Gros-Horloge
Our third and final day in Rouen was May 1st, or May Day, as the international worker’s holiday is known in Europe and elsewhere. The unfortunate aspect of our spring vacation timing, which is meant to celebrate both Therese’s and my wedding anniversary and my birthday, is that we are always on vacation on May Day, and in many cities, everything closes down on that day. So the trick for us is to find enough to do on those days so that it is not a lost day. On this occasion, in Rouen on May Day, we were happy to discover that one of the city’s great sights, the Gros-Horloge, was open. And as the day progressed, we found some other activities to keep us busy, and wrap up our time in Rouen in a festive fashion.
Rue du Gros-Horloge, Rouen
The street that the ancient clock bisects, the Rue du Gros-Horloge, is known for being the center of Rouen. We had already explored part of it two days earlier, walking from its eastern end at the Cathedral square to the clock tower. The eastern end of the street is filled with high-end chain stores, which turned us off a bit – when we shop abroad, we like to frequent local businesses, rather than the same brand name stores we see in New York City.
Place du Vieux Marche Rouen
On the other hand, the western end of the street leads to the Place du Vieux Marche, a square which is somewhat touristy (with souvenir shops and restaurants) but at the same time feels like the place where the local people hang out. On May Day, the indoor market that normally is open on weekends was running, offering local fresh produce and freshly-made dishes like smoked duck breasts and paella and sausages.
If there had been a place to sit down and eat, I would have gladly purchased some of the paella available, which looked very appetizing. Instead, we hung around the Place long enough to have a beverage at one of the restaurants there, and I also bought a pin for my hat with a tiny depiction of Joan of Arc.
We had scouted out the Gros-Horloge, and killed some time before it re-opened after lunchtime – we actually went to a McDonalds just up the street for lunch. Yes, I know, it’s appalling that we were in France and we stooped to eating at McDonalds. But it was convenient, and we didn’t want to stray too far from our post-lunch sight. Anyway, we got in line early so that we could be one of the first people to go on the tour of the Gros-Horloge. You see, while it is not a guided tour, since the interior of the clock tower is quite tight, there is a limit to how many people can be allowed in at one time – I think the number is 30. If you arrive there and they have reached their number, you may have to wait as long as an hour for the opportunity to take the tour.
While we were waiting, we took some photos of the exterior of the clock tower, with its depiction of Jesus the Good Shepherd underneath the clock faces.
Besides the religious implications, the reason that lambs are so prominent in many decorations all over Rouen is that the wool guild was the foundation of Rouen’s economy once upon a time.
Lamb Decoration Lintel
For our tour of the Gros-Horloge, we were given audio guides that explained all the rooms we would visit and the workings of the clock and so on. It was a fascinating tour because the clock’s history features so prominently in the town’s history, and so in hearing about the clock, we learned a great deal about Rouen.
I was thrilled to see how many amazing vistas there were for seeing not only the clock, but also the street and the city, from the clock tower.
There was lots of stair-climbing in both directions in the Gros-Horloge – my advice is to take your time and not be rushed at any point by impatient tourists around you. Better to let them rush on, and treasure the moment yourself. And there is plenty to treasure in this most excellent sight.
When we descended from the clock tower to the completion of our tour, we found that the food market was closing up. But luckily, the intriguing Church of St. Joan of Arc, which is right in the middle of the Place du Vieux Marche, was open, and so we made that our next stop.
In my next post, I will tell you about the church, share with you my feelings about St. Joan, and finish up our last day in Rouen.
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