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Motorhoming in Eure
The southern of the two departments of Haute Normandie and inland, Eure is the link between the city of Rouen which you can visit while motorhoming in Seine Maritime, and Paris, an obvious destination when motorhoming in Ile de France. It is the calm face of Normandie, full of discreet charm and the link between the two regions of Normandie, Haute and Basse.
One of the things that is common to a lot of the bigger towns of Eure is their partial destruction during the bombardments of the Second World War. Evreux, the capital of Eure is not really typical of a Normandy town, an untypical mix of a modern, prosperous, industrial city and the remains of the little provincial town which existed before the war. This difference can also be attributed to the proximity of Paris. To regain its serenity and complement the historical heritage of the town which includes the remains of Gallo-Roman remparts, the river banks of the town have been turned into flower gardens where you can wander peacefully despite being in the town centre.
Equally hard hit was the town of Louviers which has all the same managed to conserve the history and architecture of this ancient town which was at the forefront of the 13th century textile industry. Louviers has a certain caché and has lots of sites which are interesting to visit including the town centre with its modern commercial quarter and charming ancient quarter.
Of particular interest is the small town of Verneuil-sur-Avre in the south of the department. If you need to take a rest while you motorhome travel in France, try the Aires de Service in Eure for a free stop over. Verneuil-sur-Avre is a charming little town, a tourist and commercial centre surrounded by ramparts. Founded in the 12th century by Henry l who was the Duke of Normandy and the King of England, the town has preserved its ‘Grey Tower’ which, being part of the château was built to survey the Normandy-French border. The walls are incredibly thick and it is one of the best remaining examples of a 12th century round tower. The old houses of the town are beautiful and built in various styles. Checkered facades with corbelled turrets built in the 15th century, half-timbered or stone houses, 18th century villas with iron work balconies and Renaissance works embellished with sculptures and statues. For a small town, Verneuil-sur-Avre really has a rich wealth of architectural heritage and historical sites to visit.
Giverny is situated where the River Seine and the River Epte merge and is the where Claude Monet chose to pass the second half of his life from 1883 until his death in 1926. This is where he created a beautiful garden which inspired his numerous works of art based on the Water Lillies. His house is now home to the Claude Monet Foundation and can be visited along with the gardens and is really an opportunity to discover the daily life and work of the artist in particularly agreeable surroundings .
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