France: Day 5, 11-24-24 Rouen

We awoke at 5 am when the ship started up and almost immediately bumped very hard into something. John ran out on our balcony to survey the damage. It was hard to tell if there was damage from this far back in the ship, but we were safely in a loch, so we went back to bed. It felt hard, but perhaps there was no more damage than scuff marks that can be cleaned up with spray and a rag! In any case, that is how we left Vernon.

We didn’t wake up again until 9 am (!) for breakfast. The ship was not expected to dock until 11:00 so we had plenty of time for a leisurely morning and stroll around the ship. 

We all attended the St. Joan of Arc talk and learned about the complications of her life story. So many things went right until all went wrong.. The final thought from the fabulous lecture given by Valerie (our shipboard leader and lead lecturer), was that because of Joan’s help, King Charles VII was crowned king. When Joan was executed (because of a trick), he no longer had the support he needed so he petitioned the pope to retry dead-Joan. This time she was exonerated and he was allowed to remain king (but sadly, Joan remained dead.) Because of this, France was not annexed to England and was able to support the US during our Revolution and neither country was conquered by England! And that is how you spin history!

After the lecture, John hung out in the bow, while I did laps. the kids (adults) did both. Amazingly, we arrived in Rouen without incident though later we heard that when we did a brief touch and go before moving on to our official dock, the ship’s captain left the boat for the hospital. He was severely ill, which made me wonder, who was I talking to when I spent a few minutes on the bridge chatting about river navigation before my walk?  I hope it was his second in command. (A mysterious ghost has welcomed me in for a tour.) At dinner, we were introduced to the new captain, a much livelier, heavyset man with a thick Russian accent and a jolly disposition.

After lunch (yes, we had to eat again!), we were assigned to a group with Christoph as our guide. He was wonderful and told us way more than I could absorb. Basically, the great Cathedral Notre Dame is in the center of Rouen. It is the great cathedral that Monet painted 28 times in varying light. During WWII, both sides bombed Rouen heavily taking out the entire town from the Seine to the cathedral. The cathedral was also hit, but sustained reparable damage. Church officials thought ahead and removed all the stained glass from all the churches in town so most of the glass is original—though there is a story about one priest who thought the medieval glass was too dark, so removed one section from his own church so that it could be replaced with clear glass and give more light. 

Cathedral Notre Dame (a very popular church name became it literally means “our lady” but also “our church”) begins from the exterior. Along the ridge of the right apse was a recently regilded flange with St. George rearing up on his horse. St. George was thought to be protector here as well as in England because the dragon he slayed represented Satan and was brought down to France during the Hundred Years War. Next to George on a horse was Mary and baby Jesus, also shiny in new gold.

The Rouen Notre Dame Cathedral was magnificent from all sides. No wonder Monet was fascinated with it. It is a medieval masterpiece with small windows of the early medieval style and larger windows of the high medieval style. The spires swirling upwards were an attempt to reach God and saints are carved into every corner of the outside and fully crammed in above the great entrance doors. It is possibly the greatest medieval church in Europe.

From there, through the low and heavily carved archway to the street with its prominent one-handed clock that still rings the hour. Then to the real destination for the walk— The place where St. Joan was burned at the stake and the church next to the plaza, rebuilt after the original church was destroyed.

But we’re not done yet!  There is still the Christmas market to visit. I had my first mulled wine (quite good) and Katie bought a baked sticky treat that we all tasted. Back on the ship, we were all exhausted and without any discussion, all slept until the ship talk. Tomorrow is a big day. Stay tuned.