CHATEAU-GAILLARD, a castle in Normandy’s winter

“CHATEAU-GAILLARD is a ruined medieval castle, located some 95 km noth-west of PARIS and 40km from ROUEN. RICHARD I of ENGLAND simultaneously feudal Duke of NORMANDY, ordered that castle be built in little more than 12 months, between 1197 and 1198″ In Wikipedia.

Today the weather wasn’t good but I wanted to go out of City, to see trees and grass and breath pure air. After one our driving, Little Ji and me arrived at the CHATEAU-GAILLARD. Nobody was there. Grey sky, cold temperature, we could imagine how was the soldiers’ life in those times. We took a walk around the castle, seeing down the river SEINE. Marvelous ! King RICHARD I had been right for choosing this place.

I’ll go back there in summer. There are some woods where we can eat a picnic, and an open air swimming pool.

Coming home, we stopped to LE NOTRE bakery and bought a kings’ galette (puff paste with almond paste in). Each january 6th, French people eat “la galette des Rois”. After Jesus-Christ was born, the Three Wise Men came to see him. They arrived at BETHLEEM in January 6th and offered to Jesus, many gifts. In that cake, is hidden a figurine. And the person who gets the figurine, is the king of the day.

Le Nôtre’s galette

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~ by nournours on January 6, 2008.