LOUVIERS-CITY OF CLOTH

Louviers is on a site which has been inhabited since prehistoric times.  The name of Louviers appears for the first time in an official document in 995, and by 1195,  it wa described as a town of some size.  In the 12th century it was exchanged for Les Andelys by Richard the Lionheart, together with the Archbishop of Rouen who became Count of Louviers.  It developed as a  prosperous clothweaving city until the start of the Hundred Years War when, decimated by the Black Plague, overrun and pillaged by the English, Louviers rallied to the French cause and was honoured by Charles VII.  In 1870 to 1871 Louviers underwent a transformation:  the city walls disappeared and the covered market was demolishd, while the public library, the museum and a theater were built,, culminating in the construction of a railroad station in 1967.  Today, with a population of nearly 20,000, Louviers has retained its picturesque old districts and the monuments, such as the church of Notre Dame, the curious Penitents' Cloister and the old factories, now developed as municipal facilities.

                                          

Just a little bit Gothic, wouldn't you say?

The church was built in the 13,14, and 15th centuries.  The interior has 15th and 16th century stained glass, paintings, and sculpture.

                                       

                                           

                                            

Obviously I found these figures fascinating!

                                                 

                                               

Tomb scene which is fairly commonplace in the 15th and 6th century.  Most likely moved to the church from some other church or abbey.

                                                

This is "the famous Bonhomme Louviers (Louviers fellow) holding out his soup bowl under the porch and on top of a pillar  of the church. I know you all know all about it since it's so very famous but for those few who don't - here's the story.  " The Luviers Fellow is dressed in a robe, wearing a wool cap, holding a chipped plate.  Since the 19th century it has been said that the work was meant to be a reminder of 1591 , when Henry IV's troops took the town at lunch time!  But the sculpture itself actually predates this episode...it might actually be a representation of the main contractor, waiting to be paid.  

This was probably done between 1895 and 1910.  It was designed to be enthroned above the altar, but was moved to free up the view of the Louis Bartlett window in the choir.

After viewing the church we went in search of the tourist information center.  She gave us a few destinations and suggestions for restaurants.

This is what's left of the Penitents' Cloister which today is a school of music.

The old.

                                                       

And the new.

This is the old part of the city which escaped the bombing of WWII.

                                   

                                        

After leaving Louivers we headed home but you never know what can extend your journey.

And when we spotted this on the hill we had to go there.  Unfortunately it wasn't open but we got a good look around.

Gaillon Castle is a castle of the Renaissance , built on the site of a medieval castle, located in the municipality of Gaillonin the French department of Eure . It is the subject of several protections under the historical monuments ^[1] .

                                           

Made a stop at the local supermarket on our way back.  After dropping of some things we decided we still had some time to go see one more thing!

Off we went to an Abbey not too far from the resort.

The Abbey was not open to tour unfortuntely.  It  had been an abbeye for the Cistercian Order of nuns.

We took a few pictures around the area and than saw a forbidding sign.

                                            

Only forbidding I suppose if you don't speak French.  We weren't sure if we should, but we did.  We hopped in the car and drove down the road and discovered quite the sight.

It was the remains of an humongous building.

It looked like an old church.Maybe a castle.

We had no idea.  Our man of all knowledge, Mark at the resort, had not told us anything about this. 

We took hundreds of a pictures, well maybe only a hundred.  The digital age is great! 

                                                  

We lived with suspense for days but finally I got down to the office and asked Mark what it was.  It was built as a Textile Mill.  The owner just loved beautiful buildings and built his plant in the romanesque style.  The building has burned three times and the son of the owner has just let it go.  

Well it was time to head home and we had bought frozen pizza's for dinner. Well, that was a meal worth forgetting.  Sorry I even mentioned it!  The French did not improve Italian Pizza!