Rouen, France

We stayed at Camping de la Foret, which is nestled in a loop of the Seine River between Yainville and Jumieges. Catching the bus to Rouen in Yainville required a 35-40 minute walk through the countryside. Brian leads the way - the same path by which we returned in the evening. We definitely got our exercise that day.

The Notre-Dame Cathedral of Rouen - the city of a hundred spires - is famous for Impressionist painter Claude Monet's numerous renditions of it. Its distinctly different towers also make it unique. Arriving in the morning, we experienced a bit of the ever-changing light that inspired Monet's paintings. Such intricate detail inside and outside of this cathedral!

Joan of Arc also puts Rouen on the map. We visited the Jeanne d'Arc Museum which is located near the cathedral and housed in the archbishop's place. A multimedia presentation dramatized her story, and then we explored the rest of the museum on our own. The photo above was taken in the Church of St. Joan of Arc. The unique stained glass windows are set low enough in the walls that one can view their details quite closely. Beautiful!

Walking through Rouen's streets was a feast for the eyes as well. We enjoyed lunch outdoors in a square where we could soak up the ambiance while we re-charged. Our final stop was the Museum of Beaux-Arts, a huge art museum in the center of town next to a green, shady park. Having learned to pace ourselves with art museums, here we focused on the Impressionist collection. This Monet below reminded me a little of the countryside of the area.