The historic centre of Vernon (1)
A practical guide for visits

"It is a small city located at the limit of the Beauvais country and Normandy, in the former Vexin region. The river seine lined with willows and poplars flows below it; it is crowned with forest.
It is a small city town with bluish slate roofs, dominated by a circular tower and by the three towers of its old collegiate church. The small city was strong and martial for many years. But it has now untied its belt of stones and now, silent and quiet, it rests peacefully after its former bustling life. It is a small French city, the shadows of our forefathers still haunt its grey walls and its avenues lined with arch-shaped lime trees; it is full of memories. It is venerable and sweet."

This is how Anatole France evoked Vernon in 1899 in the introduction to "Pierre Nozière".

Since then, unfortunately, the city was severely hit by 1940 and 1944 bombings but it managed to live through the 20th century, prospering and keeping a large part of its historic treasures.

We invite you to stroll along its streets to evoke its history and enjoy some of its former atmosphere.

The tour begins on the Town Hall square, in front of Our Lady Collegiate church and a beautiful 15th c. old house. This is exactly the borderline between the old part of town and the areas that were destroyed in 1940-44.

The collegiate church, built between the 11th and the early 17th centuries is typical of Late Romanesque style and the different variants of Gothic style. Its façade is particularly elegant and its Late Gothic rose-window displays a rare pattern. The inside is also original with its high and light nave leading to the older choir, low, dark but propitious to meditation. Since most of the windows were shattered by bombs, modern ones have recently been set up, the quality and artistry of which is remarkable. (A detailed virtual visit of the church can be found in this site - Link on the left of the page or click here.)

Next to the church, the 'Maison du temps jadis' (Ye Olde House), housing the Tourist Office and dated 1450 - 60, possesses two corbelled stories topped with a gable-roof. An Annunciation is carved on the corner pillar at street level.

It is interesting to compare this building and the next ones. Here is a remnant of medieval town-planning: in the shopping streets, such as the one here, called Grand Rue (High street) now rue Carnot, there were narrow houses huddled together, with a shop in front, and one or two (very dark) rooms behind.

These houses were hardly more than 4 or 5 meters wide: as a matter of fact, in the Middle Ages, the 'standard' beams used for building, the ones yielded by 100 year-old oaks, were about 4 or 5 meters long. However rich merchants, instead of living in the smaller houses along the street, had beautiful dwellings, like the one at the corner, located in busy or prestigious crossroads (such as here with the church). Another rich merchant's house will be seen later at the crossing of the High Street and Bridge Street.