We come to Normandy often even for more reason than tourism . In my road warrior mode ,we passed many times by the hilly curvy Les Andelys. We finally went in to town and would like to update this older post on this is Les Andelys !! Hope you enjoy the post as I.
Les Andelys is in the departément 27 Eure of the region of Normandie in my belle France, It is about 100 km from Paris. This is a hilly town and counts many hamlets on different local D roads ,most on the plains such as in the north Feuquerolles, le Mesnil-Bellanguet, Longuemare, and Noyers by the D316; in the valley such as Radeval, Paix, and le Val-Saint-Martin, by the D125; and on the south the Cléry, la Baguelande, Mantelle, and Villers, by the D1. However to get right by the town you are better off on the D135 from the A13 ,Autoroute de Normandie , the only bridge is a suspended type rebuilt after WWII in 1947 that crosses the Seine river towards Tosny and the righg bank. It is the only bridge between Courcelles sur Seine and Saint Pierre du Vauvray.
The Church Collegiale Notre Dame des Andelys built in the 13C 14C 16C and 17C with renovations, It was in the 13C, more precisely in 1215, that the first stones were laid, The place is not chosen at random, it is the former location of a monastery for young girls, built by Queen Saint Clotilde, wife of Clovis I the Merovingian, in 511. It had been destroyed by the Vikings in 900, and only a few ruins remained. It takes 5 years to build the choir and the facade, but it will take almost 100 years for the church to look like it still does today. It was especially after the Hundred Years War that enlargements and numerous embellishments were carried out. The Gothic interior is rather sober, while the exterior is much more stylized, with in particular a lace stone cutout, antique columns or statues of Greek inspiration. When you enter the collegiate church, it is the stained glass windows magnificent, dating from the 16C, which are often noticed first. They tell us about the life of the apostles, saints and Christian martyrs. The statues and master paintings further enhance the beauty of the place. In particular, there is a polychrome Christ from the 15C, but also statues of Saint Clotilde, which are even older. Paintings adorns the walls, and credenzas on the stalls tell us about the daily life of the inhabitants of the time, represent some animals or show fishermen what they should never do. To stroll through the Collegiate Church of Notre-Dame, is to remember what France was like several centuries ago. An organ gallery is still there, since 1573. It was carved in wood , the panels obviously tell us about Christian virtues, but also about mythological characters or science. Even today, the organ is in working order, and there are regular concerts or masses.
Other things to see here are many manoirs or mansion homes of rich architecture and these my favorites: The Gallo Roman Grand Théatre of the 1C with 120 meters of diameter inside . The before mentioned Chateau Gaillard, the Church Saint Sauveur du Petit Andely built in the 13C , the hospice Saint Jacques from the 14C and 17C founded by Louis Jean Marie de Bourbon, Duke of Penthiévre and rebuilt in the 18C , as well as the ramparts of the Grand Andely and the clock tower or Tour de l’Horloge from the 17C.
A bit of history I like tell us the Les Andelys has many traces of Vikings inhabitation and it is very old town as you can imagine in France. The town belongs to the archbishops of Rouen but it was ceded in 1197 to the Duke of Normandy Richard the Lion Heated ,upon his death he passes to his brother John landless or Jean sans Terre by which finally taking into France by the king Philippe Auguste in 1204. This was taken by France came as a result of the falling of the Château-Gaillard and created psychological conditions for the taking of Rouen and all of Normandy by the king of France. However, it is said on the strategic plan had no impact as the Seine river was free as well as the route to Rouen much before the taking of the castle. The results is the duchy of Normandy passing to the kingdom of France after 293 years of semi independence (since 911 –1204),
As to the castle of Gaillard, in the following years it was restored later served as a prison ,and finally taken by the English during the War of Hundred years in the 15C. The castle was given up as needed to pull buckets from a well to get water; and with the advances of the artillery it was left in abandon becoming the refuge of homeless etc the King Henri IV ordered the dismantling of its stones that later served to built the Chartreuse of Aubevoye in Gaillon. Some anecdotes as here in 1762 the town passes from the duchy of Gisors to Louis Charles de Bourbon-Maine, duke of Aumale; upon his death in 1775 it passes to his cousin the duke of Pentiévre, and by 1793 it passes to Louise Marie de Bourbon-Penthiévre, Duchess of Chartres and Orléans, later in 1821 it entered on the heritage of Duke Louis Philippe III d’Orléans future Louis Philippe Ier king of the French. Early on in WWII in 1940 after bombings and fire on the town it falls to the nazis of the 6th infantry division ,after liberation a plan of rebuilding is approved in 1943.
The City of Les Andelys tourist office on its heritage (go to patrimoine) : https://www.ville-andelys.fr/office-tourisme/#
The Les Andelys Tourist office on the church : https://www.lesandelys-tourisme.fr/collegiale-notre-dame-des-andelys/
The Normandy region Tourist office on Château Gaillard https://www.nouvelle-normandie-tourisme.com/activites/chateau-gaillard/
The Eure dept 27 tourist office on Les Andelys: https://www.eureka-attractivity.com/discover-les-andelys-in-normandy/
There you go folks, a wonderful off the beaten path town of Les Andelys worth the detour me thinkn. You can come here by train from gare Saint Lazare in Paris to Les Andelys or by car take the A13 autoroute exit/sortie no. 17 Gaillon, Again, hope you enjoy the post on this is Les Andelys !! as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 