Our roam in Rouen: They honeymooned in Paris, but John Sergeant and wife Mary 示す their 55th 周年記念日 in another enchanting French city

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Many people, myself 含むd, have been 完全に wrong about Rouen. I used to think, coming off the フェリー（で運ぶ）, it was a useful stop while 急ぐing 負かす／撃墜する to the south of フラン. All too often the irritating phrase ‘seen it, done it’ has been 適用するd to what is 現実に one of the most 利益／興味ing and enchanting French cities.

My first 簡潔な／要約する visit, many years ago, did not go 井戸／弁護士席, おもに 予定 to an absurd 試みる／企てる by the French 当局 to be more welcoming to foreigners. We were 問題／発行するd with 記念品s called ‘cheques-sourire’ (smile checks) to give to those who 供給するd a friendly service, which would enter them into a prize draw. I can still remember the looks of horror after 手渡すing them to shop owners... I had never heard ‘merde’ pronounced so 激しく.

This time, all was forgiven. The smiles were 本物の and, にもかかわらず 存在 January, the 天候 was 穏やかな, almost all the restaurants were open and Rouen was settling 負かす／撃墜する to its year-一連の会議、交渉／完成する status as a major tourist 中心.

My wife, Mary, and I were in high spirits. We were celebrating our 55th wedding 周年記念日 and wondering yet again why we had decided to get married in January.

Nostalgia decided that we would travel on the フェリー（で運ぶ） from Newhaven to Dieppe, as we had on our honeymoon all those years ago. Eurostar was then no more than a twinkle in the 注目する，もくろむ of those who dreamt of a Channel Tunnel.

On a visit to Rouen, John Sergeant visits the city's impressive cathedral (pictured)?

The four-hour crossing, in high 勝利，勝つd, did not 鈍らせる our mood, and a smiling taxi driver with a grand car took us in no time to Rouen. Our hotel, the four-星／主役にする Hotel De Bourgtheroulde, like so much of the old town, can trace its origins 支援する several hundred years. It was 不正に 損失d by 爆破 in the Second World War but has been cleverly 回復するd, with parts of the 古代の building 会社にする／組み込むd into the modern structure.

On our first night, we 設立する ourselves in the old market square, enjoying the impression of Rouen as it was in 中世 times. 狭くする, 新たな展開ing streets 供給する vistas of half-木材／素質d houses looking like a Hollywood 始める，決める for a コマドリ Hood film. Real history in this 資本／首都 of Normandy is never far away.

We visited a 伝統的な restaurant conveniently placed on a street 指名するd after William the 征服者／勝利者. He died here , as King of England, 21 years after the 戦う／戦い of Hastings.

John and his wife Mary pictured in Rouen, celebrating their 55th wedding 周年記念日

Above, the couple in Paris in 1969 on their honeymoon

And that is not the end of the British 関係. As I unashamedly tucked into the 伝統的な dish of calf’s 長，率いる, I was reminded that long after the Norman Conquest it was in this square that the fair maid of フラン, the 広大な／多数の／重要な Joan of Arc, was burnt at the 火刑／賭ける by English 軍隊s. But it would have been a terrible mistake to let history 廃虚 a good dinner. And Rouen is one of the 広大な／多数の／重要な foodie centres of フラン.

I always want to savour the 地元の dishes and cannot resist steak tartare or 腎臓s in 情熱 sauce. Mary is more 抑制するd but can easily be tempted by escargots in cream sauce or garlic butter.

We are also both keen on architecture and art, in which this city abounds. So the next day we walked to Rouen Cathedral ? a Gothic masterpiece. 反抗するing gravity, its 急に上がるing nave reminds us that it was French architects who first gave the world these tall, sharp, pointed windows showing off the light through painted glass.

John says that Rouen's half-木材／素質d houses (pictured) look like a 'Hollyw ood 始める，決める for a コマドリ Hood film'

John stays at Hotel De Bourgtheroulde, which can trace its origins 支援する several hundred years

Rouen also has another 会社／堅い place in the history of art. When trains first started to run the 公正に／かなり short distance from Paris, artists with their new portable 器具／備品, easels and tubes of paint quickly followed the River Seine to Rouen.

Claude Monet was one who made the biggest 衝撃 with his famous series 描写するing the West Door of the cathedral.

One of these is on 陳列する，発揮する in the Musee des Beaux Arts と一緒に a 罰金 collection of Impressionist 絵s.

On the last day, we walked along the Seine. Upriver is Paris and Rouen is the last 深い port before the 資本／首都. It is here that during many a summer, the 広大な／多数の／重要な sailing ships from around Europe are moored for the Armada festival.

And as we left the next day, we ちらりと見ることd 支援する at our nearest 橋（渡しをする）, and who is it 指名するd after? Oh yes, of course, William the 征服者／勝利者.