouen will be hosted here in Rouen by the CREA (Community Council of Rouen-Elbeuf-Austreberthe). However, the really exciting thing is that this festival will incorporate so much more - dozens of displays, exhibitions and events are to be staged around the Rouen signature show. Across upper and lower Normandy from east to west, from north to south, our region will be filled with the sound of music and musicians, stand up comedians, actors, film-makers, painters, photographers, writers, and producers. Events and artists of all descriptions will contribute to this extraordinarily rich and vibrant programme. The CREA boasts 71 towns and villages and over half a million people and is now the largest local community authority in France. It offers visitors all the splendours of the Seine river scenery, forests and woodlands, abbeys, historic crafts and traditions and a heartfelt welcome. I am sure that the CREA will have no trouble persuading you to stay on in this the very heartland of the Impressionist movement. I look forward to welcoming you to Rouen this summer to discover and enjoy the exceptional wealth of Normandy s cultural heritage, of which this magazine can offer you just a tiny glimpse. With my very best wishes Laurent Fabius President of the Greater Rouen Authority (CREA) Former Prime Minister Elected member of the National Assembly for the Seine-Maritime 3

6 Picture This It is quite as bewitching as Venice, my dear, it has amazing character and is truly magnificent! A real work of art; and the more I think about it the more I come to the conclusion that it is a veritable wonder... Camille Pissarro describing the city Rouen in a letter to his son Lucien on October 2, Claude Monet, Rouen panorama,1892. Rouen Fine Arts Museum, Catherine Lancien et Carole Loisel

7 Rouen, source of inspiration This is the first time that Rouen has been the subject of such a major exhibition which is strange as both the city of Rouen and the surrounding countryside had considerable influence on the Impressionist movement as can be seen from their constant presence in the pictures that the Impressionists painted and later in their recognition and in the international popularity of the movement. Over a hundred paintings from the largest collections in the world will be on display in the Rouen Museum of Fine Arts for the duration of the First International Normandy Impressionist Festival from June 4 to September 26. Rouen will reinstate itself as the town that was the source of inspiration and true capital of the movement. A nd what is incredible is that nothing has changed! Today the visitor delights in the same marvellous architecture, the cathedral, the stonework, the slate blue roofs and the glistening paving stones, all of which reach out to us just as they did to the artists of the Impressionist movement. The river Seine twinkling in the light, the chalky cliffs of Saint Catherine s Mount rising above the city, the busy industrialised river banks and adjacent valleys, the grassy meadows - wherever you look Impressionism is alive and ever present in every fibre of the city and the surrounding countryside. And yes, the city has kept the impressionist being a well- kept secret and has never shouted out boldly from the top of the cathedral the wonders of its artistic contribution. Rouen has kept its amazing rich heritage and history almost completely to herself as if too shy to boast about her splendours and the fact that this city was once the second most important town in France and really not that long ago Time passes but this year Rouen will establish herself proudly as a must and the festival will make sure that she will never be forgotten again the moment has come! Rouen is now going to shake off her reserve and make her way to the front of the stage, to tell the world about how it was here in the town of Rouen that the most popular and international of all modern art forms was born. How it was this very town that enthused, encouraged and nurtured those artists of the Impressionist movement who found in her streets and buildings a neverending source of subjects and inspiration. It was here in the then as now busy and bustling streets of the city that the artists were moved to put brush to canvas to depict familiar scenes from daily life. They were besotted with Rouen and not just one but all the great names: Turner, Jongkind, Corot, Pissarro, Monet, Sisley, Gauguin and many more from the subsequent Rouen school they all set up easel here and gave way to their obsession with light and time and again made endless efforts to capture the way the sun plays on the surrounding meadows and how they strove to portray the effects of the Normandy light on the waters of the river the city and its buildings. 5

8 Impressionism became well known very quickly Eugène Murer ( ) Hyacinthe-Eugène Meunier, his real name, is without a doubt one of the most unusual characters in the Impressionist portfolio. Artist and writer, he is best known as the person that gave the movement some intellectual theory and substance plus the financial conditions that allowed the movement to come to the attention of art lovers and collectors. Son of a seamstress in the textile industry, Murer went off to Paris when he was 14 and took up an apprenticeship in a bakery in the Faubourg Saint-Honoré. This became his lifelong profession alongside his other passion, writing. He would make a fortune from his pastry shop and as a frequent visitor to the Louvre and art galleries he started to write as an art critic for the paper Correspondence Française that sent him to cover the first Impressionist exhibitions. It was love at first sight! Embracing the movement wholeheartedly and forever putting in good words to those who were less enthusiastic, Murer gave the Impressionists open house, every Wednesday evening, on the boulevard Voltaire during the 1870s. After a decade of actively trying to promote his friends paintings, he left Paris and opened a restaurant at Auvers-sur- Oise. This would become a second temple to Impressionism Renoir and Monet where regular clients. After a long trip to Africa to concentrate on his painting, the painter come baker-art-critic-writer, bought the Prince of France and Spain Hotel in Rouen in The hotel was at the bottom of the Rue République where the cinema is today and it would quickly become a sort of exhibition centre or gallery for its owner and his numerous artist friends. Monet, Pissarro, Degas, Renoir, Cézanne, Guillaumin, Sisley, Gauguin, Van Gogh, Vignon, Delattre -all had shows at the hotel, especially during the French Home and Colonial exhibition of 1896 in Rouen. It was Murer s contribution and support as critic, banker and gallery impresario that ensured Impressionism a place as a major art form in contemporary French society. Normandy: the perfect outdoor studio Rouen played a defining role in the development of Impressionism and it is here, in the city and in the surrounding area that we can trace the formative steps in the history of the movement. Laurent Salomé, Director of Museums in Rouen, has worked hard to bring together the hundred or so paintings for the main exhibition, the Normandy Impressionism Festival. Rouen was always at the centre of this art form from Turner s water colours which are pre-impressionist - take a look at his Cathedral painted in right up to the post Impressionist forms like the Fauvists, for example a Dufy composition dating from 1905 called Quais à Rouen. The historic capital of the Normandy region had a major role to play in the movement as much as on the impact that the movement had artistically as well as on the spread of its popularity internationally. This exhibition will bring both these elements to the fore. All the big names in the Impressionist movement came to Rouen. They were fascinated by the wealth of subject matter they found here - the ancient stones and medieval architecture still intact yet flanked on the one hand by a busy industrial urban hum and on the other by the tranquillity of the region s agricultural wealth both criss-crossed by the waters of the river Seine and the soaring chalk cliffs that dominate its banks and the coastline. Rouen was the city that was the first to recognise and to promote these painters in spite of their rejection by the middle class with their preconceived ideas of good taste. Impressionism became well known very quickly-damned Charles Frechon, Detail from Haystacks at sunset, c.1905, Private collection Jean-François Lange 20 6

9 out of hand by some and raised to glory by others - it left no one indifferent. Murer s little story rings true. He says how shocked people were then by this new method of painting. The story goes like this: one day in 1877 the local pastry maker Eugène Murer (insert) organised a tombola in aid of his friends, the artists Sisley and Pissarro. One lucky lady who had won a prize in the form of a painting looked at her spoil in a blank way and left the shop only with a cream cake She must have cursed the fact that she only came away with a cake when soon after she saw the huge sums of money that Impressionist pictures were going for! In those days one of Monet s canvases must have had the same effect on the public that one of Marcel Duchamp s ready mades did a few decades later, adds Laurent Salomé with a smile. Duchamp, himself a son of the city of Rouen and mainstay of modern art and recognised as such all over the world, must have seen more than one doubting Thomas when he unveiled his famous work Fontaine in 1917, which is a magnificent china urinal turned upside down! Today replicas of this now famous work are on show both in the National Gallery of Modern Art in Paris as well as the Tate Modern in London. Rouen, at the heart of the Impressionist web Dealers in those days were motivated by their love of art, puts forward Laurent Salomé. They were not doing it as an investment even if their purchases were often subject to financial negotiations. We can see this in Depeaux s (insert), letters He was a formidable businessman and always tried to get hold of the pictures as cheaply as possible. Pissarro had an unfortunate experience as a result of an unsuccessful negotiation with Depeaux! But leaving aside these tales of bitter financial transactions let s put the movement in context. In the 19th century Rouen was an important city with a thriving textile and iron and steel industry and a busy port indeed the internal combustion engine was invented in 1884 by Édouard Delamare-Deboutteville at Fontainele-Bourg just outside Rouen. All in all, these elements all contributed to creating a favourable climate, a sort of renaissance and a new interest in Rouen s medieval architecture, Géricault, a leading figure in the When Laurent Fabius told me about the project and asked me to be the president of the organising association I jumped at the chance, partly because I would be working alongside Laurent Fabius, partly because the project itself was so exciting and partly because it was a great event for Normandy but at that point I really had no idea of just how big an event it was going to be. Pierre Bergé, President of the Normandy Impressionist Association, patron and entrepreneur.

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11 Alfred Sisley, Gusts of wind on the Seine at La Bouille (detail), 1894, Rouen Fine Arts Museum, Catherine Lancien et Carole Loisel Romantic Movement came from Rouen. Together with his contemporaries they made sure that the Normandy capital took its place quite naturally as the undisputed centre of a dynamic artistic and intellectual community. Laurent Salomé goes on: It is at this point that art becomes a subject absolutely central in the life of the city. Conditions in Rouen are ripe for it to become a leader in the art world: cultivated and moneyed art lovers, artists coming to the city to paint, a lively atmosphere of debate and serious although sometimes comic discussion because while here in the city at that time there were some extraordinary characters and people of vision, solid middle class conservative society could also be more than just a touch reactionary. Monet s brother Léon was a textile engineer working in the Cailly valley area just outside Rouen - otherwise known as Little Manchester because of its busy cotton mills It was he who first introduced Claude to the Rouen artistic circles in 1872 where he was to find an almost instant incredible success. This sadly would not be the case for Paul Gauguin (insert p. 13). For fashionable Parisians Rouen projected an image of a city full of art lovers and connoisseurs and not just a runof-the-mill uncultured provincial town. In their eyes Rouen became almost a sort of mini-paris. However, even if Rouen was thought to enjoy the same level of cultured society as that for which Paris was undeniably famous, it is still a mystery as to how and why in a comparatively short period of time that Impressionism became, at the end of the 19th century and still to this day, perhaps, the most popular art movement ever Laurent Salomé, Rouen Museums Director France still has an amazing sense of artistic genius even if the big art markets are now in the USA and Russia An initiative like the creation of the Normandy Impressionist Festival is a reminder that France is the starting point for many world famous schools of art and could easily be home to future schools well at least let s hope that that will be the case! Pierre Bergé, President of the Normandy Impressionist Association, patron and entrepreneur. François Depeaux ( ) Having made his money from coal and cotton at the turn of the century, this Rouen-born pillar of industry was to play an active part in making Rouen an Impressionist city. Today his name is inextricably linked with the fabulous collection of 53 masterpieces that he donated to the Rouen Fine Arts Museum in He was more than just a simple collector. Depeaux was a philanthropist, heavily involved in good works in the city. He was behind the building of public baths for the dockers on the riverside and had a project for a station on the left bank of the city his dream will become today s reality and is scheduled for In the early years of the 20th century Depeaux was a regular visitor to the Albert Legrip gallery in the Place Saint-Amand. Legrip was to the Impressionist painters of Rouen what Père Tanguy was to Van Gogh. Together with Georges Dubosc, local journalist and passionate defender of the virtues of modern art, Depeaux is without a doubt the person who did most to ensure that Rouen became the centre for Impressionism. It was thanks to Depaux that Monet met the well-known gallery owner and impresario Paul Durand-Ruel, although oddly enough that was not in Rouen but in London where they all taken refuge from the invading Prussians in It was in London too that Monet first saw Turner s watercolour of the cathedral and set himself the task of doing an even better job in his mammoth cathedral series of pictures 20 years down the line. In a way it was Depeaux who first hit on the idea of a Normandy Impressionist Festival. On his death he left part of his personal collection to the museum in Rouen, making the town proud owner of the most important Impressionist collection of paintings outside that of the Quai d Orsay in Paris. Depeaux possessed over 600 paintings and those that were not left to Rouen Museum were dispersed to the 4 corners of the globe to Denmark, Germany, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Russia and further afield to Australia, America and Japan. He wrote: Let s thank the Impressionists for making us take a closer look at nature and so be able to better love the world. 9

12 Robert Antoine Pinchon Le Pont aux Anglais at sunset,1909, Rouen Fine Arts Museum Catherine Lancien et Carole Loisel Rejection of all things academic One of the aims of the Rouen 2010 exhibition is to bring some answers to the question as to what it was that the public enjoyed in the paintings and why Impressionism was and is so appreciated and popular with the public. Of course there is the subject matter. The Impressionists worked hard to bring down the barriers that defined art via academic and religious arguments into acceptable and unacceptable topics. They happily crossed the forbidden line and plunged into subjects that were considered unwholesome and unworthy of pictorial representation. When the Impressionists painted Rouen, they showed her industrial face, her factories, pretty girls walking, forgotten gardens, trading boats and all sorts of things that up to now had been thought of as having little to offer as a subject for a painting, unless it was some sort of obscure symbolism. Even when Monet painted his cathedral series the fundamental and intensely symbolic meaning of the building is barely alluded to or indeed is totally absent. This total lack of respect for traditional academic principles no doubt encouraged one section of the public those who considered themselves more modern and lovers of art - in their admiration for the movement while it had just the opposite effect on the more conservative elite. The reason being that what we look at an Impressionist painting we are not drawn to treat it with either an almost religious respect nor give it a cold blooded academic analysis. The comfortable emotions inspired by an Impressionist picture give us a feeling of déjà vu, as if somehow we have ourselves either visited that very place or experienced the very moment that we see in the picture. Impressionism broke away from the strictly defined rules of art that had gone before and brought to the fore subjects that required, indeed positively begged for, closer scrutiny and exploration. The Veranda, Rouen Fine Arts Museum

13 What shocked Manet s contemporaries, for example, in his Le Déjeuner sur l herbe ( ), is not the fact that the painting depicts a naked woman. Nakedness was one of the most accepted academic traditions of classical painting, but Manet s naked woman is not portrayed in any well-known scene from the bible or mythology she is no Diana surrounded by satyrs and fawns. No - there she is lying exposed and extraordinary amongst clothed friends enjoying an everyday common or garden picnic! Outrageous! It is this simple portrayal of a naked human body in an unexpected context that gives the painting all its powerful erotic undercurrents. When the Impressionists came on the scene it was their portrayal of familiar and accessible subjects that most shocked the public. All of sudden art stepped out of the frame and knew no bounds. It became an extension of everyday life and portrayed delicious delights and fleeting movements of pleasure. Proust s novel À la recherche du temps perdu is merely the literary expression of our modern day fixation for the fragility of being. The unspoken truth about Impressionists Perhaps the immediate and lasting success of the Impressionists can also be attributed to the particular economic context of the last years of the 19th century, a period when the foundations of our modern political and financial systems were laid. The emergence of a new type of capitalism, less paternal, more aggressive and more inclined to free market exchange and more in tune with the notion of a world market gave hitherto unknown French artists an entry into a whole new market. Rich American collectors were eager to acquire art and were more ready to embrace new forms than their European counterparts who were still stuck in a more traditional mould. Laurent Salomé goes further: at the heart of the success and perhaps even the key to deciphering the reputation Frédéric Mitterrand, minister of culture, has declared the Normandy Impressionist Festival to be in the public interest and well worth a visit! 50 local authorities from both upper and lower Normandy and from all sides of the political spectrum have joined together to make this festival possible. The association behind the event has launched an Impressionist Festival Quality Label and has accredited over 150 local projects throughout Normandy alongside the main Festival. Laurent Fabius, Vice-President Normandy Impressionist Association, President of the CREA. Never before A City for Impressionism: Monet, Pissarro and Gauguin in Rouen is a world premier. This is the very first time that these paintings all by the very biggest names in the Impressionist movement have come back to the place of their conception. The exhibition will bring together over 100 canvases over half of which are from private collections. 11 of Monet s Cathedral series will be on show; 25 Pissarro s which will be the largest collection by the master ever put on display together; plus 7 of the 40 pictures completed by Gauguin during his time in Rouen Charles Frechon, Rouen as seen from the left bank, , Private Collection, Jean-François Lange Paul Durand-Ruel ( ) Durand-Ruel is the man behind the success story It was thanks to his work promoting both the Barbizon school and Impressionism that the movement enjoyed rapid recognition. Paul Durand-Ruel radically changed the role of the art dealer. He offered painters a monthly sum, which for many meant that they at least had some income, in return for an exclusive contract whereby they could only sell their works through him. This new way of working meant that inevitably the world of high finance would be linked to the market for works of art just as it is today and this too was Durand-Ruel s doing. His other major innovation was his idea to set up his own chain of galleries in the major cultural capitals: Paris, London, Brussels and New York. Following the opening of his New York establishment and an exhibition of paintings in 1886 the Impressionists found instant success with wealthy Americans eager to acquire their work. Without Durand-Ruel, Impressionism would very probably not have had such a rapid international success. Over the course of his career Durand-Ruel was to purchase over 12,000 pictures: 1,000 by Monet, 1,500 by Renoir, 400 by Degas, 400 by Sisley, 800 by Pissarro and 200 by Manet. 11

14 Charles Angrand Scene from inside Rouen Fine Arts Museum, 1880 Rouen Fine Arts Museum Catherine Lancien et Carole Loisel Impressionism is about atheism and non-believing enjoyed by the Impressionists is a taboo question. People don t like to say that Impressionism has an unashamedly anti-religious side. In their paintings, there is no hint of God; their vision is one completely in opposition to symbolism, he argues. Impressionism is about atheism and non-believing. I think that that aspect of it is still taboo. It is perhaps no accident of history that two movements born out of the revolutionary struggles of 1848: anarchy, a recurrent theme in the political struggle of the 19th century, and the Workers International would be at the height of their popularity and contemporary to Impressionism. When Laurent Fabius asked me to head up the Festival s advisory board I was not sure how it would turn out but it has been great to see how people have responded and the number of associated projects that have been put forward in parallel to the festival. For me that shows that in spite of the economic crisis not only are people keen to get involved in this sort of festival but, more to the point, that a major cultural event like this can generate such enthusiasm and be such a popular success. Jérôme Clément, President of the advisory board to the Normandy Impressionist Festival, President of Arte France. 12

15 Paul Gauguin in Rouen ( ) Gauguin lived in the hilly Jouvenet district to the north of the city of Rouen for almost a year in He came both in search of the abundantly rich sources of inspiration he had heard about as well as the abundantly rich art collectors. Gauguin was to paint 42 pictures during his Rouen period but his vision of the city would give us a totally different angle than to the scenes shown by his friends Monet and Pissarro. Gauguin spent most of his time in the outlying district where he lived and so his paintings are mostly bucolic scenes rather than the city centre, although today Rouen has swallowed up these fields and meadows. Sadly for Gauguin his time in Rouen would be a financial disaster as no-one bought a single one of his works. Fortunately for us, 35 of these paintings will be on show as part of the Normandy Impressionist Festival at the Rouen Fine Arts Museum. Venice Camille Pissarro Detail from Le pont Boieldieu in Rouen at sunset in the mist, 1896, Rouen Fine Arts Museum, Catherine Lancien et Carole Loisel Camille Pissarro in Rouen (1883 et 1896) The Normandy Impressionist Festival will have a large section dedicated to Pissarro s work dating from the time he spent in Rouen. Over 70 masterpieces will be on show (oil canvas, drawings, etchings, gouaches ) and all convey the almost obsessive delight Pissarro took in painting Rouen and the river Seine. Pissarro is considered as the first Impressionist in chronological terms. In 1874 he was one of a group of young artists who totally rejected the stilted academic work of the salons and who mounted their own exhibitions with the help of Nadar the photographer. At one of Nadar s exhibitions Monet s picture: Impression soleil levant, (painted in Le Havre in 1872) would give this new movement a name: Impressionism. Camille Pissarro came to Rouen twice, in 1883 and During the second visit he wrote to his son Lucien about the view of the city that he had from his hotel room. Right here in front of me I can see the boats riding on the water, to the left of the station, the poorer quarters stretch out all along the river banks down to the iron Boieldieu bridge, all of this clearly visible in the fragile early morning haze...it is quite as bewitching as Venice, my dear, it has amazing character and is truly magnificent! A real work of art; and the more I think about it the more I come to the conclusion that it is a veritable wonder 13

16 Claude Monet in Rouen (1890, ) In 1845 when Claude Monet was 5 his father moved to Le Havre and opened a shop selling colonial goods but the leading light of the Impressionist movement was to favour the city of Rouen where he painted some of his most famous pictures including the cathedral series of , 20 of which were exhibited at the Gallery Durand-Ruel in Paris in Over 130 of Monet s works will be on display at the Rouen Fine Arts Museum as part of the Normandy Impressionist Festival including 11 of his fabulous Cathedrals. 14 Claude Monet, Rouen, Cathedral portal and Tour d albane on a grey day, 1893, Rouen Fine Arts Museum, Catherine Lancien et Carole Loisel

17 The reason why They painted Rouen inside and out. The expression is perhaps a little racy but it is an accurate description of the close association and the enthusiasm with which the great names of the Impressionist movement set about painting images of Rouen and the region. It is true that the city suffered a lot of damage during the Second World War but since then it has been rebuilt and has become the modern European metropolis that we know today. Yet the scenes that we see in the paintings are still there in front of us and more than ever have become defining elements in Rouen s identity. Y ou only have to stroll along the riverbank down by Croisset or La Bouille to find the exact same scene painted by Stanislas Lépine or Paul Gauguin or Albert Lebourg Climb to the top of Sainte-Catherine s Mount where, like Camille Corot, you will enjoy a splendid view of the city and the Seine stretching out under you beneath a silvery sky or looking to the other side the soaring cathedral spire swathed in the purple-lilac hues of the sun, set against the swirling waters of the river. Nothing has changed: the scenes that inspired and enthused the Impressionists are ever-present, on the corner of every little street or viewpoint. If you walk down the quays you will still find the barges moored alongside the Pré-aux-loups or gliding past the elongated banks of the Ile Lacroix, their reflections shining into the Seine as if out of a mirror of light. If we took all the now famous views and scenes painted by the artists of the Impressionist movement during their various visits to Rouen we would find that in fact between them they painted every inch of this beautiful city. Laurent Salomé, director of the Rouen Fine Arts Museum, venue for the main exhibition of the Normandy Impressionist Festival maintains that the real innovation of the Impressionist vision was the use of scenes from urban life as subject for their work. Of course Impressionists were not the first to have painted urban life but the difference was that they did not just paint a sort of copy and paste snapshot. What interested Pissarro, Monet and the others and what they strove to capture was the very essence of life in the city, says Laurent Salomé. He continues: Rouen was and is an extremely beautiful city, one that Pissarro com- 15

18 pared to Rome and Venice, both cultured yet industrial, a mix of both ancient and modern, a city that has a timeless almost epic quality. Jacques-Sylvain Klein, author of Normandy Heartland of Impressionism , published by Ouest-France, shares wholeheartedly this enthusiasm for Rouen. Rouen was a popular subject and source of inspiration for artists long before the Impressionists but not very many people know that. Our splendid medieval architecture had already attracted great painters such as Turner, Delacroix and Bonington. With the advent of the Impressionists although of course they were interested in the city s historical heritage they also looked at life in the contemporary city in detail. The chimneys of the factories on the left bank, for example, fascinated Pissarro. Jean-Baptiste Camille COROT Village street in Normandy (c.1865) Let there be light A characteristic of 19th century art is the scrutiny of nature and the instigation of painting outdoors cityscapes and landscapes direct from life. In the journey towards Impressionism art would find in Rouen and the region of Normandy a natural source of subjects and inspiration in the open air. The business manager of the festival has a theory as to why these artists were so infatuated with Rouen and Normandy at the end of the 19th century. What drew these artists to Rouen was the transparency of the air and the reflections in the water. Together the Seine river, the chalky cliffs and the billowing fogs offer a unique spectrum of light. It is this particular combination that so appealed to the Impressionists and their paintings would forever fix Normandy and its capital as the centre of this most delightful movement. The cathedral, the narrow ancient streets, the fabulous clock tower the renaissance law courts and the gothic Saint Maclou church all the great names of Impressionism The Seine Valley at La Bouille Jean-françois Lange 16

19 Rouen, Jean-françois Lange came to paint and to mount exhibitions in Rouen for the town was the capital of the artistic community and after Paris it encapsulated an urban atmosphere which was the very essence of what they were looking for. Not an easy position to hold in the art world - the city of Rouen would organise its first Impressionist exhibition in Two years before there had been an exhibition hosted by Nadar, the photographer, in Paris, where the term Impressionist would be alluded to with a touch of bitter sardonic humour by the critic Louis Leroyin. Impression yes I can go along with that because I was impressed so there must be an impression in there somewhere, he wrote in his review in Charivari on 25 April 1874, of Monet s Impression, soleil levant. However, the thing that really shook the bastions of academic tradition was the Impressionists choice of subjects, their penchant for painting scenes from daily life, their frank portrayal of pleasure and their images of unmistakable delight and emotion areas and subjects that were at best considered dubious in an era still inextricably Victorian even on this supposedly less conventional side of the Channel. A city of delights and deep emotion Crowds thronged to see the Impressionist paintings on display in the 1876 Rouen exhibition - even those who had scorned the movement up to then turned up in number. People came to see these shocking pictures that delighted in the sort of scenes from everyday life that respectable people did not talk about - ones that they banished to the fringe of acceptable society. Take the Ile Lacroix, for example, says the festival organiser. In using the island as a subject the painters were knowingly painting a well-known pleasure ground. The island and the Seine river banks at that time were home to a series of guingettes or popular open air cafés that served cheap white wine and had music and dancing. In other words, although the guingettes were not totally unmentionable places as everybody went to them they were not seen as fitting or nice subjects for a painting. These pictorial snapshots of everyday scenes from Rouen have made a huge contribution to our knowledge of what life was like in the bustling city at the turn of the century and in doing so the Impressionists carved out an indisputable place not just for themselves but also for Normandy in the history of art. The river Seine in the mist at sunset, Jean-françois Lange Eugène BOUDIN Low tide at sunset c.1880, 1885) 17

20 Philippe Gloaguen, Director of the Guide du Routard The Routard rough guide: the Impressionist Trail in Normandy Collectif, Hachette Tourist Guides. Directed by Philippe Gloaguen, the Routard guide books have come up with a special illustrated colour edition devoted to the places linked to Impressionism in Normandy: Étretat, Mont- Saint-Michel, Honfleur, Deauville, Giverny and of course Rouen including an exceptional interview with the man behind the Routard series with their logo of a lone traveller carrying a globe in his rucksack. Tourism Office: Philippe Gloaguen, what is the Routard s secret? Philippe Gloaguen (PG): The secret? There is no secret, the guide was just born that way! Routard was founded by myself and Michel Duval in I had just left school and was freelancing for various papers. When I was working abroad I used to keep notes of interesting things to see, good places to eat and so on, telling myself that one day they could come in useful and be shared with other people who were going there. I suppose in a way that s my father s influence on my way of thinking he was a primary school teacher! He always said that learning should be a happy process and that a good teacher is one whose lessons are fun and who transmits knowledge as one reads or tells a good story to a friend. That s how we learn best. My father used to say to me that I had a class of 300,000 which was the number of readers we had at that point in time. We tried to get away from the sort of stereotypical guidebooks that were seen from a particular cultural perspective. And it was that that made us so successful. Today the Routard has published 135 books with over 2.5 million copies sold. 150 people are employed directly to work on the guide books either based at Hachette, our publisher, or in the editorial department or as writers some of whom are freelance and some work full time for us. Together they go to make up the successful team that means that the Routard is the number one selling guide book. OT: Tell us how this project for a guide to Normandy Impressionism came about. PG: Well, I had a call from an old friend of mine, Guy Pessiot* who is 18

21 the ex-director of the Petit Normand a regional guide book that I like very much. Guy asked me what I thought about this Impressionist idea and I was immediately bowled over. I knew that there was some sort of link between Normandy and the Impressionist movement but I really had no idea how strong it was. It is very unusual that an art school should be so inextricably linked to a particular area apart from the exception of fauvism and Collioure, this relationship is unique! It is surprising that no-one has thought of staging such a festival before. Impressionism was born in Normandy before setting out to conquer the world. Last November I was in New Orleans and there, in the modern arts museum, I saw pictures by an American who painted exactly like Monet but who had never been to Normandy. Impressionism is a style that attracted, marked and inspired whole generations of artists and yet it was first seen in the Salon des Refusés OT: The Routard too had some trouble finding a publisher to begin with, I believe. PG: Very true. I hadn t made the connection but you are right. The Routard was rejected 19 times before Hachette said yes and I still have all the thank you but no thank you letters! OT: What future do you see for the Routard given the success of the internet and online guides? PG: I cannot see into the future but I really do believe that internet is no threat to the written word. The routard.com site has over 2 million visitors per month and it is the best publicity for our books. Actually it is true to say that there are 2 sorts of clients: Those who are only away for a short trip don t buy guide books. They go to the tourist office and get their information there. These are the people that look at routard.com. If they are going off on a longer trip then they buy the guide book. In that context a mobile phone or ipad is no threat to a book when you are in the middle of Rajasthan. In the dust, with unreliable coverage you don t get out your mobile you reach for your book, it is the perfect companion, you can consult it whenever you like anywhere in the world. It will always be there for you. The other thing is that it will never need its battery recharging! OT: What is the thing that has most impressed you making this special guide to Normandy and the Impressionist trail? PG: Well, it is not like a guide to a place like Rajasthan, leaving to one side the strong link between the region geographically and the art movement, the most interesting thing for me was the fact that people from all sides of the political spectrum have come together to organise this festival. For once there are no clans and coteries as we see only too often in provincial politics and I take my hat off to Laurent Salomé, director of the Rouen Fine Arts Museum for his hard work and total dedication. This event promises to be one the greatest shows on Impressionism ever. * Guy Pessiot is the President of the Rouen-Seine Valley Normandy Tourist Office and is vice mayor of Rouen responsible for tourism. Guy Pessiot Jacques-Sylvain Klein, Normandy Impressionist Festival advisory committee chair Normandy, heartland of the Impressionist movement ( ) Jacques-Sylvain Klein, published by Ouest-France This beautifully and lavishly illustrated work traces the Impressionist movement from its origins and the first studies in Normandy undertaken by English Romantic painters. It is not true to say that Impressionism arrived on the scene out of the blue - it came neither as a set of rejected works in the Academy exhibition of 1863, nor from the dark woods at Barbizon. The movement emerged slowly from sunny river banks, green valleys and the exceptional light found under Normandy skies. This work will be invaluable in helping the reader understand how and why the exceptionally popular art movement is so closely linked to Normandy. Adolphe-Félix Cals The cliffs at Villerville (c.1870) 19

22 D6015 Learn to paint like Monet T he Rouen Seine Valley Normandy Tourist Office is to be found opposite the cathedral in a building dating from the beginning of the 15th century the magnificent Hôtel des Finances. It was on the first floor of this very same building that Claude Monet began his mammoth study of the Cathedral from the end of February to mid April Today visitors can discover the master Impressionist s techniques and use of colour in a specially designed workshop under the guiding eye of Rouen artist Édith Molet Oghia, You don t need to be able to draw or ever have tried your hand at painting to enjoy this activity which will help you understand the way Monet and the other Impressionists worked. In 1892, the Hôtel des Finances was a shop specialising in hosiery and woollen undergarments which meant that Monet had to work behind an improvised screen so as not to frighten the ladies when they came upstairs to try on their prospective purchases! But after a few months Mr Lévy, fed up both with his clients complaints but also Claude Monet s sour temper, decided that enough was enough and he asked Monet to leave and take his easel elsewhere. Monet moved to an apartment on the southern side of the square. All in all his cathedral series would be painted from 4 different viewpoints. The first spot was outside to the north, in the cour d Albane, and the next from a shop called the Grande Fabrique, belonging to Mr Louvet. These changes of vantage point explain the change in the angle seen in the series of paintings that Monet did between 1892 and 1893! Happily even the least talented artists amongst us can follow Édith Molet Oghia s clear and easy to understand A selection of some of the places favoured by the Impressionists in Rouen and the Seine valley D267 MALAUNAY instructions and leave the proud owners of our very own painting or impression of Rouen cathedral à la Monet. But we should spare a word for the brilliant building where the budding Impressionists set up their modern day easels. The Hôtel des Finances is an architectural jewel dating from the renaissance in Normandy. The building enjoys clear horizontal and vertical lines, ornamental decoration straight from Quattrocento Italy with roundels and little plump cherubs, all designed by Roulland Le Roux, also architect of the cathedral s main door. QUINCAMPOIX A150 D267 SAINT-JEAN-DU-CARDONNAY LE HOULME D121 HOUPPEVILLE Forêt Verte ISNEAUVILLE D928 A28 A28 D61A JUMIEGES DUCLAIR Camille Pissarro Boieldieu bridge, Rouen, sunset, in the mist YAINVILLE Forêt de Jumièges BERVILLE-SUR-SEINE D64 ANNEVILLE-AMBOURVILLE BARDOUVILLE HENOUVILLE D982 SAINT-MARTIN-DE-BOSCHERVILLE LA VAUPALIERE MONTIGNY CANTELEU NOTRE-DAME-DE-BONDEVILLE MAROMME D66 DEVILLE-LES-ROUEN D43 MONT-SAINT-AIGNAN ROUEN D1043 BOIS-GUILLAUME BIHOREL D95A N28 FONTAINE-SOUS-PREAUX SAINT-MARTIN-DU-VIVIER D43A D43 RONCHEROLLES-SUR-LE-VIVIER DARNETAL D43 SAINT-JACQUES-SUR-DARNETAL Claude Monet Rouen cathedral portal on a grey day SAINT-LEGER-DU-BOURG-DENIS PETIT-QUEVILLY BONSECOURS YVILLE-SUR-SEINE LE MESNIL SOUS-JUMIEGES Forêt de Mauny D67 QUEVILLON Forêt de Roumare D492 N338 GRAND-QUEVILLY SAINT-AUBIN-EPINAY LE MESNIL-ESNARD SOTTEVILLE-LES-ROUEN D94 D138 AMFREVILLE-LA-MIVOIE FRANQUEVILLE-SAINT-PIERRE MONTMAIN D MAUNY D94 BARNEVILLE SUR-SEINE Alfred Sisley Gusts of wind on the Seine at La Bouille CAUMONT SAINT-OUEN-DE-THOUBERVILLE SAINT-PIERRE-DE-MANNEVILLE SAHURS LA BOUILLE VAL-DE-LA-HAYE HAUTOT-SUR-SEINE D51 D13 GRAND-COURONNE D3 PETIT-COURONNE A139 D13A N138 D938 SAINT-ETIENNE-DU-ROUVRAY D18E D7 BELBEUF BOOS SAINT-AUBIN-CELLOVILLE GOUY D138 QUEVREVILLE-LA-POTERIE LA NEUVILLE CHANT-D'OISEL Charles Frechon The Ile Lacroix, Rouen, cours la Reine MOULINEAUX D67A N138 A139 D13 OISSEL YMARE Albert Lebourg The Seine at La Bouille Alfred Sisley Evening on a riverside path at Sahurs Claude Monet Rouen panorama 20

23 As part of the exhibition Une ville pour l impressionnisme : Monet, Pissarro, Gaugin in Rouen, over a hundred major impressionist works from collections all over the world will be on show in the Rouen Fine Arts Museum. Pissarro, Monet, Gauguin international fame Impressionism enjoyed rapid success in the American art market. The first exhibition was organised by Paul Durand-Ruel in 1886 in New York followed by the opening of his first permanent gallery in the United States 2 years later. From 1870 international recognition for the Normandy-born movement was encouraged and fostered by the 10 exhibitions that the French art dealer would put on every year in his New Bond Street London gallery followed by a series of Paris exhibitions from But the excitement connected with the paintings by Manet, Monet, Morisot, Renoir, Pissarro, Cassatt, Degas, Boudin and Sisley would not stop on the east coast. In 1890 a well-known collector from San Francisco, W.H. Crocker, bought 100,000 dollars worth of Impressionist pictures from Paul Durand-Ruel. However, it was the Barbizon school that at first seduced the majority of American collectors. The financial success generated by the New York gallery meant that Paul Durand-Ruel would be able to recreate his Paris activity which had been rudely interrupted 20 years earlier by the Franco Prussian war and the Prussian invasion of the capital. The dealer, now helped by his son, would extend his activities outside New York by placing Impressionist 21

24 by what the Japanese call ukyo-e or images of a floating world 250 of these woodcuts are now on display in Monet s house in Giverny. Although dating from 2 centuries before the Impressionists, this Japanese art form has many similarities with the movement. Japanese woodcuts depict landscapes, courtesans, theatres and scenes from everyday life, in short they show us details from strange and unconventional viewpoints and moments of illicit delight. What is more, ukyo-e were all produced very quickly and at first used only India ink and so were economical in all senses of the word. The same subject matter and techniques would be recalled in pictures painted by European painters at the end of the 19th century who had the same financial conditions and artistic concerns. This shared experience and closeness of spirit would ensure that Impressionism would enjoy a rapid and enthusiastic success in Japan. pictures in international exhibitions organised in major cities across America. For example, the World s Columbian Exposition, Chicago in 1893, the Art Loan Exhibition, Cleveland in 1894, in Saint Louis in 1895 and Pittsburgh in Durand-Ruel was our guardian angel but as his support for us had brought him to financial ruin he had to go off to America, commented Claude Monet at the end of his life. But it is thanks to the work of the Durand-Ruel family that so many Impressionist pictures and their portrayal of the Normandy countryside and towns found their way into art museums in all the major American cities. However, Impressionist fever would also conquer the land of the rising sun. The Japanese influence It is interesting to look at the influences on Impressionism and the Impressionists. In 1850, Japan ended her policy of isolation and eagerly embraced trade links with Europe. The first Japanese woodcuts and engravings arrived in France and were enthusiastically received by writers and painters alike. Of all the Impressionists, Monet would no doubt be the one who would be the most influenced 22

25 Monet: Rouen Cathedral, the main doors in sunshine (1894) This oil painting is the property of the Washington DC National Gallery of Art and is one of the Cathedral series painted between1892 and 1893 and then finished and dated in Giverny during From the end of January-beginning of February in the early spring of the year 1892, Monet set up his easel on the first floor of what is today s Rouen-Seine Valley Tourist Office then a women s lingerie boutique. He would return to the Cathedral square in the winter of 1893 this time using a flat on the south side of the square where he completed 30 pictures. His aim was not to portray the gothic building itself but to capture the endless variety of the light against the backdrop of the cathedral. For Monet, the conceptual curtain of light was more important than the physical subject matter itself. What I strive to portray is my impression and the relationship between it and myself, he said. The canvas was initially purchased by Paul Durand-Ruel who sold it to Chester Dale in New York in 1926 and was bequeathed to the Washington National Gallery of Art in The painting was on show in Durand-Ruel s New York gallery in 1917; in the Brooklyn Museum, for the season; in the Minneapolis Institute of Arts in 1923; before returning to Durand-Ruel In New York for exhibitions 1926, 1927 and again in 1933 and now to the Rouen Fine Arts Museum in The cathedral portal painted by Monet In 1894 contemporary photo Jean-françois Lange 23

26 Gauguin: Rue Jouvenet, Rouen et Vue d un jardin, Rouen (1884) Gauguin lived in the Jouvenet district of Rouen for 11 months in Even if he did not manage to sell a single one of the 42 paintings he finished during the period he did at least create 42 Impressionist masterpieces during his stay. La Rue Jouvenet comes thanks to the Thyssen- Bornemiszamuseum in Madrid, where it has been on show as part of a private collection belonging to Carmen Thyssen-Bornemisza since Vue d un jardin comes from the Portland Art Museum (USA). It was given to the museum in May 2009 as part of a private donation by art collector and patron Melvin Mark. The garden that Gauguin painted is in the Jouvenet district of Rouen The Jouvenet district painted by Gauguin in 1884 contemporary photo Jean-François Lange

27 Pissarro: 3 of his Rue de l Épicerie Rouen, series (1898) The version Morning, in the rain of the Rue de l Épicerie is preserved in the art museum of a small Japanese town Yamagata. The painting was part of a collection given to the museum by the Yoshino Gypsum building company in The Yoshino collection is mainly a collection of French Impressionist works including Millet, Sisley, Monet, Pissarro, Degas, Renoir As for the Afternoon in the sun view, this oil canvas comes from the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam and is the property of a private collection. The same street this time seen with a touch of sunlight comes from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. The oil painting was bought in 1960 by Richard J. Bernhard who donated it to the museum. Paul Durand-Ruel bought the canvas from Pissarro on the 21st October 1898 and then sold it on the 21st March 1900 to Louis Bernard in Paris. On the 11th May 1901 in the Hôtel Drouot it was resold for 8,000 francs to Maurice Leclanché who would sell it just 6 months later in the same hotel to one Auguste Savard for 83,000 francs. The painting was on show at the Durand-Ruel Paris gallery in 1928 when Auguste Savard sold the painting for an unspecified sum to Roger Varenne from Geneva. The painting has been on show at Kunstmuseum in Bern,1957; in the Petit Palais (Paris),1959; in the New York Wildenstein gallery in1965; at Knoedler s New York in 1966; at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, 1970; in the Tokyo National Museum in 1972; the Municipal Museum of Art in Kyoto during the same year; at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York in 1975; the Hermitage Saint-Petersbourg in 1975; the Pushkin Gallery, Moscow also in 1975; the Boston Museum of Fine Arts in 1981; the Staatsgalerie Stuttgart in 2000; the New South Wales Art Gallery, Sydney in 2006; the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, 2006; in the Houston Museum of Fine Arts in 2007; the Neue Nationalgalerie,Berlin in 2007 and finally the Rouen Fine Arts Museum in The rue de l Épicerie painted by Pissarro in 1898 contemporary photo - Jean-françois Lange 25

28 Total impressions Art in the heart of Rouen From July 3 to August 29, 2010, Rouen gets with it and for this event the capital of Normandy invites natives and visitors alike to discover or to revisit the city streets and at the same time enjoy a series of contemporary works on display in the open air. These multifaceted, multi-sensorial works by reputed artists including Arne Quinze, Shigeko Hirakawa, Olivier Darné, Jérôme Toq'r, François Cavelier and the artistic community Echelle Inconnue offer the visitor a unique experience. All summer long the public can enjoy the same vistas and panoramas that inspired the Impressionist painters at the end of the 19th century via this exceptional contemporary retake. This resolutely modern interpretation by local and international artists revisits the subjects that were the heart and soul of the Impressionist movement and offers an up-todate impression of light, landscape and life in the city of a hundred spires. This free exhibition is sponsored by Rouen City Council and will take place in the streets, parks and gardens of Rouen. Painting, modern art, music, cinema, theatre, dance, photography, film, literature and the spoken word, lectures, son et lumière, déjeuners sur l herbe, music halls The Normandy Impressionist Festival is a sensational event with speech, sight and sound all playing their part. There is really something for everyone with a myriad of art forms on offer. It makes perfect sense to come and enjoy Rouen and the surrounding area this summer! T he exhibition A City for Impressionism: Monet, Pissarro and Gauguin in Rouen at the Rouen Fine Arts Museum will run from June 4 to September 26 with works from all over the world from public and important private collections many of which have never been on display in France before now. Parallel to the main exhibition dozens of cultural events will contribute to the excellent choice on offer during the festival as a whole. These events have all been accredited with the Normandy Impressionist Festival Label of Quality and are to be found throughout the greater region. Impressionist Tours through their favourite places, son et lumière projections, firework displays, cruises and Seine river outings, picnics in the style of Déjeuner sur l herbe, turn of the century style open air cafés with music and dancing and many more outdoor activities are all part of the programme adding broad appeal and a festive air to an already remarkably rich event. Below you will find just a brief selection to delight your senses * This is not a full listing, hundreds more events are scheduled throughout Normandy to coincide with the Normandy Impressionist Festival. The complete programme is available at the Rouen-Seine Valley Tourist Office or online at 26 Arne Quinze s project for the Boieldieu Bridge, Rouen. Dave Bruel Studio Arne Quinze

29 Savour the Impressionist flavour Sunday June 20, 2010 Summer time is picnic time with friends or the family The festival will copy Manet and Monet s representations Déjeuner sur l herbe as well as Renoir s Déjeuner des canotiers as tableaux capturing the fin de siècle atmosphere and bringing a moment so evocative of the Impressionist era to life. The Grand Normandy Picnic, is scheduled for Sunday June 20, This event will take place for the most part on the Seine riverbank and on the Normandy coast. Special tablecloths have been designed for the event and Impressionist inspired hampers of picnic produce will be on sale with delicious items based on recipes from the notebooks of Monet, Renoir, Manet and Proust. Don t forget the boatmen and scarecrow costumes! Impressionist Menus inspired by Claude Monet s kitchen notebooks. Make Friday night at 8 a dinner date with Claude Monet! Friday night is Impressionist dinner night we invite you to join us in the Rouen Seine Valley Tourist Office - once one of Claude Monet s vantage points for his famous cathedral series, for a sumptuous dinner full of impressive flavour based on recipes noted by the maestro in a collection of notebooks. Before sitting down to your meal, enjoy a guided tour taking you to the very places where the impressionists set up their easels and experience the vistas that inspired many a masterpiece under these expressive Rouen skies the myriad of reflections on the waters of the Seine, the play of the light on the dusty stones of the cathedral facade. Explore the twisting lanes and cobbled streets of the picturesque old town so beloved of Monet and his contemporaries. Tours start from the Rouen Seine Valley Tourist Office every Friday at 18h from June 11, For full details contact the Tourist Office on +33 (0) Paintings in the night On a summer s evening as the dusk gives way to nightfall the whole of the facade of Rouen fine arts museum comes alive in a blaze of colours under the skilful hands of the Skertzo company. This fabulous sound and light show which takes a fresh look at the great Impressionist painters including Monet, Gauguin, Pissarro and Sisley is sponsored by Rouen Town Hall, the Regional Council and the Greater Rouen District Council. Rouen Mayor and local MP Valerie Fourneyron gives us her impressions of this spectacular event: It s as if the paintings themselves come to life and leave the confines of the museum behind them. It is a truly amazing blend of colours and special effects and what struck me was just how well this innovative combination of today s modern technology with our artistic heritage works to bring these Impressionist Nights to life. Impressionist nights Jean-François Lange Valérie Fourneyron Different events involving art, cinema, theatre and the performing arts around the theme Impressionism and light. In June the exhibition entitled Paint in Normandy will regroup an exceptional collection with works by Monet, Courbet, Corot, Boudin, Cals, Louvrier, Pinchon, Rame, and Delattre. The exhibition opens in Grand Quevilly before moving to Honfleur until September. May 29 to October 10, Sotteville-lès-Rouen: The FRAC (Regional Art Foundation) is putting on an exhibition entitled, From a garden, a collection of film and still photography on the theme of Déjeuner sur l herbe and Monet s own garden in Giverny. June to October: Rouen regional Fine Arts School: Exhibition entitled Weather Report : 3 artists explore contemporary shapes around the themes: the taming of the sun s rays, atmospheric matter and the merits of the wind. June 1st to October 30: The gardens of the Hôtel du Département at Rouen two dozen video makers present the exhibition Impressionism and video art: reflected light with the objective of discovery and re-discovery but also to show the extraordinary modernity and energy of the young masters of the 19th century. June to October: Theatre des Deux Rives in Rouen presents Let s have a picnic. Enjoy a light hearted look at the turn of the century. Adapted from a work by Zola directed by Bernard Rozet, with Elizabeth Macocco in partnership with the Upper Normandy Centre for Dramatic Art. A. Bertereau - Ville de Rouen 27

30 3 dimensions of Impressionism June 20 to October 5: The Ceramics Museum in Rouen will be hosting an exhibition of over 100 pieces with the original sketches and designs and watercolours exploring the little known but close relationship that existed between the Impressionist movement and the decorative arts, in this instance pottery and ceramics. June 1st 2010 to May 17, 2011: The Rouen river port and maritime museum exhibition: Messing about in Boats on the river Seine in the late 19th and early 20th century Charles Midoux, 19th century Barbotine vase, Auteuil pottery, Paris ( ). Adrien Dubouché Museum, Limoges RMN / Jean-Gilles Berizzi Take a deep breath of Impressionism July 3 to August 31, Jumièges Abbey Park: Exhibition to delight both the sight and smell. How to make an oldfashioned haystack. Haystacks were a source of considerable inspiration for the Impressionists notably Claude Monet who made an in-depth study of their shape and forms in different lights in a series painted in the 1890s in and around his home in Giverny. Haystacks at Jumièges Jean-françois Lange 28

31 Impressions in Sound June to October: Rouen City Opera will offer a musical programme with performances both in the theatre and in the open air June to September: The Rouen Conservatory for Music and Dance will stage a series of recitals and concerts featuring music, dance, and performing arts with a literary and artistic twist. July 24 to September 9: Les Musicales de Normandy festival in harmony with the Impressionist festival with concerts featuring Debussy, Fauré and Ravel, dates are (Rouen Cathedral, July 24; Jumièges, August 6; Rouen, August 19; Abbey Church of Saint-Ouen, Rouen, August 20; Saint-Maclou Church Rouen, August 27; and again in Rouen, September 4). David Morganti 29

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34 Lifestyle On the right bank, to the east, the hundred spires of the Rouen churches stood out against the misty sky, while on the left bank, the countless factory chimneys in Saint-Sever - the very heart of the industrial suburbs, churned out black smoke against the same skyline. But looking west, there was a long green valley with a river flowing through it. On its banks were dark forests and, in the distance, the huge silver snake of water was winding slowly down towards the sea. Guy de Maupassant, in L Echo de Paris, November 24, 1890.

35 A green and pleasant land The Community Council of Rouen Elbeuf Austreberthe (la CREA) is made up of 71 local councils with a total population of over half a million. The CREA, now the eighth largest territorial authority in France and the largest community of councils, is a genuine green belt area centred on and around the river Seine. The area s huge wild areas of forests and woodlands are matched by outstanding public and private gardens. The Botanical Gardens (Rouen) This is one of the most popular gardens in the area. It is always full of families enjoying a stroll or keen joggers keeping fit, but behind the scenes it has a more scientific use with its work to preserve various endangered plant species from around the world. Avenue des Martyrs-de-la- Résistance The garden was once part of the country estate belonging to Scottish financial wizard John Law who was appointed Controller General of Finances by the regent, Philippe d'orléans. There are many green houses in the gardens of which the central one is a listed historic building. The gardens also have 2 ponds for model boating and splashing about, an aviary and dedicated play areas and grounds to suit all ages. The Château Park (Oissel) Oissel city council turned the grounds surrounding the Marquise de Frondeville s château into a public park and gardens. It goes down to the river and extends out to what was once a hunting pavilion belonging to King Louis XVI and an ancient Normandy style farm. The arboretum is a foretaste of the extensive Rouvray forest which borders onto Oissel and is incidentally one of the largest areas of woodland belonging to the CREA Rue de Turgis la CREA... on the left bank 33

36 Grammont Park (Rouen) One of the greater Rouen s green lungs, this landscaped park has lots of play areas and features equipment for various sports and age ranges, not forgetting quiet places to sit and read or paths for those who prefer to take a gentle stroll. Rue Henri-II-Plantagenêt la CREA... on the left bank The Rose Garden (Grand-Quevilly) In this 6-hectare garden laid out in the form of the petals of a flower there are literally thousands of varieties of roses. The different sorts have been selected for their exceptional qualities of colour, shape, and perfume and the enthusiasts will find examples of Shrub Roses, Climbers, Ramblers, Bush Roses as well as Standard and Tree Roses.The garden has a series of information panels that give useful tips and information for botanists and plant lovers alike. Hôtel de Ville Service Environnement de la Communauté de l'agglomération Rouen-Elbeuf-Austreberthe Woodland discovery centre (Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray) The Rouvray is the largest of the 3 Woodland Trail and Education Centres in the Greater Rouen area. The centre is open for school groups in the week and to the general public on Saturday afternoons from 14 to 17h30 and Sundays from 10h to 17h. The woodland centre organises guided walks through the woods, conferences and lectures, exhibitions and many other events throughout the year. Chemin des Cateliers. Renseignements :

37 Soquence Park (Sahurs) The Soquence estate with its fine 19th century manor was initially designed as a country residence by the Grouchet de Soquence family at the end of the15th century. Surrounded by nature, the house has huge windows overlooking the Seine which runs along the bottom of the series of terraces and the extensive grounds that were replanted when the château was restored in neo-renaissance style in Open from 12h to 18h from the 1st to the 12th July and again from the 15th July to the 11th August CD51 between Rouen and Duclair Jardins d Angélique or Angelique s garden (Montmain) This delightful garden was designed by Yves and Gloria Le Bellegard in memory of the daughter Angélique. Laid out around the 17th century Normandy manor house, the garden is open to the public and has several features including a rose garden, shrubs and herbaceous borders, Italian garden, pond and stream and is must for garden lovers and romantics. Route de Lyons-la-Forêt la CREA... introducing on our right 35

38 Manoir de Villers (Saint-Pierre-de-Manneville) What is now the park and grounds of this country estate of the cream of 16th century Rouen society was originally a conventional 18th century garden redesigned at the end of the 19th century into a park with open views over the Seine. Visitors will find that both the formal gardens and the woodland area are the perfect place for a relaxed afternoon stroll. A secret passage leads to a flight of steps and a little garden hidden amongst the flowers and tall grasses for a moment of perfect privacy. Open from April 1st to October 31st Saturdays from 14h30 to 17h30. Sundays and public holidays from 15h to 18h30. No free admission. Guided tours of the manor house and gardens. 30 route de Sahurs la CREA... introducing on our right Rouen Town Hall gardens (Rouen) Right in the city centre behind the Town hall these extensive lawns and gardens are a natural link between Rouen s very own Montmartre - the district Saint-Nicaise and the central Saint- Vivien area. The spacious play area and the pleasant seating area around the vast pond make this green oasis a favourite meeting place for townspeople. Rue des Faulx 36 The abbey park of Saint-Georges-de-Boscherville (Saint-Martin-de-Boscherville) Created by the Benedictine monks from the St-Maur congregation, the park is the perfect example of a typical monastic garden from the 7th century. Vegetable gardens brimming with a pleasing mix of flowers and vegetables, medicinal herbs, orchards full of forgotten varieties of fruit trees of all shapes and sizes, vines and ornamental shrubberies. Part of the regional Seine valley and estuary park and an area of outstanding natural beauty, these gardens offer magnificent views over the abbey and the river. 12, route de l Abbaye

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41 Jumièges, the orchard trail To the west of Rouen the area between Notre-Dame-de Bliquetuit and Duclair is famous for its orchards. In fact this area has a microclimate particularly suited to the production of different kinds of fruit. Apples, pears and red fruits are all in their element here on the banks of the Seine. We invite you to pick your own way through the blossom along the Orchard Trail... I t doesn t matter which way you come - either along the tow path or across the Seine on the ferry - the magic of Jumièges never fails. On the one hand the huge container ships plough their way laboriously through the green of the swirling waters of the Seine on the other the green of the orchards stretching as far as the eye can see. As you get off the ferry the third house on the right with its little farm shop belongs to Pascal Crevel, whose family have been fruit farmers here for 3 generations. Just a stone s throw away behind the trees is a 15th century manor house that once belonged to Agnès Sorel, mistress to King Charles VII and famous court beauty. How appropriate that Agnès manor house is today surrounded by acres of apple trees the forbidden fruit. The rounded forms and the rosy hues of the many and various varieties that Pascal Crevel and his fellow fruit farmers produce every year are echoed in the surviving portrait that we have of this famous courtesan. Court painter Jean Fouquet depicted the delightful and seductive Agnès with open bodice (see insert) and ripe for the picking. In this micro-garden of Eden the fruit is so delicious that no Eve is needed to tempt us to fill our baskets with a selection of Reine des reinettes, Boskoops, Cox s orange pippins or rubinettes and to take them home where we lovingly bake them into pies or just bite into their flesh with unashamed hunger. In this one area there are over 30 small fruit farms but they all farm responsibly. We hardly use any chemicals on our trees and we all try to use natural methods to ensure that fruit stays healthy. For example we use pheromones the smell puts off butterflies that don t settle on the fruit and so don t lay their eggs on them. Pascal uses other insects as part of his healthy fruit plan. I work with a beekeeper from Yvetot who lends me half a dozen or so of his hives at blossom time and the bees do the rest! They pollinate the trees and so we get a better harvest! Mild mists and early fruits It would be easy to say that fruit from Jumièges is the best in the world and stop there without going into the reasons why the monks from these already rich abbeys and wealthy monasteries along the fertile banks of the Seine grew even more prosperous thanks to their productive gardens and orchards. There is no divine mystery. Fruit grows so well here 39

42 Before leaving Pascal and his orchards a word of advice. If you like your apples like Agnès Sorrel then try the succulent rubinette variety - small yet perfectly formed! because of the microclimate, says Pascal. It is simple. Because of the river the temperature here is always 1 or 2 degrees higher than on the neighbouring highland. The chalk cliffs too play a part as they face directly south and not only reflect the heat back into the orchards but also protect us from the wind. Finally because we are in a river bottom we have over 50 days of fog here but that means that we don t get frost which is the real danger for fruit farmers - it s a killer. All these things together mean that the orchards around Jumièges produce around a fortnight before the farms on the higher ground. As Pascal walks out through his orchards a big fat hare lopes away from him. That is another thing. We have put nets up around the trunks of the trees to dissuade rodents from spending too much time in the orchard and eating all the bark! he says. All these environmentally friendly methods mean that Pascal s 7-hectare farm harvests between 80 and 100 tons of fruit a year. The apples and pear trees are on 5 and half of the seven hectares here and the rest is given over to soft fruit which is a new development for us. We have strawberries from about the end of May, beginning of June, then red currants, raspberries and blackcurrants followed by cherries and plums. Before leaving Pascal and his orchards a word of advice. If you like your apples like Agnès Sorrel then try the succulent rubinette variety - small yet perfectly formed! 40

43 D45 D64 TUIT SAINTE-MARGUERITE-SUR-DUC SAINT-PIE TUIT D982 Forêt du Trait Maulevrier LE TRAIT DUCLAIR D143 BERVILLE-SUR-SEINE D86 HENOUVILL D94E D20 AYE-SUR-SEINE HAUVILLE HEURTEAUVILLE D143 D65 YAINVILLE LE LANDIN D143 JUMIEGES Route des Fruits ANNEVILLE-AMBOURVILLE LE MESNIL-SOUS-JUMIEGES D65 YVILLE-SUR-SEINE D265 BARNEVILLE-SUR-SEINE BARDOUVILLE MAUNY On the Normandy fruit trail D91 D45E D64A D64A SAINT-MART SAINT-PIERR You will find apple trees, pear trees and cherry trees the whole length of the fruit trail which winds its way through the orchards of the Seine valley To follow the trail leave from the village of Notre-Dame-de-Bliquetuit, on the Brotonne spit. Start from Parc naturel régional des Boucles de la Seine Normande discovery centre. The village has some lovely half timbered houses and a beautiful 11th century Norman church. Next head towards Mailleraye-sur-Seine, where you can still see traces of a château pulled down in the 19th century. From there go on to Jumièges, crossing the Seine on the free ferry at Heurteauville. Here the countryside changes: you will find fields edged with ditches and get a glimpse of the dense Brotonne forest. At Yainville Grange farm lies in the middle of vast fields that once belonged to the abbey and monks of Jumièges. Now it is a fruit farm planted out with orchards. From here the road goes on to Mesnil-sous- Jumièges on the banks of the Seine before ending up in the small town of Duclair. D67 D6 Normandy was home to the vine before apples In the 11th and 12 centuries, strange as it may seem, Normandy was one of the major wine producing regions of France. The Seine valley was full of vines and boatloads of grapes left here for export to Great Britain. But towards the end of the 12th century there was a climatic change and the colder weather progressively put an end to the production of vines in Normandy. Moreover English wine merchants were able to tap into better quality wines from the Loire valley and from Aquitaine, all part of the extensive Plantagenet empire. Add the mini ice age in Europe between the 15th and mid 20th centuries, the deadly phylloxera vine disease and floods at the turn of the 20th century it is surprising that a few vines still grow in the Duclair region! However true it is that Jumièges was once a wine growing area where vines grew up special poles around the apple trees a bit like hops, it is also true to say that the quality of the fruit of the apple orchards is infinitely higher than the fruit of these ancient vines

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45 Roll up, roll up the circus is coming... If you go to La Bouille don t miss the antique shop version Soleil where wonder and surprise are guaranteed. The owner is not the usual run of the mill antique dealer but a real circus character. His name? Alain Rancy. D o you know how to dance the Letkiss? It isn t hard to do. First of all, ladies get out your best little black dress, put your hair up using as much spray as you like and then on with these little cream kitten heels. Now gents it s your turn! On with your best black drainpipes, white shirt, skinny tie and patent leather shoes! Ready? Right then, hands on hips, wait for it, lads, not hers, your hips please, that s the way! Right then, raise your left foot twice, now raise the right one. See it s not hard now. A little jump forward bringing your heels up to your bum, and now the moment you ve all been waiting for, yes, you can kiss her now. Then jump back, one two three. And that s it! You can dance it like this or altogether conga style, they do it like that too in Lapland! Gone but not forgotten. The Finnish dance craze The Letkiss hit France in Alain Servan was one of the pins ups of the time. The music was a sort of brass band sound with crashing cymbals reminiscent of that piece of music that you always hear in old films when the circus is in town. No surprise then that twenty-something singer Alain Servan was chosen by HMV to record a 45, a 4-title EP with Do the Letkiss on the A side. Servan had already made his first single I left the dance floor for Pathé Marconi, a song by Yves Robert with musical arrangement by Michel Legrand. However, the Lapland Letkiss put an end to Servan s career. In those days people came and went like Kleenex. I didn t sing too badly but singing didn t do it for me: my real passion was for the circus. The truth is that Alain Servan s real name was Alain Rancy who came from a long line of ringside entertainers. The Rancy family is one of the best known European circus families and one of the oldest in the trade. Our La Bouille antique dealer is not only related by marriage to Achille Zavatta but he is also descended from Théodore Rancy, who built what were called winter circuses in Geneva (1875), Lyon (1882), Le Havre (1887), Boulogne-sur-Mer (1888), Amiens (1889) and Rouen (1893). The Rouen theatre was near the Boulingrin and before it was pulled down in 1973 if you had asked anyone in Rouen if they had been to the Rancy circus the answer would have been a resounding yes. A popular 43

46 show as part of the autumn Saint Romain Fair people used to flock to see the lions, elephants, clowns, and acrobats So forget the Letkiss, crazes like that come and go, but the circus lives on as does the name Rancy... The cinema comes to Rouen Rancy s theatre could seat 3,000. It had stables, a concert and dance hall that could hold 1,000 and a restaurant with an outside dining area or terrace that ran along the boulevard de l Yser. There were often circus shows here put on by either the Piège or Rancy circus companies and from 1896 the cinema took over. Cinema first came to Rouen as a fun fair attraction as part of the annual St Romain Fair as early as 1896, barely a year after the Lumière brothers demonstrated their invention. Nowadays we have forgotten that before the big companies like Pathé, Omnia and Gaumont began to organise regular screenings in what had been theatre halls like the Rancy it was the travelling showmen and circus companies that had been the first to adopt the new invention of cinematography and include it in their public entertainments. In other words, while the impressionists were busy finding inspiration in the streets of Rouen, the Rancy theatre was to become Rouen s first cinema hall. It is in the blood Alain Rancy has been an antique dealer in La Bouille for the last 12 years but once a circus artist always a circus artist and he is nostalgic for the big top. Being in the circus is a bit like being in love it is a question of passion. My family had to stop the circus life in The 80s were a very difficult time for circus artists, a time when younger generations had no interest for it. Alain has a huge array of souvenirs from his circus time a clown costume, lots of paintings of the ring, a sketch by Aslan, the renowned painter of Zavatta, an amazing collection of posters and a formidable collection of scars from his time as a lion tamer! I was only 5 when I started in the ring. I had a Peter Pan costume and did a number with poneys but the big cats and the elephants were what I was really interested in. In 1975, I took over the management of Rancy circus from my mother Sabine. Alain got out a box of photos showing old friends from the circus: Alain with Yuni the monkey, Diego the orang-utan, baby crocs swimming in the bath... I have always had itchy feet, I really can t stay in one place too long. Fortunately being in the antique trade means going away to various salons and shows, travelling around... Travelling is an integral part of circus life, being on the move constantly is not necessarily a way of life that appeals to everyone! People here in La Bouille still haven t completely accepted me, says Alain suddenly. My family are all Sinti we came originally to Eastern Europe from India. I still speak Sinti which always takes travellers aback when they come here and I speak to them in their own language. They are always completely amazed. Alain is proud of his nomadic origins but he keeps himself to himself and it is a long time before he opens up and gives just a glimpse of the fascinating life he has led. When he starts telling us about the Monte Carlo circus and his aunt Annick Zavatta who this year is president of the principality s famous festival he suddenly confides almost apologetically. The circus lives on thanks to the Grimaldi family. I know them all really well Stephanie and I were virtually brought up grew up together. Alain Rancy could write several books about his life. Robert Lafon has asked me several times but for the moment I don t have time. His latest project takes up most of his free time. Alain is working on a new concept. I want to combine the restaurant with the antique business - for people to be able to come in, sit down and have something to eat and then if they like the china and cutlery used for their meal well then they can buy them! Rouen Magazine salutes this excellent and original idea and wishes Alain every success with it. In the meantime, back to the dance floor...1, 2, 3, 4 and Letkiss! Version Soleil 7 place du Bateau ; La Bouille ; Tel

47 The Elbeuf community circus and performing arts centre Built in 1892 as a theatre cum circus, the Elbeuf community circus and performing arts centre is one of the 8 surviving permanent circuses that were built in France and the only one to have a 13 metre wide ring exactly like the ring under a big top in a travelling circus plus a proscenium stage. Today the theatre is the regional centre for circus art and every year it welcomes artists in residence to create different programmes with a contemporary feel.. For full details:

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49 From garret to gallery - a journey Periods of economic austerity always produce an interesting effect on the creative arts. Daniel Duchoze is optimistic... in spite of the fact that sales are dramatically down since the start of the recession. His gallery has a reputation for the excellence and originality of the modern art on show here that spreads far beyond the frontiers of Normandy. For the art market times of economic difficulty is a bit like gardening. The crisis is like winter. It is a time to fertilise but spring will come, the market will flower again. So even if the first shoots of the buds are just pushing their The art market has of course been badly affected by the economic crisis but even in these uncertain times the galleries in Rouen are backing a wealth of young talent. There are still some art galleries in Rouen where young artists can display their work and in doing so make sure that the Rouen art scene stays firmly amongst the top of the list for art lovers and collectors. heads up and over the bed of recession the galleries of Rouen are ready and impatient to gather the first bouquets of the new season. Marie-Andrée Malleville is the owner of the recently opened gallery MAM in the heart of Rouen s old town on the rue Damiette. She sees a change in the way that young artists of today work and how they set about selling their output making increasing use of new technologies. The difference between today s artists and older generations is that the latter employ others to finish their work while the youngsters are keen to do everything themselves. Today s artist is 47

50 Daniel Duchoze also thinking about how their work will age and last. There is a return to a real savoir-faire, to hard work and to study. Youngsters today have taken on board the abstract concept of art itself but they are really working hard to find different ways to give people something definite to see in their work. Daniel Duchoze agrees: There is definitely a change in the air, we are going through a period of transition from one thing to another. I feel that we are moving away from a loose and abstract notion of the artist to something concrete, a return to the idea of the professional artist, who knows his subject and who has a real sense of the finished work. To my mind Duchamp did the art world no favours because he was so misunderstood. People only saw the work and not the spirit of the work, not the message behind them. Modern art is the creation of individual signals, one offs, but art is also all about culture. Art is not just about whether you like something or not - although of course that is what decides whether or not you buy a work - but to understand it and to get into a work and to get something out of it you have to have knowledge, to know the world and have an experience of life. Apart from this change in the way that artists work and a return to a more visually defined style of work Daniel Duchoze, who as well as his gallery is a well known artist, sees a radical change in the economics of that art market. For him the world market is a thing of the past. There will be a return to the idea of a local market, of regional schools that will become powerful centres of artistic activity in a particular area. The way the market operates today is finished. The number of galleries is dwindling. The promoters, perhaps 500-1,000 in the whole world, who make an artist. All that is finished. The economic crisis has shown up the limits of the system. This transformation in the world of art can only be good news for Rouen - a rosy future then for the city which not only inspired the Impressionists but who was also the muse for those artists that came after - the Rouen school - long in the shadow of their famous predecessors but whose works are considered today as being as good as anything by Monet et Pissarro Art straight from the heart How can I truly depict the modern world unless I myself am fully aware 48

51 Claire Maugeais of the things that surround me? The question comes from Claire Maugeais, who is one the artists on show at the MAM gallery at this the start of The word and notion of the subject and its relationship with the rest of the world is back and it is this that is at the very heart of the work being done by contemporary artists. What a nonsense this admiration for things in pictures is because it is art when we barely take any notice of the real things themselves! So wrote Pascal in his celebrated Pensées (40-134). But the relationship between art and the subject it represents has to be more than what Claire The Rouen School The term Rouen school appeared in 1902 and refers to a group of 30 or so painters, post impressionist who were all from Rouen. At that time the Impressionists had become accepted and credible and were finding international success. The painters Charles Angrand, Marcel Couchaux, Joseph Delattre, Charles Frechon, Albert Lebourg, Léon-Jules Lemaître, Maurice Louvrier et Robert Antoine Pinchon (to name but a few) were not just pale imitations of the Impressionists they developed their own version of the unbroken line. Some would be neo-impressionists, a group led by Seurat, in a movement that would be known as pointillism, a name which came from the juxtaposition of primary colours and they way in which they were placed on the canvass. In fact these painters were merely exploring a technique initially used by Pissarro and Monet. Founded 30 years ago by Michel Bertran and François Lespinasse (author of numerous reference works on the Rouen school), the gallery Bertran is the great specialist on the Rouen school. Its contribution to the Normandy Impressionist Festival will be exhibitions of a number of important works from the Rouen School. 49

52 Jean-Claude Bélegou series «le Déjeuner sur l herbe», Colour Photographs Courtesy Galerie Pierre Brullé, Paris Copyright reserved The Regional Contemporary Art Council (FRAC) The FRAC (Fonds régional d art contemporain) has an interesting project as part of the Festival. The exhibition is entitled Dans un jardin (In a garden) and will be centred around the theme of Déjeuner sur l herbe. So many of the impressionists used the popular outdoor picnics and boating parties of their time as subjects in their paintings, from the celebrated Déjeuners of Édouard Manet and Claude Monet to the Déjeuner des Canotiers (The Boating party) by Auguste Renoir and not forgetting Un dimanche après-midi sur l île de la Grande Jatte by Georges Seurat. This theme of the picnic and leisure is explored by 60 contemporary artists from all over the world through photography and film depicting the way the modern world views the culture of leisure a recurrent theme in impressionist art and one the masters brought to the fore. The FRAC gallery Trafic is opposite the Botanical gardens in Sotteville-lès-Rouen. The FRAC works to bring contemporary art to the public and not only buys work by modern artists, but also puts on exhibitions and hosts a full and exciting programme of lectures, conferences and classes helping the public to find out more about today s art and allowing young modern artists to fulfil their potential. FRAC 3 place des Martyrs-de-la-Résistance, Sotteville-lès-Rouen. Tel Maugeais describes as consciousness or awareness. For in order to achieve a likeness, empty exercise though it may be and Blaise Pascal emphasises this futility as the good Jansenist that he was, the artist takes a short cut to the finished product. But to produce something worthwhile, something authentic, the true artist manages to put into words a world with which we could not otherwise communicate. And he does so without any sleight of hand, no cheating as the paintings of the great masters of the Rouen school reveal and as you can see from the work on display at the gallery Antoine Bertran in the rue de Martainville just near St Maclou. Antoine Bertran is an authority on the post impressionist Rouen school and does not hide his admiration for the work of Lemaître, Delattre and Couchaux. Bertran illustrates his point taking down a painting by the latter - one of the most prestigious artists of the Rouen school. With Marcel Couchaux, there are no holds barred - he shows us - he paints just what he sees. But it is the word see that the artist interprets, blends and translates into his own language as we can see clearly and unambiguously in Couchaux s pictures. When Couchaux painted Le Buveur, in the village of Sommery, just outside Neufchâtelen-Bray, he did not make do with a simple account or cliché he brings his subject to life using his own individual style with deliberate, powerful colours, determined and energetic brush strokes Rouen s young artists today can take heart from the success of the Rouen school and can hope to find the same celebrity in the future. If what Duchoze says is true and the world art market is a thing of the past then these young talents will be free from the influence of a tiny club that dictated who would and who would not become a star. These lucky young artists will be able to work freely and in doing so create and supply their own local admirers and collectors - a locally sourced market! Galerie Duchoze boulevard de l Yser, Rouen. Tel Galerie MAM - 45 rue Damiette, Rouen. Tel Galerie Bertran rue Molière, Rouen. Tel Antoine Bertran 50

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54 The photo gallery at the Visual Centre The Arts Centre Le Point du Jour at Cherbourg-Octeville and Rouen s Visual Centre are putting on twin exhibitions for the Normandy Impressionist Festival both centred on photos by Maxence Rifflet. The young photographer worked on 2 Normandy-based projects between 2007 and 2009, one in Lower Normandy on what is known as the tourist trail that links Cherbourg and Coutances, and the second in Upper Normandy. Rifflet took a series of photos in the Regional Seine Valley Park. Working down the river, the photos show the varied faces of the region sites of natural beauty, industrial activity and the region s architectural heritage and all bear witness to the relationship that exists between the region and its landscape today, echoing that inspiration found by the artists of the 19th century The Visual Centre exists to ensure that Upper Normandy has a modern photographic record of life and times in the region and of our heritage and hosts a full programme of exhibitions throughout the year in its Rouen town centre gallery on the rue de la Chaîne as well as many travelling exhibitions in partnership with the region s museums and the Frac. Galerie Photo 15 rue de la Chaîne, Rouen Tel

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57 It s always springtime at Printemps Aline Derlot Delapierre is the Manager of Printemps in Rouen. The famous department store is currently undergoing a complete makeover and will spring into autumn with a brighter, smarter store offering even more for shoppers. Rouen Tourist Office (TO) : Aline Derlot, tell us a little more about this refurbishment what surprises will the new-look Printemps have in store for us? Aline Derlot (AD) : Well, you are right - it is a complete makeover of all 3 floors and the whole shopping area which is over 6,500 square metres - so it's a big project! In the autumn the store is going to focus far more on young designers and top of the range fashion and accessories.. I have been working on this since I came here 5 years ago My idea is to make the store into a complete shopping outlet with the best, not only in designer goods and the big names, but also with young up-and-coming brands so that the store will appeal not just to women but offer shopping solutions for all the family and for all budgets. For example, take our men's department, which has always been a bit small. In the new store it will be a bigger section offering a wider choice in designer brands not just for clothes but also for accessories and leather goods. This change of direction is what today's client is looking for and this is the strategy that the Printemps group is putting into place in response. Rouen's new-look Printemps will be one of a handful of 'New Generation' decidedly modern Printemps stores which at present are only in a few select cities: Paris Hauesmann, Marseilles, Deauville, Nancy, Toulon...and Rouen. TO: Isn't a change of direction like this a risk in these uncertain economic times? AD: Absolutely not! In fact it is quite the opposite as in an economic crisis luxury and top of the range lines always do better! Rouen has lost out as the city and not had the depth of offer in designer goods to satisfy the realities of the market. People have been forced to go to Paris. This is changing - Rouen now has the 4-star Hotel de Bourgthéroulde which has recently opened in the Place de la Pucelle - so at last the city and the surrounding area is able to offer first class shopping and accommodation solutions. Rouen can now satisfy this vey real demand and the fact there are several different brands is healthy and means that people will not go elsewhere but will find the product they looking for here in Rouen. TO: The Printemps store is a long-standing partner of the Rouen Valley de Seine Tourist Office - is the store involved in the Normandy International Impressionist Festival? AD : Absolutely, we are going to play an active role in the festival alongside the Rouen Seine Valley Tourist Office. We will be particularly involved in a "Déjeuner sur l'herbe" outdoor picnic event that will held at the Manoir de Villers, Saint Pierre de Manneville, on September 12. Printemps will be putting on a fashion show that will be the centrepiece of a presentation of 19th century and Impressionist-era costumes and styles. 55

58 Savour the flavour The living stone, full of life, embraces the sunshine with open arms, letting spirals of delight run riot, surrendering to the sheer pleasure of the golden beams as they touch the dust of ages. Georges Clemenceau writing about his friend Monet s cathedral series in his article Révolution de Cathédrale,

59 Hats off to our chefs! The Normandy Impressionist Festival is a major event with plenty going on throughout the region in museums, in theatres, at picnics - but let s not forget the tasty impressions and festival of flavours on offer in Rouen s gourmet palaces. Rouen Magazine met up with some of our most talented regional chefs who have drawn inspiration from recipes in Claude Monet s famous cooking notebooks adding a little touch of their own style to the mix. Of course I know about Claude Monet and his cooking notebooks. What do you expect? Just wait there a minute. Madame Barrel, chef at the Au Bois Chenu restaurant, disappears only to come back a short while later with a very old edition of the notebooks in question which contain the recipes that the master painter liked to see on his table in Giverny. These recipes all have one thing in common. They are based on fresh top quality produce. Basically it was how I was taught to cook when I was a youngster several moons ago! Today this style of cooking can seem a little old fashioned and a bit too rich for today s tastes but of course times and appetites change and we are not as active as people were then. Impressive flavour Having said that, Eugénie Barrel is not ready just to ignore the many and different recipes detailed in the notebooks. I just adapt the basic recipe, she says, making them a little lighter, less rich, using smaller quantities of flours and fat. Eugénie has had a special impressionist menu for years. Our saveurs impressionists is very popular with Japanese guests. The menu offers such delights as oysters in Madeira and filets of sea bass in a beurre blanc sauce with baby vegetables. A few yards away in the Place du Vieux-Marché, the oldest inn in France has also cooked up a special menu in 57

60 ...the whole experience starts with the eyes. honour of the Impressionist Festival. Vincent Taillefer, chef at La Couronne, has a whole palette of ideas and his menu starts with a tasty green asparagus mousse with salmon followed by a colourful sea bass with lemon and basil. Fresh red fruit or a strawberry gratin ends this delicious homage to the painters. You cannot just reproduce recipes from yesteryear as today s clients have different tastes and expect different things. Contemporary cooking is about good basic produce, well prepared and the whole experience starts with the eyes. Today the visual side of the business is extremely important so I have altered these classic recipes, making them look more appetising and emphasising colour - say with herbs and fresh vegetables. I feel I am following in the impressionists footsteps with my use of colour my problem is that I have to make recipes that can be prepared quickly as the clients won t have time to spare as they will have come to do and see as much as they can in order to get the most from the Festival. It will be a real marathon! 58

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62 20 60 Sole: star fish Rouen s two-star Michelin temple Gill will also be delighting the palate of more than one visitor during the Festival. Indeed Gilles Tournade has already tried out some of his festival dishes in his Ashiya (Japan) restaurant an important battery of tests as Rouen hopes that the Festival will attract a record number of Japanese visitors this summer. I tried out the dishes twice and both times the guests were delighted, says Gilles Tournade modestly. Claude Monet s idea of cooking is based on garden fresh and seasonal produce. The restaurant will concentrate on offering lots of innovative vegetable dishes and salads bursting with flavour - perfect for summer. No doubt Gilles famous dish sole: impression will be somewhere on the menu but, as he says, cooking would be no fun if chefs aimed to always cook the same thing so we can expect to be served an even more impressive sole from the Michelin magician. Certainly Claude Monet would have been delighted to have been served Tournade s signature sole offering: classic sole meunière in butter served with a positive rainbow of vegetables, tomatoes confit, mushrooms and peas topped with a few delicate twists of citrus so deliciously appetising to the eye that it would have no doubt inspired another work of art from the master of Giverny.

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64 Luxurious home comfort B.D.S.A.LeHavre- LaCloserie, Fotolia.com 200m from the beach CABOURG Côté Casino 11, avenue Jean Mermoz Cabourg Tel. : +33 (0) Fax : +33 (0) info@lacloseriecabourg.com 200m from the Casino DEAUVILLE 156, avenue de la République Deauville Tel. : +33 (0) Fax : +33 (0) info@lacloseriedeauville.com 300m from the marina CABOURG Côté Port 11, avenue Pasteur Cabourg Tel. : +33 (0) Fax : +33 (0) info@lacloseriecabourg.com 500m from the Old Port HONFLEUR RondpointduPort-CoursJeandeVienne Honfleur Tel. : +33 (0) Fax : +33 (0) info@lacloseriehonfleur.com

65 Top chefs prepare to impress The 'Club des Toques' of Rouen Seine Valley is a very special sort of club - only the very best local masters of the culinary art are invited to join! All the members of this prestigious group are dedicated to producing excellent Normandy regional cuisine with locally sourced seasonal produce. No dull and tasteless offerings please! The club makes no secret of this passion for gourmet delights. Over recent years the Toques Rouennaises chefs have come up with a never-ending variety of initiatives to share their skills and their profession with the public. 16 members of the club have answered the challenge launched by the Rouen-Seine Valley tourist office and created a special menu directly inspired by Claude Monet s famous notebooks. This sort of event is so inviting that of course the Club des Toques is ready and willing to join in and we will play a significant role, says the Chef of the Chefs president Thierry Demoget who reigns supreme at the Capucines restaurant. Le Club des Toques de Rouen vallée de Seine Au Bois Chenu, 23 Place de la pucelle, Tel Les Capucines 16 rue Jean Macé - Petit-Quevilly, Tel Le Catelier 134 bis avenue des Martyrs de la Résistance, Tel La Couronne 31 place du Vieux Marché, Tel Gill 9 quai de la Bourse, Tel La Marmite 3 rue de Florence, Tel Les Nymphéas 7/9 rue de la Pie, Tel Le 6ème Sens 2 rue Thomas Corneille, Tel Les P tits Parapluies 46 rue Bourg l Abbé, Tel Le Quatre Saisons Place Bernard Tissot, Tel Le Réverbère 5 place de la République, Tel Le Rouennais 5 rue de la Pie, Tel Le Saint-Pierre 4 place du Bateau - La Bouille, Tel Le Saint-Hilaire 110 rue Saint-Hilaire, Tel L Auberge Saint-Jacques 547 route de Gournay - Saint-Jacques sur Darnétal, Tel Le rue Guynemer - Elbeuf, Tel Monet, artist and food lover Visitors go to Giverny primarily to see the gardens, the water lilies and the Japanese bridge - all so familiar from the master of the house s paintings. Yet, if there is one place that really stands out on a visit to Giverny, it is the kitchen. Here in this huge space with dazzling blue Rouen tiles, impressive ovens and gleaming copper pans it is impossible not to imagine the hustle and bustle of the cooks chopping vegetables straight from the extensive vegetable garden or freshly delivered from the local market. Here at Giverny the kitchen is as important as the master painter s workshops. After all, the house itself is not a small affair for Claude had a large family, his (second) wife Alice, 8 children and above all the house was home to a never-ending stream of visitors who came by train to Vernon or by boat to the adjacent landing stage. Visitors such as Camille Pissarro, Auguste Rodin, Auguste Renoir, Georges Clemenceau, Sacha Guitry, the nursery gardener Georges Truffaut, the art dealer Durand- Ruel and his son, not to mention art collectors from countries near and far, from England to Japan, all of whom were invited to stay and enjoy a meal in company of the master. Lunch was served on the dot of 11h30 and woe betide the guest who kept Monet waiting or who disturbed the precise and established rhythm of Monet s daily timetable. Monet s table was as famous as his appetite yet, in spite of keeping a series of notebooks about food and jotting down recipes, there is no evidence to show that Claude Monet ever once went into the kitchen, let alone tried his hand at the culinary arts. Monet did not create a single dish nor yet had dishes named after him. Monet was just happy to enjoy existing recipes served to perfection, recounts Claire Joyes in her work on Monet and his ideas on cooking. In his foreword Joël Robuchon, the famous French chef, writes: When I read these recipes I was pleased to find that they were down to earth and were based on a traditional French cuisine full of flavour - what we could call good old-fashioned home cooking and ranging from the simplest of instructions and ingredients to a more elaborate, almost professional, standard. * In the kitchen with Claude Monet, by Claire Joyes, foreword by Joël Robuchon, photographs by Jean-Bernard Naudin. Published by Chêne. 63

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67 Let the music begin The association Espace Musical has one basic and all important aim: to keep the rich musical heritage of the region well and truly alive, and, of course, not forgetting those men and women who have inherited the traditional and time-honoured craft of making stringed instruments. But what good is an instrument if it is merely strung and hung up in a shop window? Instruments come alive in the hands of musicians and the association has a system whereby the major part of its collection is out on loan to professionals and amateurs alike. E space Musical was founded in 2003 with a lone clarinet and a handful of enthusiasts inspired by the tireless energy of Pascal Joulain, amateur musician and diehard. 7 years down the line, the group has a collection of over 200 hundred instruments many of which are cultural heirlooms and living witnesses to the musical heritage of the region. Today the association has one hundred members and over 20 companies that sponsor and finance their work. But while the Espace Musical is a success its president has never for one moment lost sight of the original goal: to create for the region and its inhabitants a sort of living museum encompassing both contemporary instruments and those of yesteryear and to keep them alive not to have them in antiseptic glass cases. If there is one thing that Paul Joulian cannot stand it is a violin that has lost its strings or an oboe without a reed, soulless, useless, condemned to silence. Stradivarius would have been outraged to see that most of the instruments that he created are today locked up in safes around the world. This is the important part of the association s work. At the moment over one third of their collection of various instruments is out on loan, some to professional musicians such as the Rouen Opera Company. However, an important number are given to youngsters studying in the different conservatories in Normandy. Thanks to the work of the association these young musicians have the chance to play a quality instrument for what may be an all important concert or competition. 65

68 Music to the eyes If you would like to see the association s collection for yourself you will find a permanent display at the Château de Martainville in the Seine Maritime museum of traditional Normandy arts and crafts. Martainville, just outside Rouen, attracts over 15,000 visitors every year and the pieces and instruments on display are changed regularly. However, for Pascal Joulain the museum of the future will be online and his ambition is to create a virtual collection because a virtual museum would give us the chance to display and return to active life all sorts of instruments. I am especially thinking of those in private collections whose owners keep them to themselves but who would be ready to let them be on display as part of a collection online. Château de Martainville at Martainville-Epreville Tel. : Open every day except Tuesdays, Sunday mornings and public holidays. Opening hours: 10h-12h30 & 14h-17h (18h from April 1 to September 30) 66 Expert craftsman Alexis Péan (66 avenue Flaubert, Rouen) putting all his talent and savoir-faire to good use for the Espace Musical A world-wide network To further this system of loans and to have enough instruments to share out the Espace Musical has instigated an ambitious policy. The association buys up instruments, sometimes old, sometimes new, but always made in the traditional way by the region s craftsmen past and present and in doing so has created a unique historical collection. Over the years the association has created a world-wide network that keeps us informed whenever an instrument that was made in Normandy comes onto the market. Not long ago we were able to buy a contrabass clarinet made by Leblanc'. But the association s work has a cost. In 2009 tens of thousands of Euros were needed to buy and restore old instruments or to sponsor the manufacture of new ones. This is good news for the 43 instrument makers currently working in Upper Normandy and whose traditional knowledge is safe in the hands of the Espace Musical. The association is all about supporting this traditional industry and making sure that in the future there will still be instrument makers living and working in Normandy. We have absolutely no qualms about handing over an 18th century instrument to a young craftsman because these young instrument makers are not just the trustees of the craftsmanship but also the future of the industry. A future that looks bright because today traditional musical instrument makers of the region export over 70% of their work - a clear recognition of their talent and expertise. To find more about the Espace Musical:

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70 Looking for somewhere to stay? If you are after a luxury break, a backpacker s stopover, a one-off or just a good old fashioned warm welcome you will find the answer here in the Rouen area. Our accommodation offer is second to none, whatever your style, whatever your budget. Read on and discover the timeless charm of our Normandy lifestyle in this selection, encompassing both town and rural guest houses. 68

71 D-House, doorway to the world Once an inn, the D-House on the rue de la République is ideally placed between the archbishop s palace and St Maclou Church in the heart of the antique dealers district. The accommodation is in the image of its owners: charming, welcoming, friendly and elegant. The 2 comfortable guest bedrooms and sitting room are decorated tastefully and bear witness to the numerous journeys undertaken by the tireless travellers who own this second floor apartment. When you cross the threshold you set out on a voyage of discovery from one continent to the next as the D-House invites you discover all the delights of the many ornaments, vases, and furniture collected from different places and which all have their own story to tell. In the sitting room a pair of acajou wood rocking chairs from colonial Cuba invite the visitor to sit quietly a while yet their voyage from the Caribbean to Rouen was far from straightforward (the owner will give you full details). From the other side of the world, try a night in the amazing teak four-poster brought back from Asia and be lulled to sleep by the gentle sounds from the Zen fountain. African prints and masks are witness to the treasures of the Dark Continent or if you prefer your adventure in writing check out the impressive collection of comic strips stored away in the cupboards. The bathroom has a splendid view directly onto the gothic splendour of Saint-Maclou. In the loft the Ali Baba style bed was specially made for this oasis where the weary traveller will find a jewel box that once belonged to the royal family of Bouthan. Here too a little rag doll in the effigy of Subcomandante Marcos, on the wall a collection of Kokeshis, or good luck figurines from Japan. Your onward journey continues in the morning with a delicious 100% organic breakfast. The D-House is recommended for all those who love the unexpected and the delights of the world from tea to travel and talk and if you have enjoyed the D-House in Rouen why not cross the Mediterranean and discover the delights of the Marrakech version at present being restored by the owners. D-House 52 rue de la République Rouen Tel. :

72 The old dye works is now a youth hostel Although impatient to see her first 4 star hotel, Rouen has also been waiting the opening of the youth hostel with equal enthusiasm - especially as it is also a 4 star establishment. The spanking new youth hostel is to be found on the route de Darnétal, Housed in a listed building dating from the 18th century - what was once the Auvray dye works - the youth hostel looks out onto the picturesque Robec river. After months of refurbishment one of the oldest industrial sites in Rouen has been given a 21st century makeover and has re-emerged totally green and at one with the surrounding environment. The youth hostel has geothermic heating, a living roof, rainwater recycling and comes complete with wi-fi and free internet access. The whole complex offers weary travellers every comfort: 1,800m2 with 88 beds in 25 grouped bedrooms and one single room. The youth hostel also has common rooms, a laundry and a set of meeting rooms. Open 24h/24h Rouen youth hostel is particularly attractive, not just is it brand new and very reasonably priced (19 per person per night inclusive of breakfast) but because unlike many other hostels it has easy and direct access to the centre of the city with its own bus line as well as the environmentally friendly Cyclic rent-a-bike park. 70 Auberge de jeunesse - 247, route de Darnétal Rouen - Tel E.mail: rouen@fuaj.org

73 Luxury in Cloth of Gold It is fitting that Rouen s first luxury 4 star hotel should be being built in the Hotel de Bourgthéroulde, an architectural jewel dating from the renaissance, one of the city s oldest buildings and beautifully placed in the Place de la Pucelle in the very heart of the historic centre. After months of work the hotel is taking shape behind the screens that cover the facade and the gateway leading to the inner courtyard with its celebrated Aumale gallery, decorated with finely chiselled and detailed sculptures showing the meeting between King Henry VIII of England and King Francis I of France at the Field of the Cloth of Gold in 1520 just outside Calais. SLIH is a group based in the north of France and has made a reputation for itself as a specialist in this sort of acquisition and tasteful restoration. Managers Jean-Claude Kindt and Hubert Verspieren have had great success in transforming and renovating buildings of historical value and character such as the Hermitage Gantois or the Couvent des Minimes in Lille. The Rouen project was a familiar one and it seemed that a natural step in the renovation would be to rebuild the little lookout tower which had been destroyed in the 19th C. Not only is the setting for this new hotel truly sumptuous but the standard of service that the future clientele will enjoy in this palace of luxury will be unique in Rouen. The 78 rooms will all be individually designed with Italianate bathrooms, exposed oak beams, rich and heavy drapes to grace the windows and frame the view out over the city s treasures. But the real treasure will be buried in the basement. The Field of the Cloth of Gold spa will invite guests to enjoy 6 wellbeing facilities, a sauna, a steam bath and a fitness suite. But the centrepiece will be the swimming pool bathed in light set into marble under a glass roof. On the ground floor the regally red entrance hall is home to the B or bar with just to the side the Aumale in-house gourmet restaurant and the 2 Kings Bistrot which will have a direct access from the Place de la Pucelle. Hôtel de Bourgtheroulde 15 place de La Pucelle Rouen Tel. :

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75 A warm welcome at Cinnamon Orange It took Corinne the best part of a year to renovate, extend and then decorate her house which is perfectly placed at the end of a small lane leading to a woodland area. Corinne has emphasised her desire to give guests a sense of immediate well-being in her careful choice of colours, natural materials and the extensive use of light, creating an atmosphere that is both cosy and contemporary. The guest room christened Cinnamon orange on the first floor is so delightful that even Corinne is overwhelmed by it. There is a touch of the seaside from the honey stain of the parquet floor, to the jute matting and clear colour of the walls and the pebbles in the shower. Guests enjoy breakfast or afternoon tea served in a delightful dining room filled with natural light enhanced by Corinne s decor that changes with the seasons reflecting the turning light in her choice of curtains, upholstery and decorative objects. Cannelle-Orange 3 impasse du Vert Pré Le Houlme Tel. :

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77 Voyage of go ur m e r y v o c s i d t e Normandy is fiercely proud of its local producers and produce which are at the heart of the region s reputation for the excellence of its cuisine. Together with the skills and talent of our local chefs they form a formidable bastion ready to defend our gastronomic heritage in the face of senseless rules and regulations that seek to impose a bland uniformity of taste. In Normandy our culinary craftsmen and their suppliers stand together to say: What price quality? 75

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79 In search of authenticity D ozens of Japanese visitors have already enjoyed a tasty break at Mr and Mrs Bernard s farm in Saint-Pierre-de-Manneville which is a tiny Seine valley village lying on the opposite bank to La Bouille. These visitors from the land of the Rising Sun have a non-stop tourist schedule - the Eiffel Tower, Giverny, Rouen and its Gros-Horloge - but fortunately for them there is time for a gourmet stop at Evelyne and Jean s farm. On the menu a tour round the farm and tasting sessions focusing on Evelyne s homemade produce. What could be more delicious than a piece of crusty bread and a slice of old fashioned rabbit pâté or farm butters and yoghurts and jams packed with fruit from the orchard. But as Evelyne says with a smile, Japanese visitors also are keen to try my Pommeau and Calvados. From bank to farm Evelyne gave her up her job in the Bank of France 15 years ago to work alongside her husband on the family farm - a dairy farm growing its own forage for the herd. When I started work on the farm I said to myself I am not going to moulder away in the cow shed. So the couple set about restoring the beautiful Caumont stone building next to the house into 4 farm stay guest rooms and a farm tearoom. Then, to combat milk restrictions and rather than see their milk going to waste, our intrepid entrepreneurs built a laboratory next to the milking parlour, and then a cold room. Next they bought a butter churn and an incubator and set about turning the unwanted milk production into butter, cream, yoghurts and cream cheeses. To make sure that their new venture was a success Evelyne did some useful training courses about how to set up and run your own company with the Milk Producers Association and the rest is history! their rice puddings made with rich creamy milk, their farm fresh yoghurts and butters. I am very lucky as my clients come for miles because they want to buy quality products. They know what is in them and where they come from. They are our best publicity and the bush telegraph certainly works. People really like to buy things direct from the farm. Children just love to look at the cows and the rabbits and collect the eggs. And it is good for us to have a direct link to the consumer, to be able to explain to people what we do and how things are made and to talk about our way of life and the difficulties that face our profession, says Evelyne. Her husband goes further: The world is changing all the time and farming has to change with it if we want there to be farmers in the future. We chose agro tourism as a good way to diversify and to ensure that our activity could flourish. And the adventure is not over yet. The Bernards plan to start making ice cream, toffees and even a farm cheese. They are also building a farm shop to better serve their visitors. Jean et Evelyne Bernard, 78 rue du Bas Saint-Pierre-de-Manneville. Tel Open for sales from Tuesday to Saturday. Farm visit for groups with farm teas and tasting by appointment only. Children 5, adults: Made in love They were an instant success. Everyone wanted to buy 77

80 Ducks in the meadow I f there is one symbol of our regional cooking then it has to be the duck. Duckling à la Rouennaise is only served in some of the very best regional restaurants and always according to a preordained and detailed ritual. The recipe calls for a specific sort of duck. This is no ordinary bird but the child of fleeting moments of love between bonny farmyard ducks and wild migratory drakes just passing through. Their offspring are not super big but they do have a well developed breast, small legs and a rich and abundant amount of blood. At the allotted moment the bird is suffocated to allow the blood to remain in the body and grilled on a spit but not for too long - the meat should still be pink - before being carved into slices and dressed. Meanwhile the carcase is crushed in a spectacular duck press at the table and the blood thus extracted used to fortify the rich wine sauce. The Rouen duck is a delicate and original recipe and the bird itself is comes from a unique and limited geographical area about 30 kilometres from Rouen on the left bank of the Seine roughly opposite to Duclair. Capital of the duck It is easy to find the place Rouen ducklings come from as there is now only one professional duck breeder in the region. The farm is at Annouville-Ambourville where Cécile and Benoît Boiteau raise the precious birds in an idyllic setting of green meadows and sturdy ancient oaks. They took over the farm 10 years ago - fortunately as this gastronomic heritage is unique - and their work has ensured that this particular semi wild race of duck has survived to quack another day. Canard à la Rouennaise fans can still enjoy the intricate recipe and ritual and the culinary tradition has been preserved with equal care and enthusiasm by the Order of the Canardiers. The Boiteaus import between 200 and 400 day-old ducklings from Touraine every week. After 3 weeks in the duck house in the warm the fledglings go outside for the first time. Once outside the birds are raised in the open air in different spacious enclosures according to their age. From the wild paternal gene the Rouen drakes inherit a bright green head, a brownish breast and pearl grey tummy. They are also quite tough and are naturally healthy - we don t have to fill them full of drugs, says Benoît, and unlike battery farmed ducks we don t have to cut off their talons or clip their wings and beaks because they are raised in natural conditions, with plenty of space. They do not hurt themselves or each other. Here they have ideal conditions - they are well looked after and enjoy a completely organic food. They are happy! Tender flesh When the ducks are about 3 months old they are mature. The Rouen duck is suffocated to ensure that the meat stays beautifully tender. The feathers and down are made into soft plump pillows here in the region and the ducks themselves are sent on, mostly to local restaurants but a few land on the tables of selected gourmet palaces in Paris. Mr and Mrs Boiteau also have a farm shop which sells direct to the public on Saturdays and on Fridays you can find Cécile in the market in the Rue Cauchoise, Rouen, selling their delicious farm-produced rillettes (potted duck), gigolettes or stuffed duck feet, homemade sausages with nettle and homemade jams. Cécile et Benoît Boiteau La ferme du Canardier 375 route de Bourg Achard Anneville-Ambourville Tel Ordre des Canardiers :

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83 O f all the 60 or so flavours on his menu Claude Fiquepron has a soft spot for his homemade ginger biscuit ice cream made with Speculos, a spicy biscuit from Belgium and the north of France. Trained as a pastry chef, Claude has been making everyone s favourite dessert or hot summer s day treat in Montmain, a little village 15 kilometres east of Rouen for the last 27 years. Faithful to the product I just thought there was a gap in the market between the product that is made on an industrial scale and that which is made in small quantities by local producers. My company makes large scale quantities but made to a traditional recipe using only fresh ingredients like full cream milk, egg yolks, fresh cream and natural flavour for the ices and for my sorbets, fruit, water and sugar and nothing but really nothing else. Apart from a little patience - like everything else in the kitchen these things take time - and after mixing all the basics together ice cream has to be left to set. Once all the ingredients are assembled they are mixed for between 1 and 18 hours at +4 degrees Celsius then the pot is placed in the freezer to set. Depending on the time of year, anything from 200 to 500 litres of ices are made and delivered each day! Taste buds scream out for homemade ices! Get a flavour of the best Home-made ice cream and sorbets have a completely different texture from the ones in the supermarkets which can be at best surprising and at worst disconcerting the first time you try them, says their producer Claude Fiquepron who recommends that you take his iced desserts out of the freezer a good ten minutes or so before serving so that their natural flavours come to the fore. He also says that people seem to opt for the classics more than the more exotic flavours on sale. Old favourites like vanilla, chocolate, toffee are all in the ice parade top ten while for the sorbet it is raspberry that is the easy winner with an incredible 35% of sales. But what about you? What is your favourite? We recommend them all at: Glaces Fiquepron 350, rue du Calvaire Montmain Tel Stop and Buy Direct. Ice creams and sorbets from between 7and 13 the litre. 81

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85 Where shall we go for lunch? Why not get off the beaten track, away from the busy cobbled streets in the centre? Leave the city behind and get some fresh air and a fresh take on lunch! Leave the tourists behind and get out and try one of our many well-kept secrets - country inns popular with the locals where you will delight in the very best seasonal menus and good old fashioned home-style cooking. Au Saint-Jacques, Fascination with flavours Olivier Lelong is a bright chatty chap and his style of cooking speaks volumes for his talent! Olivier is originally from Rouen and studied chocolate, sweetmaking and cooking before doing his apprenticeship in the world famous restaurant Le Nôtre. He came to the Auberge Le Saint-Jacques 14 years ago and the first thing he did was to give it face lift from top to bottom. A kitchen in plain view From his experience at Le Nôtre Olivier has retained a fascination with flavour and on his return to Normandy has created a style in tune with local seasonal fare: delicious wild mushrooms and autumn game, baby vegetables and salads and red fruits in the spring and early summer. I like to cook with fish but what is on offer depends on what we can buy that day. Everything we serve here is made here and let me tell you that is not always true of every restaurant!! The chef is rightly proud of his kitchen and takes an obvious pleasure in showing us around. For guests they can visit from the comfort of their dining chair as the kitchen is separated from the dining room by a pane of glass so anyone can see the chef at work. I have nothing to hide and no secret weapons except perhaps this wonderful cooker which was made for me using my own personal design by a well-known make - it s the equivalent of a Rolls! Olivier has just been invited to join the prestigious band of brothers, the Toques Rouennais. Only 5 minutes from the centre of Rouen the Auberge Saint- Jacques is set in a delightful green and leafy park and has a vast patio for outdoor dining. Inside the auberge is tastefully fitted out with a subtle blend of contemporary decoration against the backdrop of the old brickwork and beams. 4 menus, from 22 to 46, available daily at lunchtime in this historic coaching inn on the road to Beauvais. L Auberge Saint-Jacques 547 route de Gournay Saint-Jacques-sur-Darnétal Tel Open for lunch and dinner: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Lunch only: Wednesdays and Sundays. Closed Mondays, Wednesday and Sunday evenings. 100 covers. 83

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87 La Fine Auberge between heaven and earth You will find the La Fine Auberge perched on the cliff tops at Moulineaux just beneath the lofty Château of Robert le Diable with the river Seine way below. This is the sort of traditional auberge to recommend to friends and family but also the sort of place that one dreams of finding totally by accident. Lunch here would be the perfect end to a morning stroll through the nearby woods or along the river. What was once the station hotel is now a most welcome eating place with dishes to delight the eye and satisfy the most voracious hunger! There is an admirable choice of menus for all budgets and appetites. Prices from 21 to 44 per person. Oh so sweetbreads! Stéphane Duval is a chef that works essentially with seasonal produce carefully chosen from local producers. Stéphane s regulars have a favourite order: the sweetbreads. It is what I sell most. And it is no surprise to discover that La Fine Auberge is one of the few places that still serve calf s head on their menu. But Stéphane has other favourites: brilliant seafood and fish dishes feature on the menu, for instance cod filet with crisp baby vegetables or prawns sautéed with squid. Although the dessert menu has a more traditional selection we would heartily recommend the fresh flambéed pineapple with red fruits. To help the digestion why not stretch your legs along the Seine at La Bouille, a charming little village bordered by chalky cliffs and a long riverside promenade. La Fine Auberge 785, rue Pierre-Gosselin Moulineaux Tel places plus 25 outside on the patio Open Tuesdays to Sundays. 85

88 How about we go for lunch? Des Elfes Pixies and pans Evelyne Guérin freely admits that she has never seen a pixie in the greenwood that backs on to the grounds of this hotel restaurant but when she and her husband took over the place 18 years ago they were keen to invoke the goodwill of the little people so beloved of Norse tales and legends. Today the Restaurant Les Elfes, situated just outside Rouen on a little back road leading to the woods, is a legend in its own right thanks to the quality of the food and the talent of the chef. The Trois Cocottes quality label Logis de France have their own quality label logo - not stars but saucepans - and Serge Guérin s traditional cuisine deserves every one of his 3. Serge is well known for his delicious sea food dishes but for lunch why not try the chef s personal favourites. To start a local tripe sausage with a touch of apple pommeau followed by sea bass in calvados - Serge Guérin is especially fond of fish - and as the perfect end to the meal a refreshing orange and mango soup. After coffee get out on one of the golf greens close to the restaurant or for an indoor activity visit the interesting Corderie de Vallois, a museum dedicated to the memory of the textile industry once the pride of Rouen. Hôtel restaurant Les Elfes 303 rue des Longs Vallons Notre-Dame-de-Bondeville Tel covers, 3 dining rooms. Closed: Sunday evenings and Wednesdays. Menus: from 16 in the week to 39,50 86

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90 Out and about Your painting, view of a Rouen church under grey skies, is very good, it is still a little flat. The greens need to be a little lighter. Letter from Camille Pissarro to Paul Gauguin, May

91 A veritable pleasure trove If you take the Fruit and Abbey tourist trail you will go straight past the Mesnil-sous-Jumièges country leisure centre. Whatever your taste in sport there is sure to be something here for you as the centre offers golf, a range of sailing and water-based activities, picnic areas and is the perfect place for a family day out. The centre also offers courses for groups together with accommodation. T he region would not be the same without its river. The Seine is the life blood of the region, for on her banks man made his home, harvested his crops and raised his churches in thanks to the Almighty. Normandy is, of course, not the only region to have such a waterway but ours, little known for so long, is now attracting a stream of tourists to its banks to enjoy the many charms of the Seine valley. In the middle of one of the Seine s most historically rich areas the country leisure centre at Mesnil-sous-Jumièges is one of the newest attractions in this most ancient land. 90,000 come here every year to enjoy what Normandy has to offer, a unique environment with all the richness of the past and the promise of the future. The perfect spot The country leisure centre not only has the natural charms of the river but also the man-made beauty of an artificial lake, a mature beauty as the lake was designed and made over 40 years ago. At Mesnil-sous- Jumièges 130 hectares of green space stretch down to the river and that is the best way to approach the centre although of course there is a motorway, the A13, only 10 minutes away but take the old high road along the river what today we call the Abbey Discovery Trail. The route is as pretty today as it has been for centuries. This route has no doubt seen the passage of kings and of great men, politicians, abbots and canons and, of course, on the Route des Abbeys monks. Along the road lies the Abbaye de Saint-Martin-de-Boscherville, perched on the slopes of the river bank overlooking the Seine. The road recalls not just the past richness of history but also the story of everyday folk and life to be found in the names of the hamlets that the visitor crosses on the way to Mesnil-sous-Jumièges names like the Donkey Breeder or The Fountain. But beyond the orchards - stretching as far as the eye can see on either side of this ancient track where today cars have replaced the gentle plodding of the carts and horses with their heavy loads - beyond the remains of the once glorious manor belonging to court beauty Agnès Sorel just a few minutes from the splendours of the Abbey of Jumièges, there is a scene of what just a few short years ago would have been inconceivable. For at Mesnil-sous-Jumièges the prestigious and select golf course is an integral part of the leisure centre with its throngs of visitors and yet it is just this marriage between perceptions of posh and popular that makes the whole thing such a success. Fresh air and a wide choice of activities and sports for one and all. 89

92 Back to basics Mesnil-sous-Jumièges is perhaps best-known for its vast 80 hectares lake, once a sand quarry, and landscaped in the 70s to become the inviting stretch of water it is today. The leisure centre opened in 1975 and the sand no longer left the centre for building sites across the North West of the country but beaches lent themselves to the pitter patter of happy feet and the sounds of summer. Here swimming is perfectly safe under the eagle eyes of the lake watch team especially reinforced for the period July 1st to August 31st. Entrance to the lake side is free and many are the happy families who prefer to take the historic Route des Abbayes and picnic on the sands rather than take the busy summer coast roads to a pebbly beach generally more crowded than here in the heart of the valley. If you prefer to get wet doing something other than swimming then the centre has the very thing. In partnership with the UCPA, the management structure behind the Seine Valley Regional Park and area of natural beauty, visitors to the centre have the choice between hiring one of the many canoes, dinghies and pedaloes for an afternoon rocking gently on the waves. The smooth swell inshore makes the lake an ideal learning surface for novices while the more experienced sailor can take advantage of the breeze that runs up the valley and get out on the vast stretches of the lake yet still remain within sight of the shore. What is more the UCPA has a fleet of different dinghies and small yachts as well as a myriad of training sessions at various levels so that whether you are setting sail for the first time or if you are a weathered helmsman you are sure to find the right level of challenge for you. It s a model Sunday It is another world at Mesnil-sous-Jumièges. Every Sunday from December to September, 2 local model clubs put their mini models on show to anyone who cares to come and discover the world in miniature. In December before winter gets a grip the indoor tennis courts, transformed into aerodromes, hum not to the slams of aces and backhands but to volleys of model airplanes as the Mesnil Modelling Club machines take to the skies. Whether they can barely reach for the skies or are flying high these busy little replicas are a sight to see. In the spring these miniature marvels are joined by their cousins from the Rouen Model Sailing Club who launch their masterpieces on the calm of the artificial lake. Model cruise liners, gun boats and battleships, tugs and tankers - they are all there perfect down to the smallest detail! Sports and leisure activities for all Water is not the only element that brings the leisure centre to life. Let s leave the water and come back to shore. 90

93 Here on a typical summer weekend over 3,000 people come to enjoy a cool stroll through the extensive woodland and then settle down on the shore for a picnic with friends and family. Fed up with picnic food? Then try something hot in 2009 the centre installed barbecues and rustic tables for even more choice and comfort. After a satisfying picnic and perhaps a siesta and you are thinking, what s next? It is time to stretch your legs and do something a little more energetic. The centre has a number of activities available. Some are free and some cost a modest sum and the choice is yours depending on how energetic you feel. How about beach volley ball or the fitness trail? Tennis, football, mini-golf, the rock climbing wall, archery and basket ball are all on offer not forgetting for smaller visitors pony rides (available in the summer holidays), climbing frames and play areas. If an afternoon is not long enough to try all these then why not stay in one of the guest rooms or on the camping site.the centre can also accommodate up to 78 people for training weeks for sports clubs, schools and associations. The centre can also offer accommodation for camping cars (94 places) allowing the visitor total freedom in the choice of a day by the lake or a day getting out and about to enjoy the richness of the region via the Fruit Trail and the Abbeys Trail. Welcome to the Mesnil-sous- Jumièges golf club! Taking the Fruit Trail through the orchards arriving at Mesnil-sous- Jumièges one has a choice: on one side of the tourist trail is the leisure base and on the other a superb golf course on over 60 hectares. A public course with a tricky 18 hole up and down and tree-strewn course. The club was opened in 1991 and is under the same management structure as the leisure centre as since 2010 it belongs to the Seine Valley Regional Park and Area of Natural Beauty. The club offer 2 rounds: the 18 hole course which the best golfers complete in around 2 hours while for the less experienced or for beginners the second course is less taxing but it takes just as long! Both courses are delightful. The Mesnil-sous-Jumièges Golf is unusual in that some of the holes are played in amongst the trees so that a round of golf can be combined with a peaceful stroll in the woods between the greens. If you are not an experienced golfer then perhaps the 4 hours or so that the 18 holer will take you is a bit off putting so why not go for the 9 hole course which is ideal for those not wishing to spend so long or who prefer a less strenuous round - it should take about an hour and a half. This course has no tricky tree shots and only skirts around the edge of the forest so no flagging now there are still 9 holes to play! Fore! 91

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95 Get on your bike and discover the Community of Rouen Elbeuf Austreberthe (CREA). Yes, it is now possible even if you haven t got a 2 wheeler. Rouen and the CREA have developed a system of bikes for hire at incredibly reasonable prices. 2 names one system (Velo R for the CREA and Cy clic within the city of Rouen) but the pleasure of a spin out and about in the capital of Normandy is the same. So whichever way you choose to go: up the Robec or to the city s monumental cemetery to visit the memorial to the father of modern art Marcel Duchamps. Get those wheels spinning and enjoy the ride! On your bike in the CREA rémy vallée - Fotolia.com T The Robec : going back in time he CREA has created some interesting trails and paths in and around the greater Rouen community district the perfect places to take one of the new bikes for a spin. Famous cyclist Jacques Anquetil lived most of his life in Normandy but one thing is for sure it wasn t biking up and down the Robec that gave him those champion muscles and calves, for the route is a simple riverside ride. The history of the place is, however, far more imposing for in the past this little stream was key to making Rouen one of the industrial champions of France. The source of the Robec is to be found at Fontaine-sous-Préaux and between there and the Place Saint-Hilaire today the visitor can enjoy 9 kilometres of green trails and conservation area. On foot or on a bike this charming nature trail cannot fail to delight even the most weary visitor with its shady path, and the babbling stream flanked by green meadows and banks, windmills, bread ovens, contentedly grazing sheep and horses, a few peaceful villages disturbed only by the clang of a spoke or the plod of a walker s shoe. On either side the route is lined with half-timbered houses, red brick buildings and is full of history. Today the Robec has been cleaned up but the murky days are still remembered by a few as it is not that long since children on their way to school trotted alongside the stream whose waters were coloured red, blue and green from the dyes used in the adjoining textile industry. What made the Robec s fortune were not the 58 mills whose wheels were turned by the swirling waters of the river but the textile factories and the dye works and above all the mill owners who harnessed their forces. Let us take you back in time down this riverside ride to find traces of industrial glory along the way which have been preserved for future generations by local historians and heritage associations. Originally the Robec was channelled to ensure a supply of water for Rouen s inhabitants and the city s fountains. But with the arrival of the Dukes of Normandy in the 10th century, the city prospered and the water courses was used to power flour mills and to crush the plants used in those days to dye cloth. The path takes us past the Le Moulin de la Pannevert, which is a relic from those long distant days, a water wheel joined onto a small timber-framed house. But as demand increased so did the technology and with it the design of the mill houses which became tall, multi-storied brick buildings. Today one of these former factories is home to the Regional School of Architecture, housed here on the river bank exactly where Lucien Fromage built a gigantic factory. Our walk takes us now to the 18th century to a time when Rouen busy spinning cotton and the city was famous for the quality of her cloth and printed cot- 93

96 tons called Indiennes. Some more solid structures built in the 19th century on the English model exist to this day like the Moulin des Dames de Saint-Amand. After that Rouen s industry began to suffer and the water mills disappeared, replaced first by turbines and then by steam power. Along the walk, the Expotec 103 Industrial History Discovery Centre will give you all the details. The Robec was no longer of any use. It had had its day for a short while at least. The Auvray factory was the last dye works to close and with it a chapter in the Industrial history of the city was shut. Today the site is home to the brand new Youth Hostel. Other factories have also been refurbished and some have become smart houses in the once industrial suburbs of Darnétal, Saint-Martin-du- Vivier or Fontaine-sous-Préaux. Even if the textile industry is no more, historians and local heritage associations will make sure that the history of this river and its industry will never be forgotten. The cycle path goes as far as Fontaine-sous- Préaux. Just follow the signs to this little village where the trail finishes at the old stone well, reminding us that our walk through the mists of time and our brief glance at the history of the Robec is at an end. Instructions for the Velo R The idea is that anyone should be able to hire a bike for an hour, for a day for a month or for longer. The CREA has made that a possibility for the inhabitants of the region. If you go to the offices at 7 bis rue Jeanne-d Arc to find out how it all works, you will be pleasantly surprised as you have a choice between 3 different sorts of bikes! An electric bike which makes cycling as easy as boiling a kettle, a fold-up bike (perfect if you are using public transport as well as the bike) and then an everyday model of the sort you see people using every day in the streets of the capital. When you have decided which bike is the right one for you then just fill in a form (you will need an identity card or passport as proof of identity), leave a cheque as a guarantee which will be returned untouched the day you return the bike and pay the bill. Voilà as they say! The bikes cost 4 a day per bike, 6 for a weekend, 12 for a week and 20 for a month! A bike ride in search of Marcel Duchamp Many tourists come to Rouen because they are art-lovers and the capital of Normandy is, of course, forever linked to Claude Monet. But people often forget that another artist who marked the 20th century is also from Rouen: Marcel Duchamp. A dogmatic and determined artist who liked to play with words and who reinvented the word art and who is generally considered to be the founder of what we call today Modern Art. While 2010 is Impressionist Year throughout the region centred around the magnificent exhibition in Rouen featuring works by Pissarro, Monet et Gauguin, and while it is Claude Monet and his series of cathedrals that have brought Rouen to the art lover s eye but visitors can also trace the life of this other Rouen artist Duchamp through the streets of Rouen and what easier way to do it than by bike? Follow our little 4 stage itinerary designed so that you see the most. For convenience at each stage you can leave the bike at the Cy clic station and you pick it up after you have finished seeing what there is to see and it won t cost you a penny more! Station Musée des Beaux-Arts. This first part of our Duchamp trail is unmissable. In front of the Museum des Beaux-Arts (Fine Arts Museum) it is already hard to decide which route to take as there are three things - the Museum, the 94

97 Place Verdel and the Rue Jeanne d Arc which all have close connections to Duchamp. Let s begin at the beginning at number 71 rue Jeanne d Arc, the house where Duchamp grew up with his parents and his brothers. There is a plaque if you look closely, put there in 1967 but strangely it does not mention Duchamp by name! Opposite this house the square relates in a funny sort of way to the posthumous work of this famous modern artist as both La chute d eau and Le gaz d Eclairage ( ) refer to things that he saw in this little square. Finally back to the Museum and first a visit to the room that is dedicated to this chess player extraordinaire followed by a stroll to the 4 corners of the esplanade in front of the museum to find 4 blue plaques. Each one gives the name of the space: Esplanade Marcel-Duchamp classic but in keeping with Duchamp s quirky take on the world underneath you will find nicknames and other epithets by which he was known. Station Gare. Stage 2 of our trail takes us to Rouen station - a place well known to Duchamp who often went from Rouen to Paris, trips that inspired works such as Jeune homme triste dans un train. Station Hôtel de Ville. Between the station and the town hall he would enjoy a well- earned pause at number rue Beauvoisine where a heady smell of chocolate filled the air. The owner gave Duchamp a few chocolate beans to grind and was thus the inspiration for Broyeuse de chocolat n 2 (1914) an image that is revisited in Le Grand Verre ( ). At the town hall (Hôtel de Ville) we will take the hill up the rue Louis- Ricard to the Lycée Corneille with its ornate entrance. It was here that Duchamp went to school from 1897 to 1904 and while the walls of the school give nothing away Duchamp himself tells us that it was here that he met Raymond Dumouchel,and Ferdinand Tribout, both of whom he was to paint in later years. Further up is the imposing Sainte-Marie Fountain, another source of inspiration transformed by Duchamp in his allegorical work Ville de Rouen portant le flambeau. A couple of little details would also find themselves in his last work Etant Donnés. The last part of our trail has not got a bike station but you will not think about that as you toil up the rather steep hill pretending to yourself that you are the front runner in the Tour de France climbing to the Rouen monumental cemetery where you will finally come face to face with the artist himself in his own words! Duchamp left nothing to chance and left us an epitaph of his own choice - perhaps if he had spent more time looking after himself and less time trying to coin a smart turn of phrase for his tombstone he would have left more works for us to enjoy but the inevitable happened and he died in of a blood clot. How to use Cy clic In Paris it is Vélib and here in Rouen it is Cy clic - it s all the rage and no large town worth its salt is not pedalling bikes! The service is great, it is available throughout the city and 20h/24h. It is so easy that the help yourself to a bike idea is catching on. At the moment there are 20 different pick-up points and soon 23. The stations are conveniently placed through the city on the main routes! At the pick-up point you can get a bike any time between 5am and am. If you want to have a long term contract then get a Cy clic subscriber card - the card has its own PIN for security in case of loss or theft. For the occasional user just use your credit card at the pick-up point machine and away you go! The first half hour is free, the second half hour costs 1 and afterwards 2 and 4. When you have finished with the bike all you have to do is to return it to any of the stations. Put the bike back into the stand and a beep will confirm that your bike has been returned and recorded. For full details cyclic.rouen.fr 95

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99 Magical myths and fantastic fables! These narrative stories are full of hidden meaning. Some of them are a bit scary but generally good triumphs over evil as they tell us of days gone by, of ancient Dukes and Kings and daring deeds. Strange, magical and sometimes downright unbelievable it is not always easy for the historian to get to the bottom of them. 97

100 W hat is true about legends is that at the bottom of every tale, no matter how fantastic, there is always an ounce of truth. Not perhaps enough to write a book about, not even something worth remembering. A legend or a belief is sometimes nothing more than a minute detail, a strange event, a mysterious one-off shadow cast in an ancient place, something strange that was blown up out of all proportion through fear. That is how legends are - they are man-made. For legends are our invention - we start with that tiny spark and polish it into a couple of lines, then a paragraph and finally into a full blown story added to at every telling, changing form as it passes by word of mouth from one listener to the next, with new twists and turns for very version. Normandy like many other regions has a wealth of tales to tell. In Normandy you will come across saints who had the power of healing, terrifying ghosts and ghouls, long lost buried treasures, enchanted forests and haunted castles. There isn t room here to tell you all the stories that we have in our region but if you want to read more then you can find them in books by local historians Anne Marchand and Jacques Tanguy. Their collections tell some incredible tales of good and evil but we should not forget that they are just stories and that there are many, even millions of everyday heroes whose tales are never told! Patron Saint and living legend Saint Romain is a legend in his own right. Today 1,300 years after he was archbishop of Rouen, historians know of at last 8 different stories about him. Was Saint Romain subject of unwitting propaganda in the struggle to convince the local peasants to embrace Christianity that the monks and canons of his day built up such a myth about him? No answer to that of course but things that history has forgotten the story teller seizes on and as the years have passed so the legends about Romain have grown. The first story is about the destruction of the Temple of Venus, a pagan site to the north of the old town near where the Tour Jeanne d Arc stands today. The story goes that when Romain pulled the consecrated offering to the goddess off the altar the temple came tumbling down and was no more. First miracle and first of many stories for it was Romain too that saved the city and stopped the flood waters of the river. Romain had promised to spread the word of God and legend has it that God also spoke to Romain at mass one day, not long before he died. Romain came in, already in a state of ecstasy, and God lifted him up and told him the exact day of his death. These are not the best known tales about Romain and not many people from Normandy would know them. Tourist guides and local historians tell them to anyone who is willing to listen but as far as Romain goes one story outweighs all the rest and everyone in Rouen knows it. The story of the gargoyle is such a well-known tale in Rouen that there is even a picture version of the story in one of the cathedral s stained glass windows. According to local historian Jacques Tanguy this tale is not contemporary with the archbishop but was only told a long time after his death. Strange but the story itself is even stranger! Gargoyles as everyone knows are dreadful monsters - some say a sort of dragon while others insist it was a serpent - but one thing is certain it was so terrifying that no one would 98

101 come forward and volunteer to help Romain in his quest to rid the town of the appalling creature. No one except a prisoner who in any case had been condemned to death and so had nothing to lose and everything to gain. But I m going too fast... The dynamic duo of Romain and the prisoner set off into the marshes where the beast lived. There the story tell us that there was no gory battle, all Romain did was to cross himself and the beast lay down at his feet. The saintly Romain then put his stole around the creature s neck and led it back to the Cathedral square where the poor creature was burned. The prisoner was pardoned and released and in memory of both the exploit and the prisoner the canons of the city earned the right to pardon one condemned soul a year. This is remarkable because at that time only Kings had the right to such a privilege but it was a tradition that the monks of Rouen retained until the French Revolution, thanks no doubt to the weight of the Romain s reputation and the powerful legend that lies on to this day about the archbishop who would become the patron saint of the City. Rollon s amulets In Normandy it isn t just holy men who have stories told about them, although the stories told about those early Christians obviously encouraged the spread of Christianity in the region. There are also many tales of the Dukes of Normandy. This one is about Rollon, the first Duke and founder of the dukedom. Rollon was a Viking, a fierce warrior and feared opponent. All the stories told about him depict him as a powerful man eager for justice. One day Rollon went hunting. No-one now knows if he was bitten by a mad wolf - of which there were several in the woods around Rouen at that time - or if he managed to kill the 10 huge wild boar all alone! The part of the story remembered is not his prowess as a hunter but an almost insignificant event. Saint Adrien or Saint Bonaventure The hamlet of Saint Adrien lies in the Belbeuf community to the east of Rouen and there you will find a chapel built into the side of the cliffs where people not just from Rouen but from all over Normandy still come to pray not to Saint Adrien but Saint Bonaventure. The chapel was a place of pilgrimage for many years and was said to protect visitors against the plague. Today visitors to the chapel still come to pray for protection but from another sort of plague: infidelity. Praying here will put an end to a husband s or lover s amorous adventures or bonnes aventures, hence the name. Saint Bonaventure also helps find a marriage partner for those that wish it. Once suppliants pinned a yellow ribbon on the saint s image but now it is covered up. The Abbey of Jumièges, the legend The abbey of Jumièges is a very special place even today. What is about the remains of this splendid abbey that make tourists tiptoe in respectfully? Is it the weight of history ever-present within its ruined walls? As if the beauty of the stones and the setting was not enough to secure the reputation of this magnificent abbey, kings and conquerors have also added to the legend. Harold, future King of England, is said to have come to Jumièges. It is here that he is supposed to have abdicated his claim to the crown in favour of William the Conqueror. Harold did not keep his word and lost his throne to William at the battle of Hastings. The story is that the abbey owes its splendour to a noble and a hunting party. One day the first Duke of Normandy, called William Long Sword, was setting off to go hunting in the forest when he met two monks called Beaudoin and Gaudoin. The holy men offered the Duke some consecrated bread and water both of which he refused with disdain. He then set off into the forest whereupon he got the worst of it in a tussle with an enormous wild boar. Wounded in the hunt, William came back to the monks who, bearing no grudge for his previous behaviour, offered him the consecrated bread and water once more. This time he accepted and as a penance promised to restore the monastery where eventually he was buried. 99

102 A legendary storyteller Anne Marchand loves a good story but more importantly she loves to share them. Storyteller and President of the National French Mythology Society she has just brought out a book on the tales and legends from the Seine-Maritime. The book represents 10 years work collecting the stories, she tells us. At first the idea was just to record for posterity the stories told here. I would go and have a cup of coffee with people and listen to the tales they told. But over the years the folders which I filed by town or village got so full I felt that I just had to put them into some sort of order and publish them for everyone to enjoy. The book traces the legends and beliefs held across the Seine Maritime. Throughout the summer of 2010, a travelling exhibition will be dedicated to tales told about the department s forests and woodlands. Sponsored by the CREA, the exhibition will feature Anne Marchand s collection of stories on a series of 15 panels and be warned - some make scary reading! Thirsty after hunting, Rollon stopped to drink at a pond near which stood a sturdy oak tree. Rollon dismounted and so that he could drink more easily he took off his three amulets of solid gold and hung them on one of the branches of the oak tree, then bent down and slaked his thirst. Refreshed, he turned on his heel, mounted his horse and galloped back to the hunt leaving his golden bracelets hanging on the tree. The rest is history as they say. People were so scared of Rollon, that nobody touched the bracelets and there they stayed in case one day he should remember where he had left them and come back to claim them. What s more, even after Rollon s death the bracelets were left hanging on the oak - a tree that has long since vanished taking the Duke s jewels with it back to the earth in the forest of Roumare. From devil to saint In the legends of Normandy there is one man who has more stories told about him than RolIon Robert the Devil. People are still fascinated by him to this day. We know for a fact that he had a castle overlooking the river Seine at Moulineaux and some say that he haunts the château as a were-wolf! But that s not all Leaving aside the question of werewolves we are not sure exactly who Robert was. Was Robert the Devil a character in his own right or was he also known as the once violent and sullen Robert the Magnificent or was the latter just the nickname of Robert of Montgommery? Whatever the truth of the matter - this is fertile ground for the stuff of legends! According to the story Robert got his nickname The Devil because at the height of their lovemaking, Robert s mother had supposedly called out the devil s name and not her husband s! The child that was born of this union was Robert and he was a vicious, violent and sullen boy. When he grew up he went off to the Crusades but they had little positive effect on his bad temper. But fortunately for him the Pope did! For when his mother finally told him about the curse that she had inadvertently put on him, Robert lost no time and went to Rome to see the Pope. There he was absolved of all his sins. In Anne Marchand s rendition of this ancient tale, Robert had to do a penance for his wickedness by remaining silent and making do with scraps left by his dogs. This is how, in legend, at least Robert the Devil first becomes a saint and then Robert the Magnificent! The Monk, St Michael and the Devil Here is another pretty little tale as told to us by Jacques Tanguy. Once upon a time in Rouen, there was a monk who woke up in the middle of the night and was tempted to have some feminine company. Giving in to his desires, the monk leapt over the wall and started off down the rue des Boucheries-Saint-Ouen. He went slowly at first but his steps got faster and faster. Faster and faster he went until he got to the little bridge over the river Robec, where he tripped and fell into the river and drowned! It was a sad and sorry end. Enter St Michael and the Devil, both claiming the dead man s soul for themselves and they quarrelled violently! St Michael said that the brother was blameless as he had not got as far as putting his thoughts into action while the Devil said that he had clearly sinned just by thinking about it. According to the story the two kept on arguing until Duke Robert the Devil himself who stepped in. He suggested that the dead man should be brought back to life and then both would see what he would have done if he hadn t died and then his real intentions would be revealed! The monk was revived and no sooner than he stood up but off he trotted back to his monastery without another thought! Robert the Devil was so pleased that he had got one over on the Devil that he is said to have thrown back his head and laughed so long and hard that legend has it that the people so afraid of the sound that they forgot all about the fight between Saint Michael and Devil. 100

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104 WRAPAROUND CINEMA Libre Cours. Caen - Photos : S. Guichard, JM Gatey, * ARROMANCHES Relive history here where it happened! 10 km from Bayeux, Open non-stop 7 days a week Information : +33 (0)

105 When Isilde gets the green light 8h: Catch the sun and see it light up the town from the Canteleu viewpoint. 7h30: What could be more delicious than to enjoy an overnight stay at a baker and have croissant straight from the oven for breakfast. Chambres d hôtes la Boulangerie, 59 rue Saint-Nicaise. Tel Isilde loves green anything green. It colours everything she does from purchases to pleasure. Isilde is the new green consumer, supporting sustainable farming, going for organic and buying fair trade. Today s generation see the world with green eyes. Let s see what Isilde finds in Rouen... 8h30: A healthy walk and some fresh air in the Roumare Forest. 9h: Isn t life great? Rouen Organics, 79 boulevard du 11-Novembre, Petit-Quevilly. Tel h30: What better than to enjoy homemade cooking with seasonal produce Cooking lessons with make it yourself 32, rue des Capucins, Rouen, Tel

106 10h30: Close your eyes and take up the bio invitation. Couleur Sable, 8 rue Saint-Denis à Rouen. Tel h: A break on the banks of the Robec to discover a foie gras which won gold at the National Agricultural Show. Ferme d Alain Royer, 2 route du Val Normand, Fontaine sous Préaux. Tel h45: Back to the town and a trip to the reclaimed docklands - now a smart shopping centre Docks 76 with over 80 shops and outlets. Docks 76, Quai Ferdinand de Lesseps, Rouen. Tel h30: What could be more delightful than a healthy lunch reasonably priced? Otrechoze, 1 rue Georges-Braque à Rouen Tel h30: Isilde bags a bargain. Pré et Fils, 10 C rue Guillaume-le-Conquérant Rouen Tel h45: A post-prandial nap in the sun amongst the flowers at the Abbaye de Saint-Pierre-de-Manneville. 12, route de l abbaye Saint-Martin-de- Boscherville. Tel

107 15h: Scenes on the Seine, Isilde enjoys a trip round Rouen Port. Embarkation Jehan Ango on the right bank, ticket from CREA Tourist Office 16h: No time like the present: Isilde visits Gros-Horloge. Rue du Gros-Horloge, Rouen Tel h30: Leaving the port Isilde is in a hurry to take in the Corderie Vallois Museum. Corderie Vallois. 185, route de Dieppe Notre Dame de Bondeville Tel h: Fair trade first. Artisans du monde, 82 rue de la République Rouen. Tel h30: Another view of the town and a moment of reflection for Isilde visiting the Basilica at Bonsecours and the memorial to Jeanne d Arc, Rouen s celebrated martyr. 16h30: Isilde picks up a bargain and breathes new life into yesterday s furniture. Jacotte & Javotte, 34, rue Saint-Nicolas Rouen. Tel

108 19h: Friday night is organic market night. Rouen, place Jacques-Lelieur. Every Friday from 16h30 to 20h. 18h: Our daily bread: bread making with the Pannevert, Esplanade de la Pannevert, Rouen. Every third Friday from 18h. Tel h: Before dancing the night away Isilde dines at the Auberge des Ruines. Auberge des Ruines, 1, Place de la Mairie Jumièges. Tel h: Coffee and a Tango to recharge the batteries. Café Tango, the first Tuesday of every month at the Vicomté 70, rue de la Vicomté, Rouen. Tel h: Isilde gets on down to the Latino rhythms of salsa at the Anatole Bar. Anatole Bar, 30, rue de Buffon à Rouen Tel h : After all her adventures Isilde needs her beauty sleep. Rouen Youth Hostel. 247 Route de Darnétal, Rouen Tel rouen@fuaj.org 106

109 Rouen, Seine Valley, Normandy Events diary 2010/2011 MAY 2010 Rouen 24 hours Powerboat Races On the river Seine in Rouen (from 30/04 to 2/05 Springtime in Rouen Festival Fun packed programme : free Museums entries and cultural heritage events, "J'entends des voix" (from 3/04 to 6/06) Saint-Marc s day Fete Ymare (1st-2/05) Festival Printemps de l'aubette Saint-Léger-du-Bourg-Denis (April-May-June) The 23rd annual Circus Arts Festival Grand-Quevilly (from 11 to 30/05) Painters and Painting Workshop La Bouille (from 13 to 24/05) French Nationwide Event : Visit a Mueum tonight (15/05) Festival "Yes or No" Saint-Étienne-de-Rouvray (15 and 16/05) Cliff Race Moulineaux (30/05) JUNE/SEPTEMBER 2010 Normandy Impressionist Festival (June 4-September 26) This summer Normandy will be packed full of colourful, fun and exciting events as part of this major festival a 4 month-long celebration of Impressionist painting that gives you the chance to experience the region as never before. The undoubted star of the show will be the Rouen museum exhibition " A City for Impressionism: Monet, Pissarro and Gauguin in Rouen" declared an event of national interest by the Minsistry of Culture. The impressive programme of over 200 different events, concerts, recitals, picnics etc will place Rouen and the Seine Valley firmly at the cutting edge of the creative and performing arts in France Impressionist Nights Rouen s signature son et lumière show with the Museum of Fine Arts as the backdrop! (from 5th June to 26th September) Rouen «Impressionnée» The city s natural environment is highlighted by contemporary artists (Arne Quinze, Shigeko Irakawa, Olivier Darné )(03/07-29/08) See for full details JUNE 2010 Normandy Impressionist Festival (June 4-September 26) See for full details Jeanne d'arc Days and Festival Rouen (05 and 06/06) French Nationwide Cultural Event: Get into gardens This year s themes will be "Soils, landscapes and regions" (from 28/05 to 5/06) Springtime in Rouen Festival Fun packed programme : free Museums entries and cultural heritage events, "J'entends des voix" (from 3/04 to 6/06) Festival Printemps de l'aubette Saint-Léger-du-Bourg-Denis (April-May-June) "Animaijuin" Petit-Quevilly (12/06) «les Bakayades» Festival Grand-Quevilly Saint-Jean s day Fair Mont-Saint-Aignan (12/06) A Festival of Music Saint-Aubin-Épinay (12/06) Midsummer Fair Petit-Couronne (19-20/06) French Nationwide Cultural Event: French National All Day Music Day (21/06) Music Festival Archéojazz Blainville Crevon (30/06-03/07) Rouen Books and Reading Fair and Workshop Halle aux Toiles de Rouen (25-27/06) Festival "Voix sur Seine" Hautot-sur-Seine, Sahurs, Saint-Pierre-de- Manneville and Val-de-la-Haye (25 to 27/06) 21st Anniversary Sotteville Street theatre and music festival «VivaCité» Sotteville-Lès-Rouen, bois de la Garenne (from 25 to 27/06) French Nationwide Cultural Event: Enjoy the Silver screen film festival (from 26/06 to 3/07) JULY 2010 Normandy Impressionist Festival (June 4-Septembre 26) - See for full details Impressionist Nights (from 5/06 to 26/09) Rouen on Sea Summer Festival Enjoy all the fun of the seaside quayside! Rouen Impressionnée Part of the International Normandy Impressionist Festival programme Thursday pm Rock s (Every Thursday in July) Darnétal Town Festival Darnétal (from 9 to 12/07) Bastille day and Fireworks (14/07 and 13/07 dates to be decided in each commune) French National Holiday celebration and fireworks display Gouy (14/07) Normandie Classical Music Festival"Les Musicales de Normandie" Various churches and Abbeys throughout the region (from 24/07 to 09/09) AUGUST 2010 Normandy Impressionist Festival (June 4 - September 26) - See for full details Impressionist Nights, Light show at the Rouen Fine Arts Museum (from 5/06 to 26/09) Normandy Classical Music Festival "Les Musicales de Normandie" Various churches and Abbeys throughout the region (from 24/07 to 09/09) Open air painting Workshop Rouen/Sahurs/la Bouille (15/08) Saint-Sauveur s day Fair Sahurs (31/08) SEPTEMBER 2010 Normandy Impressionist Festival (June 4 - September 26) - See for full details Impressionist Nights Light show at the Rouen Fine Arts Museum (from 5/06 to 26/09) Normandy Classical Music Festival "Les Musicales de Normandie" Various churches and Abbeys throughout the region (from 24/07 to 09/09) Déjeuner sur l herbe or An open air picnic Manoir de Villers, Saint-Pierre-de- Manneville (mid september) * See for full details International Organ Festival Saint- Ouen Abbey Church, Rouen (every Sunday in September) Harvest Festival Boos (4-5/09) Bird s fair Belbeuf (7/09) Rouen Autumn Season Flea market Rouen District Council Congress Theatre/Centre : Le Zenith (from 10 to 12/09) Saint-Gorgon s day Fair Canteleu (11/09) Saint-Siméon s day Fair Déville-lès-Rouen (11-12/09) 20 Rétrophoto Market Halle au Toiles de Rouen (12/09) French Nationwide Cultural Event National Heritage Days (from 18 to 19/09) Le Mesnil Roller Le-Mesnil-Esnard (dates to be decided) Book Festival Rouen (19/09) Comic-strip and cartoon Fair Darnétal (24-26/09) OCTOBER 2010 Arts Festival Autumn in Normandy Throughout Upper Normandy (October- November) International Film Festival Tous les cinémas du Monde Seine Maritime cinemas (from 01 to 8/10) Farmers and Craft Market Bihorel (2-3/10) Minerals and Fossil Fair Halle aux Toiles,Rouen (02 and 03/10) Militaria Militray surplus and bric a brac Old weapons, military memorabilia etc Rouen District Council Congress Theatre / Centre: Le Zenith (10/10) Bulb Fair Fontaine-sous-Préaux (dates to be confirmed) 11 Annual Gourmet and Normandy Food Festival rue Rollon Rouen (16 and 17/10) Tennis Tournament "Enfants de la Terre" Bois-Guillaume Saint-Romain Fun Fair Rouen South bank quayside, (22/10-21/11) NOVEMBER 2010 Saint-Romain Fun Fair Rouen Seine River bank quayside (22/10-21/11) DECEMBER 2010 Christmas Market and Téléthon Grand-Couronne (04 et 05/12) Rouen Frost Fair (4/12-02/01/2011) Childrens book Festival South bank, Rouen (3-5/12) Festival to celebrate the anniversary of the return of the Emperor Napoleon s Ashes Val-de-la-Haye Exhibition of contemporary artists: Barré and Dubuisson Rouen Fine Arts Museum (December 2010-February 2011) JANUARY 2011 Rouen Winter Flea market Rouen exhibition Hall Exhibition of contemporary artists: Barré and Dubuisson Rouen Fine Arts Museum (December 2010-February 2011 FEBRUARY 2011 French Cup Patinage Synchronisé Rouen skating rink 72 edition Independant Normandy Artists Halle aux Toiles de Rouen "Winter Fair" Bonsecours Normandy Creative Workshop 41st edition - Rouen town centre Halle aux Toiles Exhibition of contemporary artists: Barré and Dubuisson Rouen Fine Arts Museum (December 2010-February 2011) MARCH 2011 Normandy Creative Workshop 41st edition - Rouen town centre Halle aux Toiles French Nation wide event: 13th Annual festival Printemps des Poètes 24th Nordic Cinema Festival Rouen 12th annual Transeuropéennes music festival (la CREA) All about Art Rouen Diocesan Art Festival A celebration of diverse art forms in churches throughout the Dioces Rouen International Fair Parc-Expo-Rouen Heritage and book Festival Saint-Ouen Abbey Church, Rouen International Roller Skating Quai Jean Moulin - Rouen Youth Theatre and dramtic arts festival Franqueville-Saint-Pierre 17th Annual Rouen Carnival APRIL 2011 Plant Fair Hautot-sur-Seine Rouen International Fair Parc-Expo-Rouen Springtime in Rouen Festival Notre-Dame-de-Bondeville All about Art Rouen Diocesan Art Festival A celebration of diverse art forms in churches throughout the Dioces Springtime in Rouen Festival Fun packed programme: Free Museum entry and cultural heritage events, "J'entends des voix" Spring Festival Printemps de l'aubette Festival in Saint-Léger-de-Bourg- Denis (April-May-June) For full details and further information online: 107

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112 Open Mondays to Saturdays Menus from 15, 25 and 33 Traditional French restaurant Oyster & Champagne bar Tel: +33 (0) Fax: +33 (0) , rue Socrate Rouen Espace du palais fountain

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114 2km from Bourgtheroulde to the south at the crossroads D80/D38. Château de Boscherville Get away from it all and enjoy a stroll through the rich green parkland surrounding the Chateau de Boscherville. Just a 15-minute drive from Rouen on the delightful Abbey Discovery Trail at the entrance to the Seine River Meanders natural park, this delightful XVIII château offers the visitor 5 stylish and elegant en suite rooms and exhibitions of contemporary art and prints downstairs. Modern painting exhibit. 1 pers pers pers. 65 Mme Henry du Plouy Château de Boscherville Bourgtheroulde Tel./fax: +33 (0)

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122 Rouen and Seine Valley District Tourist Office Normandy The Tourist Office offers you a wide range of services: Information about the city and its surroundings (museums, monuments, entertainment, sports, leisure and practical information) also on the rest of France (brochures, accommodation, etc...). Local and national tickets (for shows, concerts, festivals...). Reservation of hotel rooms, bed and breakfast accommodation and self-catering cottages for Rouen and its region. Guided tours of Rouen's historic centre for groups and individuals. Excursions for groups and individuals, throughout Normandy. Conference organisation. Gift Shop : a selection of regional products, ideas for gifts, souvenirs: apple flavoured barley sugar, toffees made with delicious Isigny butter, cider, calvados, Rouen gift boxes, impressionist or Heula product range, books and stationery. Contact the main desk.: Tel. +33 (0) fax +33 (0) accueil@rouenvalleedeseine-tourisme.com - Tourist Office**** Opening Hours May to September : Monday to Saturday 9 am to 7 pm Sundays and bank holidays 9:30 am to 12:30 pm and 2 pm to 6 pm. Rest of the Year : Monday to Saturday 9.30 am to 12:30 pm and 1:30 pm to 6 pm. Closed on Sundays and bank holidays except for special events. Rouen Audio guide visit Thanks to the audio guide, visit the historical centre by yourself. Available in six languages it cannot be simpler to visit the city by yourself or with your family! Just ask our front desk for an audio guide which will be given with a map. Marked steps on the pavement and the narrator's voice will reveal secrets of the monuments of Rouen and the artists it inspired. Take your time to have a good look! From the Cathedral to place du Vieux Marché, passing the Gros Horloge and the Aître Saint Maclou, offer yourself a cultural journey through the Capital of Normandy. Day rental of an audio guide (according to the front desk opening time): 5. Reservation to the Rouen and Seine Valley District Tourist Office Normandy +33 (0) Exchange office all currencies Tel. : +33 (0) Purchase or sell travellers-checks We buy foreign bank notes which were quoted before the euro Opening hours: from May to September: Monday to Saturday 9 am to pm and 1.30 pm to 6.30 pm. The rest of the year: Monday to Saturday, 9.30 am to pm and 1.30 pm to 5.30 pm. Public holidays (when the Tourist Office is open): 9.30 am to pm and 1.30 pm to 6 pm. Closed on Sundays. This magazine is published by the Rouen and Seine Valley District Tourist Office Normandy 25, place de la Cathédrale - BP Rouen cedex 1 Tel. : + 33 (0) Fax : + 33 (0) accueil@rouenvalleedeseine-tourisme.com Editor : Guy Pessiot Managing editor : Yves Leclerc Journalists : Sandrine Gossent, Benoît Thouary, Stéphane Nappez Photographer (except if otherwise stated) : Jean-François Lange Sub-editor and illustrations : Isabelle Dufraigne Style and design : Bruno Voisin - Veo Communication Advertising : B&L Associés, Normandy representative : Fabienne Bougault Legal deposit : second term of 2010 ISSN : in process Printed by : Imprimerie Noao Group Copyright: Mai 2010 subject to permission from the Rouen and Seine Valley district Tourist Office Normandy. The information provided here was believed to be correct at the time of going to press. It is not legally binding and is intended as general information only and Rouen Seine Valley Tourist Office accepts no liability relating to its use. RECEPTION AND INFORMATION OF TOURISM OFFICES This mark shows conformity with the standard NF X and the certification rules NF 237. It guarantees that the ease of access, on site customer reception, by telephone and mail, condition of the location, available and consultable information, availability, competence and training of the personnel, management and customer satisfaction are monitored regularly by AFNOR Certification - 11, rue Francis de Préssensé LA PLAINE SAINT DENIS Cedex France