Jaap van 't Veen's photos

The Collégiale Notre-Dame (Notre-Dame Collegiate) is a Gothic church built between 1215 and 1320 on the site of an ancient abbey founded in the year 511. It is one of the oldest religious sites in Normandy. The church offers different architectural styles, from early Gothic to Flamboyant Gothic and Renaissance, visible in the contrast between its ornate south facade and classically-inspired north side. The church is ‘cathedral-sized’ at 70 meters long with 21-meter vaults. The interior houses remarkable 15th and 16th-century stained glass windows. In 1840 the church was listed as a historical monument.

Église Saint-Ouen (Church of Saint Ouen) is a historic building, which is dating back to the year of 1205. In the mid-18th century, the church was in danger of collapsing. It too was demolished, but the present church was rebuilt on its foundations and consecrated in 1774. The church is well known for its stained- glass windows.

The thermal baths at the archaeological site of Gisacum were among the largest known in ancient Gaul (a region in Western Europe, controlled by the Romans) reflecting the immense size of the Gallo-Roman sanctuary. These public baths were a vital part of daily life. Local people came here to wash, relax and socialise. Today the remaining foundations and layout of the ancient baths can be visited within an archaeological garden.

Construction of La collégiale Notre-Dame (Notre-Dame Collegiate Church) started at the end of the 11th century and continued over several centuries. The church combines different architectural styles: the choir and the transept are Romanesque, the rest of the building combines different Gothic styles. Restored many times, the Collegiate Church today reveals a 15th-century façade, as well as two spires rising 70 meters high. The church is considered being one of the oldest buildings in Normandy.

Le Vieux-Moulin (Old Mill) was built in the 16th century. The mill was originally built on a bridge across the river Seine that dated back to the 12th century. Initially constructed for military purposes, the bridge was subsequently repurposed for commercial activity and a total of five flour mills eventually sat upon its span. Lacking proper maintenance and upkeep, however, the bridge deteriorated over time and was ultimately abandoned in 1651 after a flood caused structural damage that rendered the bridge unfit for use. By the end of World War II, the Old Mill had sustained considerable damage and was in danger of collapsing. The people of Vernon took it upon themselves to restore and maintain the iconic structure.

Gardening became more and more important for Monet found and, in 1893 - ten years after his arrival in Givenchy - he bought a piece of land neighbouring his property. There he expanded his garden to include a water-lily pond, where he also built a Japanese-style bridge. The water lily pond, the little bridge, the reflection of the sky in the pond and the many water lilies feature frequently in his paintings.

In Giverny, Monet discovered a new hobby: gardening. When he settled in Giverny in 1883 the piece of land on front of the house was planted with an orchard and enclosed by high stone walls. He began by laying out a flower garden right, called “Clos Normand”. He turned the garden into a colourful work of art. Following a carefully planned schedule, flowers bloom in a different pattern every month of the year. The garden is an explosion of colours, particularly in spring and early summer.

The house in Giverny where Claude Monet lived for 43 years (1883–1926) was originally an abandoned ruin. With a keen eye for colour and detail, Monet transformed it into a colourful palace. At the beginning, the house called “House of the Cider-Press”, was much smaller. Monet enlarged it on both sides. The pink color of the walls and the green of the shutters was chosen by Monet. He also added a gallery in front of the house, a pergola covered with climbing roses, and grew a virginia creeper on the façade. On the ground floor of the house are the blue reading room, the yellow dining room and Monet’s studio. Everything has been restored to its original condition down to the last detail, complete with furniture, pottery and books from that era. The dining room features a unique collection of Japanese prints.

The Jardin Botanique (Botanical Garden) is part of the François Mitterand garden. It is created from a former Capuchin monastery garden dating back to at least 1833. The garden features a tropical greenhouse - renovated in 2018 - with a remarkable architecture, housing plant species from five continents (and a couple of colourful birds).

L'hôtel de ville d'Évreux (town hall of Évreux) is a stately late 19th-century building. The current town hall was the vision of local leaders and was realized through the generous bequest of deputy mayor Olivier Delhomme. Évreux - including the town hall - suffered severe destruction during the Second World War air raids of June 1940, when large parts of the city burned for nearly a week. Most of the city center, including civic spaces around the municipal sector, was redesigned and rebuilt in the post-war decades. The town hall stands on the Place du Général-De-Gaulle, which ‘naturally’ features a statue of this well-known French general.

Cathédrale Notre-Dame d'Évreux (Cathedral of Our Lady of Évreux) is an impressive church combining all the main trends of religious architecture. Built in the 10th century, the nave has kept the semi-circular arcades from the Romanesque period while the upper parts were rebuilt in the 13th century in the Gothic style with the transept and the choir. Évreux Cathedral is crowned by three distinctive towers. The north tower houses the cathedral's five bells. The south tower, originally topped with an octagonal wooden spire, was not rebuilt after being destroyed in a fire in 1940. The most prominent feature, however, is the central lantern tower, known as the silver bell tower due to its shimmering appearance. The cathedral has 70 stained-glass windows considered as masterpieces of French 13th to 16th century stained-glass art and the 13 radiating chapels enclosed with wood fences sculpted between the 15th and the 18th centuries, which are among the most beautiful ones in France.

The site of the Église Notre-Dame (Church of Our Lady) originally hosted a chapel dedicated to Saint John. After being heavily damaged and burnt by English forces during the Hundred Years' War, the church was rebuilt in the 15th and 16th centuries, remaining the 13th-century choir as the building’s oldest section. The church features an imposing, 43-meter-high tower built in the 15th century. Following the dismantling of Orbec’s town castle in 1378, this fortified tower was heavily utilized as a military watchtower. The church underwent major neo-Gothic restorations and expansions starting in 1868.

Abbaye Notre-Dame du Bec (Abbey of Our Lady of Bec, also called Bec Abbey) is a Benedictine monastic foundation. The construction of the abbey started in 1034 by a man called Hellouin and continued through 1035. In the 12th century it was the most influential abbey of Anglo-Norman kingdom. Bec Abbey was damaged during the Wars of Religion and left a ruin in the French Revolution but the 15th-century Tour Saint-Nicolas from the medieval monastery is still standing. In 1948 the abbey was re-established as the Abbaye Notre-Dame du Bec by a community of Benedictine monks of the Olivetan Congregation, who effected some restorations. Abbaye Notre-Dame du Bec is the property of the French State, but there are still monks living in the abbey.

Le Bec-Hellouin is listed among the ‘most beautiful villages in France’. The charming typical Norman village stands out not just for its religious heritage (due to the Notre-Dame du Bec Abbey), but also for its lovely setting, its peaceful, well-flowered streets and its half-timbered houses.

The Église Notre-Dame-de-la-Nativité (Church of Our Lady) was built in the 15th century. The church replaces an earlier Romanesque building, destroyed during the Hundred Years War. Two hundred years later, the nave, which had suffered considerable damage, was restored.The three-storey bell tower served as a porch. The Church of Our Lady also houses several classified furniture items, such as a master altar, altarpieces, statues, stained glass and paneling. The stained-glass window above the altar is dating from the late 15th century, depicting the genealogy of the Virgin Mary..

Château de Boutemont (Boutemont Castle) is dating back to the 11th century, when it was built as a military fort during the Norman invasion of England. Over the centuries, the estate passed through the hands of several noble families. The castle as it stands today dates from the 16th century. Since 1927, it has been listed as a Historic Monument. The castle is surrounded by beautiful themed gardens: Italian Garden, White Garden, Zen Garden, Ginkgo Garden and the Purple Garden.

The first Château de Saint-Germain-de-Livet (Castle of Saint-Germain-de-Livet) was built in the 12th century. It was a pentagonal defensive fortress, made of stone and surrounded by a moat. In 1462 the owners - Tourneby family - decided to destroy the old fortress, except the basement and the drawbridge. They erected on its foundations a half-timbered manor made of cob and wood. During the Renaissance, a magnificent extension was added, with an arcaded gallery and the famous checkerboard facades of stone and green-glazed brick. In the 19th century, it belonged to the Riesener family. The family’s last heir donated the castle/manor to the city of Lisieux in 1938. Today, it is a museum exhibiting the family’s heritage (not open during my visit there).

Château du Breuil (Breuil Castle) is a 16th cen¬tury renaissance castle, with significant developments extending into the 17th century. The castle is listed as a His¬tor¬ic Monu¬ment. It has served as the residence of several notable families. The castle complex includes a main residential building, outbuildings, and formal gardens. The use of local limestone and timber framing in parts of the structure highlights regional building traditions. Breuil Castle does not retain medieval fortifications such as moats or battlements, yet its sturdy stone contribute to its imposing presence. Since 1954, Château du Breuil has been recognized not only for its architectural heritage, but also as one of the most prestigious Calvados distilleries in Normandy.