2 Best Sights in Normandy, France

Les Andelys's many-layered history illustrates important events in the history of France. Vestiges of its Gallo-Roman past are hidden in the cobbled streets of Le Grand-Andely, starting with a lovely frieze preserved in the wall of the military school. The Collégiale Notre Dame des Andelys church was rebuilt in 1225 over the ruins of a former church founded by Queen Clotilde, wife of Clovis Ier, the third king of France, upon his death in AD 511. The miraculous waters of the adjacent Fontaine de Saint Clotilde flowed in answer to the queen's prayers on behalf of thirsty workmen digging the church foundations in the heat, which turned the waters of a nearby fountain into wine (alas, no more). Maps of the town are available at the tourist office, though the sites are generally well marked and can be easily discovered on your own.

Stroll along the Petit Andely, a delightful fishing village that extends to the foot of the Château Gaillard, founded in the 12th century by Richard the Lion Heart to accommodate workers building his mighty fortress. Pretty cobbled streets lead to the gothic Saint-Sauveur church (containing one of the finest organs in France) built concurrently with the castle, surrounded by lovely half-timbered buildings. The best views of the white cliffs along the river, riverboats meandering the Seine, and the lush Norman countryside can be had here.