Tuesday, July 5, 2016 (continued)
After lunch on the Viking Rolf, we disembarked for the afternoon tour of Vernon. We had the same guide as this morning, but no bus, as Vernon was at our doorstep.
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| The view from the Viking Rolf into town (KSS) |
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Memorial to the British forces that
helped to liberate Vernon in August 1944 (KSS);
I had my towns mixed up and couldn't find
this memorial outside the ship in Le Pecq! |
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| Claude Monet mowing the grass |
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Virginie points out the lettering, which
commemorates floods of the Seine |
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Maison du Temps Jadis (1450-1460),
a half-timbered corbelled (each floor
projects over the one under it) house, |
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Carving of the Annunciation
on Maison du Temps Jadis |
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| Mairie/Town Hall (1895 neoclassical) |
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Across the street, you can see that the
Maison du Temps Jadis is tilting |
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| Collégiale Notre-Dame |
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| Ugly t-shirts |
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"Here, on the 28th of October 1789,
was the attempted hanging of miller Planted,"
due to French Revolution fever |
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| The house that looks like it is bursting (KSS) |
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| The soldes/sale was so good, there is nothing left (KSS) |
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| Another 15C half-timbered house |
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| with another Annunciation |
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| Musée A G Poulain or Musée Vernon in 18C mansion |
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| Brilliant pink hydrangeas (KSS) |
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| Across the Seine is Château du Tourelles and the old mill |
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| Door on Rue Porte Hachette |
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Supposedly a watch tower at a
former city gate, Porte Hachette |
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| Shutter hook |
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Tour des Archives/Archives Tower (c. 1123),
used as archives in the 19th century |
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This lady must know when the tours are coming by,
as she waves the appropriate flags, and says "Merçi!" |
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| Another shutter hook |
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| Honey of the Beekeeper sign |
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| with a bee |
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In the 15th century one paid tax according to the area the house
occupied on the ground, but not for the additional area
gained by overhanging upper stories |
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| Owner of the house? |
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| Guardian of the house? |
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| #6 Rue Potard, the quaintest house in town (KSS) |
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| Tour des Archives and castle ruins |
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| The modern Espace Philippe Auguste (1992), a cultural center (KSS) |
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| Very blue hydrangeas |
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| The rear of Mairie/Town Hall |
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with the town coat of arms (with three fleur de lis
and three bunches of watercress), and a
stained glass window depicting King Louis IX
being given three sprigs of watercress to
quench his thirst upon his arrival in Vernon in 1227 |
We were done with the guided tour, and continued on our own.
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| A gargoyle (KSS) |
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The back of the gargoyle shows the
groove along which the water runs |
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| Produce shop |
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| Cheese shop |
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| Butcher shop |
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| "One pair of shoes can change your life - Cinderella" |
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Supporters of the French soccer team,
during the European Championship |
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| Folding shutters |
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| Folding shutter close-up |
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| Hôtel du Grand Cerf/Large Stag Hotel (15C) |
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| House with carved façade |
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| Carved façade detail |
Took the opportunity to go inside the Collegiate Church of Our Lady.
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1970s stained glass by by G Hermet
and M Juteau from Chartres (KSS) |
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| 1610 pipe organ (KSS) |
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| Altar and apse is Romanesque |
After taking one Viking River Cruise, you become a member of the Viking Explorers Club, and there is always a special cocktail party just for members, today at 18:15.
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| Choice of cocktails |
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| then a toast with Linie Aquavit from Norway |
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This brand of Aquavit is aged in oak barrels
on ships that sail from Norway to Australia
and back before being sold for consumption;
this bottle sailed on the M/V Tamerlane |
Dinner started with
Asperges pochées et Prosciutto, Panna cotta de Ricotta/poached asparagus with prosciutto, ricotta panna cotta, quail egg and balsamic reduction. The main dish was
Filet Mignon de Porc Mariné à l'Orange et Sauce Soja/orange and soy marinated grilled pork tenderloin, mascarpone polenta, roasted piquillo peppers, aromatic spice jus. Followed by a dessert of
Beignets de Pommes/apple beignets with vanilla custard sauce.
Next: Bayeux.
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