Rouen - a walk on the right side

In Paris,

Half of these half-timber houses have been restored and about 10 per cent protected as historical monuments. when settlements like Rouen evolved hundreds of years ago so the streets are narrow, winding and haphazard.

I find heading for the highest ground is always best to find a starting point for a ramble and the building occupying that space then becomes the landmark from which to explore.

It will come as no surprise that in Europe the highest land is normally occupied by a church and that in the case of Rouen, the Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Rouen is located on the highest plot of land in the historic centre.

I soon discover that this is no run-ofthe-mill cathedral but rather a very architecturally impressive stone structure that was once the highest building in the known world. Apparently (someone keeps records on these things), between 1876 and 1880, the Lantern Tower of this Roman Catholic cathedral, at 151 metres, was the highest built structure in the world.It replaced the cathedral in Strasbourg as the tallest building but only retained the title for a short period when the Cologne Cathedral in Germany surpassed it.

It must have been a sight to behold in its day when its 151m height made it seem like it was touching the clouds. Today, it pales into insignificance when compared to Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, the current world’s tallest building at 2,717m.

The cathedral is also a fascinating piece of architecture which is officially documented as Flamboyant style (of the late Gothic era before it was replaced by the Renaissance era - apparently) which can only be a reference to the intricate carvings best The grand entrance of Cathedrale Notre-Dame.

observed at the front entrance.

Its architecture fascinated the French impressionist painter Claude Monet who was inspired by the Gothic facade of the Rouen Cathedral plus many other buildings and landscapes in Normandy.

After admiring the cathedral, it was time to head just up the road to the Abbatiate Saint-Ouen which is almost as impressive except that this former religious space is now more an event and function space. Rouen has been called the city of 100 bells because of the numerous churches within the city precincts.

COBBLESTONES AND HALF-TIMBERED HOUSE

Cobblestoned street are quite common in Europe, especially in historic cities such as Rouen. While they look impressive, they play havoc on walking tours but I soldiered on through the narrow streets lined with what are described as half-timbered houses (what the English would call Tudorstyle).

This building method involves a timber frame of large exposed oak beams with the spaces between filled with rocks and then cemented or plastered over. With so