Day 4: Rouen

Well, I surpassed myself today and not in a good way. The day started off well, I caught the train to Rouen and hit the main road into town to see the sights. By sheer blind luck I found a tourist information centre and picked up a map and all was looking pretty positive. Once again I came to the aid of a French couple; they had spotted my map and wanted to know where the tourist information centre was. Fortunately it was one of the very few places I could actually direct anyone to (I had just completed 4 or may even 5 sides of a square and the tourist info place was really close by).

I saw the Gros Horloge and went up the tower where there is apparently a great rooftop view of the city, however what they don’t tell you is that it is also a really narrow area, with a criss-cross / open weave \”floor\” so you can see the drop – needless to say I did not go out there – not a chance. I took a photo from the doorway and that was as brave as I could be. The clock is pretty impressive and the maintenance of it was handed down from father to son for many generations so quite an interesting story.
Joan of Arc is huge in Rouen and I didn’t manage to see all there was to see, but I did visit the cathedral where there are statues of many saints including Joan of Arc. The historic area is lovely and the buildings reflect typical Normandy architecture with half-timbered houses as well as buildings with really elaborate stonework and arches etc.

The weather was good 20 degrees and I was recovering from the loads of walking from yesterday, so I strolled rather than marched and just enjoyed the warmth and the ambience. Rouen is a bit like Edinburgh in that it expects people to have bladders that never need emptied and despite my usual tactics, I was not having much luck, in the hunt for a loo. By now lunchtime was approaching and I had a few places to try. It took a bit of searching as one in particular was well hidden (honest) and when I looked at the menu and the prices, it could stay well hidden. It was something like €156 for lunch. I though they might have missed the “,”, but no, the prices were completely ridiculous and I carried on walking.

I found a great wee restaurant, with toilet, which was not on my list and I had the best meal of the trip so far. Seemed to be frequented by locals and regulars, it was small but really good.

Return to Vernon

After a bit more of a wander and a few unintended detours I decided to head back to the station as my feet were sending me a strong message, in the form of throbbing, and I still had the walk from the station to my chambre d’hôte. I navigated back to the station, but when I got to the station and checked the departure board for my train, it was not there. I checked the SNCF app, not there either, however the machine had allowed me to buy a ticket for a journey that does not exist. I could get back tomorrow, but there was no return train today – erk. I spoke to an SNCF person and he said my ticket could be reimbursed, but that was the least of my problems. I checked with him that if I took the train to Paris (it was on the departure board, and due to leave soon), could I get the train today from Paris to Vernon …. yes, I could. I had no time to buy a ticket from yet another machine, so I legged it to the catch the Paris train and I could get a ticket when I was on board.

On board I explained the issue to the guard and he was great, I did not have to pay for my ticket to Paris. I then went on to the SNCF app to buy my ticket from Paris to Vernon … no trains until the next day at 4pm. It is all getting interesting and a bit too interesting for comfort, but every problem has a solution. As I could not get back from Paris, it might be better to get off at the next station and just head back to Rouen, however when I asked the guard if that might be an option, he told me that I was on a non-stop train to Paris. Bar jumping out the window of a moving train, which was fast becoming an option, I had to sit tight until I got to Paris.

Rather than a peaceful journey reading my Kindle, I was now googling accommodation in Paris – last minute hotel prices were making that expensive restaurant look like a bargain. Next idea – taxi. I got so far in my “quest”, before I needed to add an app to my phone, not a problem surely? The Wifi was slow (understatement) a few tunnels and embankments where not helping matters and my roaming connection was not much better, but after about an hour, I kid you not, I had the app on my phone. A taxi was feasible, expensive, but cheaper than a night in Paris + breakfast + lunch + train fare …. not to mention that I had only the clothes I was wearing (and no, that is not an excuse to go clothes shopping as that is one of my least favourite past-times).

The taxi app was like Uber, the prices varied depending on demand etc so I waited until I hit Paris and tried again.

Return from Paris

On arriving in Paris, I had a final hurdle to overcome and I thought I might have hurdle the ticket gate as I didn\’t have a ticket to scan to let me out. I found an other SNCF, went through my story again and he let me through …. freedom. Now what next?

I found a taxi rank outside the airport – the first guy I spoke to refused to give a fix fee or any kind of guesstimate and was not at all interested (I don’t really blame him). The next one in line was up for it, so off we went and 4 hours after starting my journey back from Rouen, I was nearly “home. The driver couldn’t find the address, as the roads are a bit faffy with cul de sacs and one way streets etc but I knew where I was (for the first time in many hours) so I walked the rest of the way, which was not at all far.

By now, I would have killed for a light bite and a glass of wine, the choice of dry rosé wine here is fabulous, but my feet said no, so a glass of water and some biscuits in my room would have to do … sadly I could not convert the water to wine, try as I might.

Not quite the leisurely day that I had planned, but beeping heck, I got to use a lot of French. It’s amazing what you can do when the brown, smelly stuff hits the fan. I have (or should it be had) a trip to Amiens planned for Monday, but after today’s escapade I dread to think what could go wrong as the journey is a bit more complicated and once I get there I still have the opportunity to have an unexpected adventure on public transport. Tomorrow is going to be a quiet day, no trains or buses running, so I will spend a relaxing day (good weather forecast) wandering around Vernon as I have not really explored it yet.

Today surpassed any Scottie Shortcut I have taken in the past (and there have been a few) and Rob named today’s effort as a Lorna Loop (blooming great loop it was). I think he was being kind, and he really meant Loopy Lorna. I had way too much excitement today – hopefully this was the peak (or perhaps trough) of my adventures and things will settle down. I’d be happy with a “boring” few days.