Paris1972-Versailles2003

I am updating this older post on an emblematic monument of the nearby city of Equemauville, this is an off the beaten path town next to the popular Honfleur (see posts), The town is hilly and of course located in the Calvados dept 14 of the region of Normandie in my belle France, Therefore, here is my take on this is Equemauville !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I,

The town of Equemauville is surrounded by the towns of Barneville-La-Bertran, Honfleur and Pennedepie, and located 4 km from Honfleur. Actually, as said, the town of Equemauville sits high on the hill or Plateau of Grâce up the road from the vieux bassin or old basin of Honfleur. It is a special place for us and have been coming here since 1992.  The plateau is magical with what you have here as well as the wonderful views over the valley and statuaire of the Seine river. Do read my many posts on and around Honfleur in my blog. The town is a 3 flower town of the Villes et Villages fleuris de France !

The Church of Saint Peter, (Saint Pierre) This sits right on the road D973 going into Honfleur, The ’Church of Fourneville is dedicated to Saint Peter, its second boss is Saint Yves, its construction dates back to the end of the 12C.,the current church is from the 19C, We find in this church two statues offered on the return from a pilgrimage to Rome: a statue of Joan of Arc blessed in 1921 and a statue of the patron saint of the parish. The first stone of this church dedicated to the sacred heart of Jesus was laid in 1892 the main altar, with its marble columns, its low reliefs, its tabernacle and the statue of the sacred heart which dominates it is sober. The paving of the nave is in mosaic, marble of the Pyrenees; That of the sanctuary is decorated with lily flowers. A chapel, raised in 1920 commemorates the memory of soldiers who died for France. A stained glass window that lights up this part of the chapel carries the flags of France through the ages. The Stations of the Cross are made of stone and seal in the walls, they present in a central medallion the subject of the sculpted station at low relief.

The village of Equemauville located 4 km from Honfleur sits high on the hill or Plateau of Grâce up the road from the vieux bassin or old basin of  Honfleur, These monuments are covered by Honfleur and even in my blog even if administratively belongs to Equemauville, The Pavillon de la Reine ,or Queen’s pavilion,or Pavillon de la Grâce was built on the plain which from the hill in Equemauville dominates the city of Honfleur below, not far from the Chapelle Notre Dame de Grâce chapel, The pavilion welcomed Queen Marie-Antoinette before being the home of Lucie Delarue-Mardrus, who had become a woman of letters. During the summer of 1907, on the occasion of a bicycle walk, Lucie and her husband made an incredible discovery at the bottom of the slope, halfway between town and plateau, seven old oaks, shelted from a ruin of pink bricks whose windows with small tiles still retain a few windows, these are the ruins of a charming 18C pavilion, built in 1787, for Louis XVI, which became the prey of vegetation. The farmers of around claim that this place is haunted at night by white and black ladies, hence the nickname of castle of the devil, The windows open on the estuary or on the valley. The pavilion does not include a floor: on the right, a bedroom, on the left, a small room. Without harming the aesthetics of the whole, they had an annex for the kitchen and the commons in 1909, Lucie Delarue-Mardrus, built an anchor in her real home: Normandy “herbagic, brilliant and wet”, as she wrote. The castle of the Devil is renamed the Pavillon de la Reine or Queen’s pavilion and became the home of Lucie until she left Honfleur, death at heart, in 1936. Today the Queen’s pavilion was transformed into a guest house, Lucie Delarue-Mardrus, born in Honfleur on November 3, 1874 and died in Château-Gontier (Mayenne no 53) on April 26, 1945, and is buried in the Sainte-Catherine cemetery in Honfleur was a poet, novelist, journalist, historian, sculptor and designer, The writings of this prolific author, which has left more than seventy novels, collections of poems, stories, biographies, memories, tales, news, travel stories, verse pieces and plays, reveal a painter of intimate life and nature.

Some of the other things to see here are the Louis-Philippe Pavilion, it is a charming house where King Louis-Philippe and Queen Marie-Amélie took refuge after the revolution of 1848 , known as the February revolution, (the third French revolution! )while waiting to take the boat to go into exile in England. To put it short some of the places to see here are the Queen’s pavilion, and the Chapelle Notre Dame de Grâce,(see posts). Here lived Sacha Guitry and his father Lucien Guitry at the manoir du Breuil. Françoise Sagan, writer. had bought the manoir du Breuil later and died here.

A bit of history tell us that Equemauville was born in 1023 when the Viking Scamel hided the booty. It baptized the plateau above the beach Scamelvilla. This plateau was a Gallic camp, and a Roman camp as well. They even found carved stones dating from the Paleolithic era !  Here in September 1477, the King of Portugal Alfonso V visited this Chapel Notre Dame de Grâce every morning before returning to his Kingdom. Indeed, he would have decided to renounce his throne, writing his will in Honfleur.

The town of Equemauville on its heritage: https://www.mairie-equemauville.com/a-voir-et-a-faire

The parish of Honfleur see Church Saint Pierre of Equemauville : http://www.paroisse-honfleur.com/eglises.html#EQUEMAUVILLE

There you go another wonderful spot in Equemauville next to Honfleur and surrounding hills. A wonderful family trip, very educational on the history of the region, Again, hope you enjoy the post this is Equemauville as I.

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!