A Weekend in Normandy | Part 2 | Rouen

Another full day of playing tourist in Rouen, Normandy; a big clock, a nice garden, and a huge church. Follow along as we explore le Gros Horloge, les Jardins du Hotel du Ville, and l’Abbaye Saint-Ouen.

Breakfast of Champions?

In our time so far in France, I’ve noticed that there doesn’t seem to be the same kind of brunch culture we’re used to at home. There are no line-ups to get through the door to a local greasy spoon for a feed of bacon and hashbrowns, and there are very few places that serve eggs as a breakfast item (although they put them on just about everything else, from burgers to pizza). So while we thought we’d treat ourselves to a nice big breakfast to get the day started, instead we just grew hangrier by the minute as we tried, unsuccessfully, to find a restaurant to appease us. 

Rather than turning to violence in our increasing hanger, we resorted to the nearby Monoprix grocery store (which we later learned was the very first one in France) and hastily grabbed some bread, cheese, ham, nuts, and fruit. So, we ate our mass chain-store croissants and pre-packaged BabyBel cheeses like Canadian fools, and as our hanger faded, we enjoyed our view from the garden bench beside the Notre Dame de Rouen. It’s a perfect little green space in a sea of concrete and brick, and it doesn’t seem to be very busy aside from the birds that are not scared of swooping in VERY close to your food and face. 

Le Gros Horloge (The Big Clock)

In my quick pre-trip google of Rouen, one of the first points of interest I read about was the huge clock in the middle of the city, Le Gros Horloge. I was immediately excited to check it out. It’s a beautifully ornate astronomical clock that was first constructed in 1389! When I walked around the corner to see it staring straight at me, I went full tourist and demanded Ocel take a picture of me in front of it (just check out my expression in the top photo). There is a passageway underneath the clock and you can view it from both sides, so no matter what direction you’re approaching from, it’s there. There were quite a few people around at various points during the day, but it never seemed to be hugely crowded. Definitely lots of chances to snap a good pic and marvel at the intricate gold details. We were hoping to climb the bell tower beside it to get a view into the gears and inner workings, followed by a nice vantage point to check out the city from above. Unfortunately, and in keeping with the theme of our trip, we arrived just as they were closing for their 2 hour lunch break.

Our serene perch behind the Abbaye Saint-Ouen in Rouen, Normandy.

Statue of Napolean | Place Charles du Gaulle, Rouen, Normandy

The previous night, we stumbled upon the statue of Napolean in front of what we learned was the the Hotel du Ville (City Hall), and Place General du Gaulle. We figured we should give it a proper visit and headed back down the streets which were starting to fill up with large vans of police and the Gendarmerie. At first I thought there must have been an accident, but we couldn’t detect anything out of the ordinary; no screams, no smoke, no hot pursuits. And then Ocel reminded me that it was Saturday, the favorite rioting day for the Yellow Vests. This was the first time we’d spent a Saturday in a city larger than Arras (which has been luckily very quiet on the riot front). It was a weird feeling to be in a place with such a heavy police presence. At least it was seemingly preventative rather than responsive. I hastily crossed the street to get closer to the statue and realized that I should probably think twice about haphazardly jaywalking directly in front of a large police force dressed in riot gear. Fortunately, obvious tourist jaywalking didn’t seem to be their top priority and I was spared an arrest abroad.

Gardens and Fountains | Jardin du Hotel du Ville, Rouen, Normandy

Behind the Abbey Saint-Ouen and Hotel du Ville there was a lovely garden, completely lined with more cherry trees, and filled with blooming flower beds and multiple monuments. There’s something to be said for planning ahead and mapping a route to visit, but we had amazing luck just pointing ourselves at interesting buildings and stumbling into greatness. I’m struggling to find details about the elements of the park online; there was large round fountain with a hilarious statue in the middle of a woman sitting on the lap of a man-horse, pushing his face away while he tried to seduce her. The stagnant water was green, and filled with garbage and lots of mini fish. I do not think they are living their best life in that sad puddle of what must have once been a beautiful water feature. There was also a large sundial with no plaque or defining features aside from an “XII” on the front. (See the photos below for a few details I was able to gather.)

A Little Spit-Shine | Abbaye Saint-Ouen, Rouen, Normandy

This area of the garden was almost completely empty except for us, some pigeons, and the occasional pedestrian heading through. We loved it! And while we sat on a lovely little bench enjoying the peace, the sound of rather ominous organ music softly spilled out from the cathedral. There was no obvious indication of a public entrance, and there were signs around advertising a new Joan of Arc exhibit that was the start the following week, so I figured it might have been closed for preparation. However, we saw a set of small doors and hovered awkwardly until we saw someone else walk through them. We followed, and entered into a cold, damp, glorious combination of splendor and neglect.

While the other churches we had toured were well maintained and heavily trafficked, this one certainly showed just as much time on the inside as the out. Cobwebs and pigeon poop lined the chapels along the perimeter. Dirt and dust hung from the huge tapestries and paintings, and for some reason I envisioned the scene from Space Jam where the team beautifies an old basketball court with “a little spit-shine.” Don’t get me wrong, while there was obvious dirt and disrepair, the unique charm and character of the church came through clearly. The history hung heavy in the air, like you could physically feel yourself walking through it with each step. 

Dark and Twisty | Organs of Abbaye Saint-Ouen

It helped that there was a dark and twisty organ soundtrack echoing through the cavernous sanctuary, which I assumed was coming from some sort of sound system since the huge central organ was vacant. I was surprised and delighted to turn the corner and see someone playing another organ. It was incredible. I felt like a voyeur who was suddenly watching someone’s concert rehearsal, and I couldn’t peel myself away. The organ was unlike anything I’ve ever seen, with a variety of pipes in different sizes and configurations mounted on platforms. And the guy was playing the hell out of it (I can say that, right?) The music was by times both eerie and enchanting.

The organist was absolutely killing it on the bass line, too, with his feet moving just as fast as his hands. I had flashbacks to my grandmother playing in church, rocking both the keys and the pedals. No matter how musical I consider myself, I will never be able to play the bass with my feet the way that she did.

As I try to find information about the smaller organ, I am in this moment learning that the large central organ is “a large four-manual pipe organ built in 1890 by Aristide Cavaillé-Coll. This instrument is considered to be one of the most important organs in France . . .  [it] stands unaltered and thus is one of the few of the master’s works to speak with its original voice.”