On our way to Rouen in Normandy, we had made a stop in Jumieges.
Slept in a 18th century chateau hotel, diner in an innovative restaurant and walked through the Jumieges ruins of a thousand years.old. That worth the stop, right ?
The hotel, Chateau de Landin we selected is a château constructed in 1756. It is located in the heart of the forest Domaniale de Bretonne.
From the terrace, the view of the valley is breath-breaking. We can see the loops of the Seine and even the Jumieges Towers . Take a glass of wine and watch this wonderful scenery in sunset time is a perfect program of the day.
The room is big and comfortable. The bath room is not very practical and lack some refinement in the decoration. Good breakfast and very friendly service. About 140€ for two person with breakfast. There are apartments and houses rental for families or a group of friends. Prices from 145€ but need to stay minimum for 2 nights.
The Abbaye de Jumieges dated from the 11th century. Once a Benedictine abbey, today, it left only some ruins. During our visit, we rent an Ipad to look at the reconstituted image of the old days. It was funny and impressive at first sight. That may suit kids as that can stimulate their imagination . After all, I prefer listening to stories told by a good guide.
Auberge des Ruins is just behind the Abbaye of Jumieges. In sunny days, one can eat in the small patio and admire the old walls of the abbey.
The food is very innovative. For example, we tried the pigeon cooked in 99% cacao sauce which is delicious. The beet with chocolate sounded strange but was a successful matching. The emulsion de Livaron (blown cheese) was good too.
All the ingredients are from the region. The chef uses a lot of veggies grown in the park near the Abbey. Menu ranges from 33€ to 55€. Excellent value for money.
Mind your time for crossing the Seine River
It is only 15 minutes drive from Chateau de Landin to Auberge des Ruins. However, there is the Seine River separate the two shores. In day time, there is a boat shutter which transport the cars from one shore to another. The boat services stop starting at 7pm. We were lucky to get another boat shutter further down the river at around 10pm. It was almost the last shutter. So, do check the time if you need to cross the Seine River in this region.
Jumiege is a beautiful small town. Normandy is a region that you should take time to visit.
Celia SO 樂遥, April 2018
http://www.abbayedejumieges.fr
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