In the restful setting of the Normandy Seine Valley, not far from Rouen, Jumièges Abbey is a superb example of the Romanesque style in Seine-Maritime. Founded in the 7th century by St. Philibert, it was destroyed many times and is now one of France's most beautiful ruins. One remarkable feature is the two towers of the abbey church, in the Norman Romanesque style. They stand around fifty metres tall and are an admirable sight to behold. They frame a porch opening onto an incredible open-air nave. End your visit by taking a walk through the pleasant park with its hundred-year-old trees.

For an original and fun way to learn about the abbey's history, the Jumièges 3D app will take you on a virtual and augmented reality journey. Using a tablet or smartphone, travel through the centuries and see what this superb monument once looked like!

The Abbey of St. George in Boscherville (Abbaye Saint-Georges de Boscherville), located in Saint-Martin-de-Boscherville near Rouen, is one of the most remarkable religious monuments in Upper Normandy. Set within the natural site of the Seine Valley, on the edge of Roumare forest, this spectacular building was erected in the 12th century on the site of a pagan temple by the de Tancarville family.

Its beautiful architecture, typical of the Norman Romanesque style, earned it four listings as a Historic Monument (Monument Historique). You can admire the sumptuous reception hall, the kitchens and dormitories of the monastic building, the abbey church with its clean lines, and the chapter house in pure Norman Gothic style, containing unique statues.

The gardens, remarkable for their architecture with four terraces, have been reconstructed according to a 17th-century plan. They combine vegetables and plants in a harmoniously composed array of colours. From the Pavilion of Winds (Pavillon des Vents), you can admire the chevet of the abbey church and enjoy a superb view of the valley!

A range of activities are on offer, such as the scavenger hunt or the enigma of the Salamander, so all the family can learn more about this ideal place for lovers of old buildings, history and heritage.

With a surface area of 81,000 hectares, the Norman Seine River Meanders Regional Nature Park stretches over the two Upper Normandy departments of Eure and Seine-Maritime. The Seine runs through this verdant region, which is special for its combination of historical heritage - with Ételan Castle and the Abbeys of Jumièges, Saint-Wandrille and Saint-Georges-de-Boscherville - and unspoilt landscapes, ranging from the loops of the Seine to the Pays de Caux plateau, through Vernier Marsh and Brotonne Forest.

The Park House, based in an old 17th-century half-timbered farmhouse in Notre-Dame-de-Bliquetuit in Seine-Maritime, also offers lots of information about the park as well as temporary exhibitions, a natural and built heritage discovery trail, and outings in the countryside...

The Lower Seine Ecomuseum, made up of several rural museums located in Eure and Seine-Maritime, is all about the history and skills of the people who lived in this region, in places such as the House of Apples and the Forge in Sainte-Opportune-la-Mare, the Bread Oven and the Clog Maker's House in La Haye-de-Routot, the House of Flax in Routot, the Windmill in Hauville, and the Museum of the Seine Navy in Caudebec-en-Caux.

Also not to be missed: the Thatched Cottage Route, 53 km long, stretching from the Park House to the Vernier Marsh, via the charming village of Vieux-Port; the Vernier Marsh, the largest peat bog in France; and Aizier, with its Romanesque church and pleasant esplanade by the Seine, complete with picnic tables.

Nestling on the banks of the Seine, the pretty village of Villequier, where you will find the Victor Hugo Museum, is one of the stops along the Historic Writers' Houses Route.

Based in the Vacquerie family home where Victor Hugo stayed many times, this place steeped in history shares memories of the illustrious novelist's family. It was here that a terrible tragedy was to mark Victor Hugo's life forever: on 4 September 1843, his daughter Léopoldine and her husband Charles Vacquerie, as well as an uncle and a nephew, drowned during a boat trip on the Seine. Devastated by the passing of his eldest daughter, he paid tribute to her with "Tomorrow, at Dawn..." ("Demain dès l'aube..."), one of his most famous poems.

With many documents, drawings, letters and photos, the museum offers an immersion in the everyday lives of the Vacquerie and Hugo families, in the various furnished rooms of this large and impressive house.

Founded in 1801, Rouen Museum of Fine Arts is located in the city centre near Square Verdrel.

There are 60 rooms open to visitors, in which the 17th and 19th centuries are particularly well represented.

The museum saw its collections expand during the 19th century. After its complete restructuring in the 1990s, it is now renowned for its extensive collections. Its graphic arts room alone contains around 8,000 works of art!

As for painting, all the major art movements are covered by the works on display: the Renaissance, Baroque Europe, the French Grand Siècle of the 17th century, Impressionism, Romanticism… not counting the collections on specific themes: still life, portraits, Rouen, etc.

Two inner courtyards have been fully renovated and covered with glass rooms to extend the museum area. The south courtyard in particular has been turned into a sculpture garden adorned with green plants, and its makeover also involved the creation of an auditorium.

Don't hesitate to enjoy a drink or snack at the MBA-Café, where sculptures and plants are bathed in the soft light falling through the glass roofs.

An innovative museum with cutting-edge technology, the Joan of Arc Historial offers an unusual and fascinating perspective on the extraordinary destiny of this major figure in French history. You will first be propelled into the centre of the famous judicial inquiry that took place in medieval Rouen, as an actor and witness.

From one room to another, a multimedia journey immerses visitors in this episode from the 15th century, with captivating and educational audiovisual effects. A virtual guide leads the way on this spectacular journey: Jean Juvénal des Ursins, who oversaw the posthumous trial to declare the heroine innocent in 1456.

Next, the mythotheque will take you to explore the legend that surrounds Joan of Arc. You will discover how the myth built up and took shape, and how people have memorised and interpreted this symbol over the centuries.

In the majestic premises of the Archbishop's Palace, a listed Historic Monument, take the opportunity to admire the medieval halls, the Romanesque and Gothic crypts, the old kitchens, the sumptuous State Hall, the 18th-century Aubigné Chapel, restored in 2014, or the watchtower from which you will have a beautiful view of the city's rooftops!

Normandy's historic capital, Rouen, is known as the City of a Hundred Bell Towers and is a fascinating place. With an exceptional architectural and religious heritage, it is no surprise that it has earned City of Art and History certification! You can take a lovely stroll through the picturesque old neighbourhoods on cobbled streets lined with historic half-timbered houses. You will pass remarkable monuments such as the Cathedral of Our Lady (Notre-Dame), a Gothic masterpiece whose construction began in the 12th century. Built on the foundations of a 4th-century structure, it still has its episcopal palace and houses the tombs of the Dukes of Normandy. Culminating at 151 metres, its spire is the highest in France!

Endowed with a five-porch portal with carved wooden doors, the Church of St. Maclou is a perfect example of the Flamboyant Gothic style, making it another must-see monument in Rouen. Just like the Abbey Church of St. Ouen, built from the 14th to 16th centuries and formerly one of the most powerful Benedictine monasteries in Normandy. Inside, note the 80 stained glass windows adorning the abbey church on three levels. You may be interested to learn that the city hall is now based here, in what used to be the monks' dormitory.

Rouen also has one of the last medieval necropolises in Europe in its city centre: the Ossuary of St. Maclou. Founded during the Black Death plague of 1348, this former mass grave, now a listed Historic Monument, still has macabre ornaments on its galleries' half-timbered façades. Built in the 16th century to provide an ossuary, these galleries are set in a peaceful, tree-lined courtyard.

Another remarkable historical treasure is the Great Clock (Gros Horloge), consisting of a Gothic belfry, a Renaissance dial and a Louis XV fountain. This belfry contains the city's bells and clock, whose mechanism, operational until 1928, was one of the oldest in Europe!

We cannot talk about Rouen without mentioning Joan of Arc. Several buildings tell her story, from the Joan of Arc Tower, the old keep of the castle where her trial took place, to the Place du Vieux Marché where she was burned alive in 1431. A large cross also indicates the location where the stake stood. In the centre of this square, the Church of St. Joan of Arc has some remarkable 16th-century stained glass windows that come from the old Church of St. Vincent. To bring her whole story back to life, the Joan of Arc Historial, based in the archbishops' palace, offers a very interesting interactive journey.

France's largest Gothic civil monument, the Parliament of Normandy's origins date back to the late Middle Ages. If you look closely, you will see shell holes on the façades, a reminder of the 1944 bombing. Today, it houses the Law Courts. And below the courtyard of this building, you will find the Sublime House, a Romanesque Hebraic stone structure that is the oldest Jewish monument in the country. Discovered in 1976, it is named after a graffiti in Hebrew meaning "May this house be sublime".

Rouen will satisfy lovers of art, culture and traditions with the Fine Arts Museum and its superb collection of paintings, drawings, sculptures and objets d'art from the 15th century to the present day, the Ceramics Museum exhibiting remarkable, historic pieces made in Rouen, or the Le Secq des Tournelles Ironwork Museum, housed in the Church of St. Lawrence and dedicated to the art of wrought ironwork.

After all these visits, go for a stroll along the carefully landscaped banks of the Seine, or head for the Botanical Garden (Jardin des Plantes), which has both a French formal garden and an English garden. You will find many botanical varieties there as well as a beautiful rose garden.

Standing at the heart of the Risle Valley in the commune of Le Bec-Hellouin, in the Middle Ages the Abbey of Our Lady of Le Bec, founded in 1034 by the knight Herluin, had great intellectual and spiritual influence which was felt way beyond its borders.

Occupied nowadays by a community of Benedictine monks, the abbey retains some important architectural reminders of its rich past: ruins of the old abbey church; the Tower of St. Nicholas, a 15th-century relic that served as a bell tower; a 17th-century cloister and its Gothic door; Regency-style convent buildings built in the 18th century by monks from the Congregation of Saint-Maur; and a new church based in the old refectory.

But Le Bec-Hellouin is also an adorable floral village - listed among the most beautiful of France! - with traditional old half-timbered houses full of charm. A picturesque heritage to be enjoyed on a stroll...

Built in the 17th century for the Marshall de Créqui, on the site where a great battle took place between the two families in 935, the imposing castle of Champ de Bataille (meaning "Battlefield"), located at the heart of Normandy in the commune of Le Neubourg, is now owned by Jacques Garcia, a famous decorator and art collector, who began restoration work in 1992, at the same time as creating its magnificent French gardens. These are listed Remarkable Gardens and were based on a sketch attributed to Le Nôtre. They bring all the splendour of yesteryear back to life. Fountains, pools and waterfalls, a large canal, coppices and box embroidery hedges, make up a superb classical-style group, with an added modern touch inspired by Antiquity.

Open to the public from Easter to the end of October, on weekends and bank holiday afternoons, as well as every day in summer, Champ de Bataille Castle has a prestigious collection of furniture and royal and princely objects. The hall of honour, the splendid Hercules drawing room, the cabinet of Chinese and Japanese porcelain, the Louis XV drawing room, the parade room, the dining room with its lovely perspective view of the garden, the reception room, and the Louis XIV billiard table are some of the gems to be admired on a tour of the grand apartments.

Founded in the 19th century by the Agricultural Academy of France, Harcourt Arboretum, a listed Remarkable Garden, contains an exceptional botanical collection in its 11 hectares: over 500 species of trees and shrubs from a variety of continents, including remarkable, majestic specimens such as Lebanon cedars, dwarf beeches, ginkgo bilobas, sequoias and thuja green giants! You can admire these superb species from a pleasant signposted trail.

At the heart of the estate, Harcourt Castle, built in the late 12th century by Robert II of Harcourt, the companion of Richard the Lionheart, then redeveloped in the 14th and 17th centuries, is now owned by the department of Eure. This fortress has retained a number of elements from the medieval period, such as the double moat, fortified wall, and west façade flanked by towers. The east façade, dating from the 17th century, features classic windows and is a reminder of its past as a holiday residence. Inside, a permanent exhibition tells the story of the site and shows how the architecture of the castle has evolved.

From March to mid-November, many activities and environmental and cultural events are on offer at the Harcourt Estate.

A stopping point along the Thatched Cottage Route, the adorable village of Vieux-Port, nestling at the heart of the Norman Seine River Meanders Regional Nature Park between the Vernier March and Brotonne Forest, is full of charming half-timbered thatched cottages surrounded by floral gardens. Enjoy a pleasant walk around Vieux-Port and discover a beautiful panoramic view of the Seine Valley, as well as the picturesque houses with irises planted on their roofs!

Lying at the heart of the Norman Seine River Meanders Regional Nature Park, on the left bank of the Seine Estuary between Sainte-Opportune-la-Mare and Tancarville Bridge, the Vernier Marsh is a huge peat bog - the biggest in France, with its 4,500 hectares! - and a listed European area of ecological interest.

Occupying an old meander of the Seine, this peaceful and unspoilt area, made up of reed beds, peat bogs and humid prairies and home to beautiful Highland Cattle, is rich in important fauna and flora: plants such as alders, pollard willows, apple trees, wild orchids, reeds and irises; and wildlife such as grey herons, white swans, common teals, ospreys and other migrant birds. Along the paths and quiet little roads, discover all its natural treasures and traditional built heritage, made up of thatched cottages full of traditional charm...

A former tanning town, the small town of Pont-Audemer, also known as Norman Venice, stands in a pleasant spot between two arms of the River Risle joined together by canals. The many waterways that run through the picturesque, charming historic centre add to the charm of the place. The typical half-timbered houses reflected in the water of the Risle, the small bridges over the canals, the tanners' old washing and drying houses, and the Church of St. Ouen which combines Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance styles with its splendid 15th and 16th-century stained glass windows, are some of the many attractions to discover on a walk through the town...

In June and July, the Mascarets Festival offers street performance, family fun, sports and musical activities, a night-time craft market and more, all in an atmosphere of joy and good humour!

Nestling on the banks of the Andelle, in a romantic, verdant setting in the commune of Radepont, the Cistercian Abbey of Our Lady of Fontaine-Guérard, founded in the late 12th century, is a superb example of Anglo-Norman Gothic architecture.

Part of the Historic Norman Abbey Route, this old nunnery, open to the public from April to October, has retained a number of relics from its past: the ruins of the abbey church with its vaulted chancel; the 15th-century Chapel of St. Michael; the troglodytic cellar; and the nuns' building with its beautiful chapterhouse, work room and dormitory.

Nestling at the heart of the Norman countryside, at the edge of Lyons Forest, the 15th and 16th-century Vascoeuil Castle contains a Centre of Art and History, made up of contemporary art exhibitions on the one hand, and a museum dedicated to Jules Michelet, a famous 19th-century French historian who stayed at Vascoeuil several times, on the other. It was here, in the identically restored study at the top of the octagonal tower, that the author wrote much of his work, including the History of France and History of the French Revolution. Based in an 18th-century half-timbered outbuilding, the Jules Michelet Museum tells the story of the writer's life and work with a large collection of memorabilia.

When it comes to contemporary art, the estate park, a real outdoor gallery, is the permanent home of a superb collection of fifty or so sculptures by famous 20th-century artists, such as Braque, Cocteau, Dalí, Vasarely and more. As well as the sculpture park, temporary exhibitions of modern art and special events are on offer from mid-March to mid-November.

Located in the commune of Saint-Samson-de-la-Roque, between the Risle Valley and the Vernier Marsh, La Roque Headland features an old lighthouse and offers a superb view of the Seine Estuary, the Normandy Bridge, Le Havre and Honfleur. Perched on a cliff over 50 metres tall, this pleasant tourist site has an orientation table, picnic area and information boards about the region's fauna and flora.

Straddling the departments of Seine-Maritime and Oise, Pays de Bray is a territory of lush green meadows, hedged farmland, hills, valleys and forests. These idyllic landscapes are ideal for scenic walks and a variety of outdoor activities. Don stout footwear to explore Eawy forest, a beech forest of around 7,000 hectares criss-crossed with marked paths, and listen to your voice echo at the Puits Merveilleux, a 25-metre-deep chasm whose name means "Marvellous Well"!

Running along an old railway line, the Avenue Verte London-Paris, a greenway starting in Dieppe, is ideal for a bike ride or rollerblading. It will take you through the most beautiful villages in the area.

Pays de Bray is also known for its pretty towns like Forges-les-Eaux, Neufchâtel-en-Bray or Gournay-en-Bray. Take a detour via one of the many farms and stock up on local products like cider, pommeau or the famous Neufchâtel cheese to give your taste buds a treat.

Another curiosity is La Boutonnière, a buttonhole-shaped geological depression running from Dieppe to Beauvais. To explore it, you can follow the Landscapes Route, a complete circuit through Pays de Bray with orientation tables along the way.

Nestling at the confluent of the Eure and Iton rivers, the Renaissance castle of Acquigny is surrounded by a superb 15-hectare landscaped park. This peaceful and romantic park is open to the public from April to late October, and is dotted with lakes and waterfalls. It is full of a variety of species such as Japanese sophoras, Lebanon cedars, purple beeches, sequoias, strawberry trees and hackberry trees. A charming place that's ideal for a leisurely stroll... Also take advantage of this wonderful walk to discover the 18th-century orangery and its collection of citrus fruit, as well as the estate's floral orchard kitchen garden!

From its orientation table in the heights of Amfreville-sous-les-Monts, the viewpoint from the Côte des Deux-Amants (meaning "Two Lovers' Hill") offers a superb panoramic view of the Seine Valley, the locks at Amfreville, the dam at Poses and the lakes and leisure centre at Léry-Poses!

This hilltop site takes its name from a very sad legend in which a cruel lord, who had refused to give his daughter Calixte's hand in marriage to a young man named Raoul, finally agreed to their marriage on the condition that Raoul managed to climb the hill with his betrothed on his back, running without a break. After he died of exhaustion at the end of his frantic run, his beloved Calixte died of a broken heart by his side. Overcome with guilt, the father buried them together and erected a priory at the top of the hill...

Below, on the banks of the Seine, you can set off to discover the site of the Amfreville locks, where you can watch the passing barges, and take the footbridge to see how the locks work and watch the boats coming and going.

The Normandy Bridge (Pont de Normandie), inaugurated in 1995, only took six years to build and now spans the Seine estuary, connecting the town of Honfleur in Calvados and the city of Le Havre in Seine-Maritime. This technological feat, an example of French civil engineering know-how, links the two departments while being perfectly integrated into the landscape.

When it was commissioned, it was the largest cable-stayed bridge in the world, with a length of 2,141 metres and a central span of 856 metres. It has no less than 184 cables to support the weight of the deck, and consists of access viaducts and two piers standing 214 metres tall. The challenge was to cross the Seine channel in a single stretch, so as not to impede navigation. The advantage of the cable-stayed bridge is its stability in high winds and the fact that it costs less than a suspension bridge.

From the road bridge, which is also accessible to pedestrians and cyclists, there are many viewpoints over the Seine estuary, the port of Le Havre, Tancarville bridge and the town of Honfleur, offering a whole array of landscapes and colours that change according to the time of day!

Known as the Norman Versailles, Beaumesnil Castle, built between 1633 and 1640, is a remarkable example of the Louis XIII baroque style. A listed Historic Monument, this splendid brick and stone building adorned with sculpted features and surrounded by moats, open to visitors from Easter to late September, has beautiful furnished rooms as well as a splendid collection of old book bindings.

All around, a 80-hectare park designed by La Quintinie, Le Nôtre's assistant in Versailles, is ideal for a leisurely stroll, with its French-style gardens, water mirror and box hedge maze...

A jewel on the Seine estuary, the Town of Art and History of Honfleur is a must for anyone visiting Calvados. Its half-timbered and timber-framed houses, picturesque cobbled streets lined with art galleries, slate roofs, restaurants and shops... In this town of painters and Impressionism, everything combines and mingles to compose a harmonious picture that artists have always celebrated. Courbet, Monet and so many others were not mistaken!

Its well-preserved architectural heritage, a reminder of its rich past as a fishing and trading port, is its main attraction. The authentic charm of its beautiful typical houses and charming hotels has earned it an international reputation. A stroll along the quays of the Old Basin (Vieux Bassin), as its charming Norman harbour is known, is an experience not to be missed. The ensemble formed by the beautiful narrow houses by the harbour, which are listed historic monuments, and the old trawlers moored there is always a welcome sight! At the end of the Basin is the Lieutenancy where the King's Lieutenant resided in the 17th century. This is one of the few remnants of the town's fortifications.

The Church of St. Catherine, dating from the 15th and 16th centuries and built entirely from timber from the neighbouring forest, is the largest wooden church in France! It is remarkable for its original shape, like an upturned double boat hull. Its separate bell tower, facing the church, contains religious objects. Overlooking Honfleur, the 17th-century Chapel of Our Lady of Grace watches over the town and contains paintings, models of boats and an antique organ. From the nearby lookout, you can admire panoramic views of the Normandy Bridge (Pont de Normandie), the city of Le Havre and the Seine. As for the Church of St. Leonard, its portal is a fine example of Flamboyant Gothic architecture.

Among the other local sights, you can admire the majestic 2,141-metre-long Normandy Bridge linking Honfleur to Le Havre, or discover the Satie Houses, a museum dedicated to the musician born there; the Eugène Boudin Museum, in honour of the painter born in Honfleur, which exhibits collections of paintings and drawings from the 19th and 20th centuries, and the Marine Museum. Nature-lovers will enjoy the Naturospace, which recreates the ecosystem of a tropical forest, or the Garden of Personalities, an idyllic and cultural attraction.

Dominated by the imposing form of the emblematic Château-Gaillard Castle, the small town of Les Andelys, made up of two neighbourhoods that were once clearly separated, Petit-Andely and Grand-Andely, occupies one of the most remarkable sites in the Seine Valley.

Built in 1196 - in just one year! - by Richard the Lionheart, Duke of Normandy and King of England, with the aim of keeping watch over the valley and protecting the city of Rouen from the attacks of the King of France Philip Augustus, the hillside remains of the impressive medieval fortress of Château-Gaillard offer a superb view of the meanders of the Seine, flanked by limestone cliffs, and the picturesque riverbank of Petit-Andely. Take a tour of the premises to discover the lower courtyard (open all year), the upper courtyard (open to the public from mid-March to mid-November), where the main keep stands, as well as the history of the fortress, including the famous siege and capture of the castle by Philip Augustus in 1203-1204, which later signalled Normandy's attachment to France.

Beneath the fortress, be sure to take a stroll along the banks of Petit-Andely, along the pleasant walkway by the Seine!

Also worth seeing is the Collegiate Church of Our Lady in the Grand-Andely district, a beautiful Flamboyant Gothic and Renaissance-style edifice, which contains splendid stained glass windows from the 16th century, an Entombment and a magnificent Renaissance organ case made of carved wood.