Sunday, November 14 – Les Andelys

After yesterday’s 11 hour trip, today was going back up the Seine toward Paris. While cruising we saw the white limestone cliffs so famous across the English Channel.

We stopped after lunch at Les Andelys. It’s big feature is Château Gaillard, ruins of a castle built for Richard the Lion Heart in the last 12th century.

Richard was duke of Normandy as well as King of England when this was built. We did not attempt the trek up to the top, but did get a chance to visit the church built at the same time. It is early Gothic and you will note the flying buttresses and when inside you can see how far up it goes to tell you where there were more of the buttresses.

We went inside the church. Over the centuries it had been subjected to the French Revolution, where churches were destroyer, and World War II, where stained glass was destroyed. As a result, there are not very many statues, and the windows are more modern.

We continued to a couple of shops and Susan bought a top and a scarf.