Rouen- Jeanne D Arc
Trip Start
Jan 01, 2012
1
5
30
Trip End
Ongoing
Where I stayed
Rouen, Normandy, France
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Rouen- is the home of her trial and murder. The visitor center across from the great cathedral gives you a brochure on where to walk on those last moments of her life. It is worth the trip! It’s everything you ever wanted in a history lesson. We walked through some spooky streets to find the tower (King Phillip’s) where she was imprisoned for a short time and kept guard by other men not women (which was unheard of at that time). We walked through the cemetery where she was sentenced and tricked to admitting her guilt, saw where she was burned to the stake and of course, visited the bridge where they threw her heart in the river. I know it sounds strange that this town can profit from such a sad event, nonetheless, they do it in a classy manner.
This town is about an hour or so outside of Paris and very much worth a visit. Aside from Joan they have a marvelous town center, full of quaint shops, cafes and a beautiful Cathedral. It looks very Bavarian and I hate to compare it to a Disney film but it looks like a scene from “Beauty and the Beast”. (Beginning scene.) The French people unlike the Parisians are very accommodating and lovely. They love children and our kids (well Tommy was still ill) loved them! Food was good not as fantastic as Paris but much improvement from England. (lol) They do not speak any English but gestures, basic French and a sense humor will get you by.
Bottom line: Stay here and enjoy the adventure of Jeanne D Arc and the next time your kid has a report to do use it as an opportunity to enjoy it because who knows one day they maybe in their heroine/hero’s town. Au Revoir for now!
