In the Angevin Empire

One of my favorite SF series is Randall Garrett’s Lord Darcy, set in an alternate universe where Richard the Lionheart survived the wound he sustained during the siege of Chaluz, so the Angevin Empire did not fall, leading (waves hands here) to a world where magic occupies the role that science fills in our world. Today, we visited Château Gaillard, overlooking the commune of Les Andelys; Richard built the castle to defend Normandy from the French.

Looking from Normandy into France (at least that’s what Richard the Lionheart would have said)

Richard built defenses in depth against the French; one of them was a chain he used to block the river (though he would allow the French to pass if they paid toll!). One of the ends of the chain was on this island, which now hosts a beautiful residence.

Les Andelys is actually made up of two towns – Petit-Andely, where we were docked, and Grand-Andely, about half a mile inland. We visited Petit-Andely’s church, Église Saint-Sauveur du Petit-Andely.

“Christ Blessing” in front of the church

This organ was originally in a convent but during the French Revolution, the Mother Superior donated it to this small parish church because she thought it would be safer there

Figures of Evil (facing England) and Good (facing France) support columns near the apse (the French king paid for the church to be build a couple of centuries after France absorbed Normandy).

Love for the French king was not universal among the workers, even if he did pay for the church – our guide pointed out a lion (facing England) and a monkey (facing France) in the transept.

Lion (representing Richard)
Monkey (with the face of the King of France)

Petit-Andely has a number of half-timbered buildings, like this restaurant. In its previous life, it was a gas station and the upper story was covered with red plaster!

We left Petit-Andely and got on a bus to ride up to Château Gaillard. Our guide took us through the ruins and told us the story of the final siege of the castle after Richard’s death; his brother, King John (of Magna Carta fame), refused to send aid to the castle and the French were able to take it and eventually all of Normandy.

Petit-Andely from Château Gaillard

Two of the three castles which were part of the fortress
This was the defensive wall facing France, which also the wall of the castle chapel. King John had them put in stained glass windows, which, of course, were a point of failure during the attack!

We looked around the ruins for a few more minutes, then set out on the walk down to the village.

Our guide pointed out the locally-brewed Richard the Lionheart beer, but buying beer seemed unnecessary while on a cruise!

Tonight, the ship is sailing to Le Havre at the mouth of the Seine; we’ll spend most of the next two days there.