Les Andelys

When we woke up, we were docked here. A small town on one of the many loops of the Seine, best known for its fortress, Chateau Gaillard, which was built in 1197 by Richard I of England – Richard the Lionheart, or, as he is known in France, Richard Coeur de Lion. Richard was also Duke of Normandy at the time when England ruled the entire western part of France. Sacrés Anglais!!!!! His aim was to protect Rouen. Richard died before the construction was complete and his brother, John Lackland, took over. In 1203, the French king, Philippe Auguste, captured the castle after a long siege. Depending of which version you believe, the French or the English, 4 Frenchmen saved the day with cunning and strategy or the English had great big siege towers. The French version is far more interesting!!! This area changed hands several times over the centuries and the English turned the castle into a jail during the Hundred Years War in the 14th century. Once France was united and central power established in the late 16th century, Henry IV ordered the castle dismantled after 400 years of existence. It was a long walk up (and back!) the hill to the castle. There was also a bus on hand for those who did not want to do the walk..

The little town is very pretty with typical Norman half-timbered houses and lovely courtyards and gardens. The church, Saint Sauveur, was built in 1202, a gem of early gothic architecture. Anyone who has read Ken Follett’s “The Pillars of the Earth”, which I am currently, reading, would immediately recognize it.

We came back to the boat for lunch and spent the afternoon on the sun deck watching the world go by – beautiful nouveau Norman homes and little villages dominated by typical Norman churches. Every now and then, we saw limestone outcroppings and even some cliffs. Everything is lush and green. ….or yellow (rapeseed fields) or pink (flowering trees). Birds twitter, swams glide and ducks take uff with raucous quacks. What a life!

Lock watching – still a family activity…what fun to watch the kids with their parents and grandparents as we go through the d”Anfreville locks. I remember going out to the Marne years ago (another life) to picnic and watch the barges go through the locks,

The Captain's Reception and Gala Dinner tonight was fabulous - the best meal I've ever had on any cruise. So far, this line has my vote! After dinner, we had brandy (I had Calvados - when in Normandy!) and listened to a terrific local musician play all the great American blues and rock and roll songs from the 50s ---and we danced.