Events & Festivals in Haute Normandy

Infinite shades of grey…

Bernard Ollier lives in a grey world, a world where an army of drawings roams free, moving relentlessly towards the shadows. It is a snug, comfy world, but is nevertheless a place of terror, and this perculiar artist has been living there quietly for decades.

Ollier's work is two-faced. Two languages, plastic arts and literature, serve to speak his mind. His message, more secreted than spoken, is produced with the patience of a lone silk worm and the cynical half-smile of a captain watching the entire world capsize and tumble into the dark abyss.

His short, darkly comical texts (listing, for example, the deaths of great painters) are complemented by large graphite drawings with infinitely complex undertones. From afar, his art appears as simple monochrome - a mirror of life which itself appears a homogenous mass, an accumulation of futile events.

Sails on the horizon…

The Sailing Tour de France is a major nautical event in the country. This year the convoy make stopovers in over 10 French ports, sailing just off the coast in the North sea, Mediterranean sea and Antlantic ocean.

This magical event is the result of a complex equation which combines technicity, endurance and teamwork - it's all about being prepared, about being equipped, and about having what it takes, mentally and physically…

Every year, the Tour de France à la voile leaves joyful crowds bobbing in its wake. Colourful flags flap in the wind, a forest of sails dots the horizon, and the "villages" offer a range of activities and events... Be sure that even from the shore this race will be a fantastic experience.

Keep your head in the clouds.

The first ever kiting meet in Dieppe took place in September 1980, with about a half a dozen countries represented by a group of strange men who liked to play with hankerchiefs and string... Now three decades later this number has been multiplied by five and the number of spectators went from an approximate zero to almost half a million.

Over 30 national teams will be putting on a one-of-a-kind show for the 450 000 expected visitors at this Festival International des Cerfs-volants. Expect music and dance, some spectacular aerial performances with flashy ultramodern kites soaring expertly among the clouds, and also some mindblowing shows with GIANT KITES.

It is said that kites were first used by navigators, and it was often thought that kites appeared in China 2 000 years ago. However recent research suggests that Indonesian navigators, keen observers of wind patterns, had flown the first kites over 3 500 years before our time.

Academians of the 18th century were quick to transform the kite into a scientific research tool - the salient example being Benjamin Franklin's silken kite which, carrying a key into a thunderstorm, demonstrated his theory that lightning was in fact electrical power.

The development of the aeroplane nullified the scientific potential of the kite but marked the beginning of kiting as a leisure activity.

One of the most notable aspects of this kiting festival is the fact that it is an international event. Every two years, 8 hectares of space between the city and the seafront are dedicated to kite-flyers and numerous spectators. This ideal natural setting is the perfect stage for such an event.

This exciting festival gathers the best teams and "pilots" in every field of kiting, the most talented kite-designers, but also the more traditional kite-flyers who never fail to make an appearance.

The international kiting festival is completely free of charge and allows visitors to learn about kite construction thanks to workshops, and about kite-flying techniques, with the help of professionals. Certain activities are specifically tailored to children, school outings, and disables persons.

Dieppe's International Kiting Festival is the largest and most impressive kiting festival in the world, and it would be madness to miss out on all the fun!

An artist's square, Paris-style.

Once again this year the place Saint-Vincent, opposite the church of the same name in one of the city's oldest neighbourhoods, will become Montmartre in Le Havre... For one magical Sunday, a number of regional amateur painters will come to expose their work, to paint right there on the spot and sell their creations.

Artistic homage.

The "Appartement témoin Perret" is a museum in Le Havre dedicated to the work and life of architect and interior designed Auguste Perret, the mind that practically redesigned the city in the post-war era. Plastic artist Pascal Monteil decided to honour Perret's aesthetic ideal by creating a photographic exhibition based on The Human Voice, a one-act opera by Jean Cocteau. This photographic diptych will give a sense of drama and depth to this fascinating museum-apartment.

A hidden gem.

Charles Frechon is one of the landmark painters of 19th and early 20th-century art scene in Rouen. Unfortunately, his was what one could call a regional reputation.

When he exhibited his work, the highly-conservative art world in Rouen would scoff and lift their noses… And yet today, paradoxically, he has become an emblematic figure associated with "the country"; he is the salt of the earth on the French artistic landscape.

This retrospective exhibition will be an opportunity to consider this artist's career in depth, and from there to understand how this hidden gem was at the forefront of the "school of Rouen", one of the more unexpected fruits of the impressionist movement.

Le Havre, the emblem of contemporary art…

The main strength of this event lies in the complementary nature of the artwork on display. The two curators, Ger van Elk for the Malraux Museum and David Perreau for the city's monuments, are of different cultures and have different artistic tastes. It is this difference, the opposing ideals of these two professionals which creates a contradictory and complementary artistic ensemble and will make this an original and dynamic art biennial.

The King's armada puts on a show.

On July 4th 2008, ships from the seven seas will be weighing anchor in the Seine estuary. From there, they then travel upriver to attend the largest nautical gathering in the world.

Legendary sailboats but also a number of training ships will pass beneath the largest vertical lift bridge on the planet: the Gustave Flaubert bridge, which is the new gateway for Rouen's Armada.

Throughout this event you can discover cutting-edge sailing craft and traditional ships at the docks in Rouen's port - of course there will be activities, performances and even a firework display!

A portrait of America…

The "Portrait of a Lady" exhibition will be displaying a collection of about 60 women's portraits, produced circa 1900. These paintings, drawings, engravings and photographs were all borrowed from public collections in France.

The painted works, signed John Singer Sargent, Thomas Eakins, John Alexander White and William T. Dannat, and the photographs by Clarence H. White, Edward Steichen, George H. Seeley and Gertrude Käsebier, seem to point to a shift in the portrait tradition.

A number of works from the Terra Foundation for American Art, along with photos published in "Camera Work" (courtesy of the Orsay museum), will complete this fascinating display.

See the city in a different light.

UNESCO was quick to honour the architectural splendour of Le Havre, thanks in particular to two emblematic edifices. Designed by two masterful 20th-century architects, namely Auguste Perret and Oscar Niemeyer, they will for this event become a giant stage to host a performance signed by the famed team of scenographers known as Skertzo.

The Hôtel de Ville boasts a 92-metre facade and a 72-metre tower that defy the imagination - both of these will become a canvas for a 1950's-inspired show, while the gentle, harmonious curves of the "Volcano" will become a gateway into a dreamlike wonderland.

Transformations, video projections, sound effects, musical interludes, optical illusions and wordplay… With these tools, Skertzo transcends our perception of architecture and puts the city's "history in the spotlight" (or patrimoine en lumière).

For locals, this performance will be like a fresh coat of paint over their familiar city, while for visitors it will be a unique vision of a place which is world-renowned for its unique, ultramodern architecture.

Got your hiking boots on?

July 20th 2008, in Bacqueville-en-Caux - hikers should be ready for this exceptional sport event. For this 5th edition, participants will be hiking along two 10-kilometre circuits throughout the region.

You can sign up for this event in the tourism offices in Quiberville, Saâne and Vienne.

Le Havre in a riot of colour.

Corsiflor is a yearly event which has the whole population of Le Havre bubbling with anticipation. Beautifully-decorated floats will be coursing through the streets in a riotous display of fun and festivity!

Discover original sights and vibrant colours during this one-of-a-kind day in Le Havre's town centre.

Heritage in the spotlight.

The Musicales de Normandie is a festival that aims to put Normand architectural heritage in the limelight by organising a series of classical and traditional concerts. Every week, music in a variety of styles will be filling the soundwaves thanks to a great team effort by local businesses and municipal workers.

Bits and pieces from the high seas…

This second-hand market will be setting up base camp on the Promenade des Régates on Sunday July 20th. It will be opposite the Channel with a view of the ballet of titanic cargo ships just off the coast on their way to Africa. This event has over the years become the "place to be" for collectors of maritime memorabilia, those trinkets and objects from the sailor's world.

Every year, professional second-hand traders and antique book sellers are there to give you the best possible deal on some unique and unusual items. Serious collectors will be there with the early birds, eager to get their hands on their prized collector's items at very affordable prices.

Ze festival for zeatrical arts.

This 7th edition of Z'estivales boasts an eclectic program chock-a-block full of events, in particular street performances and theatre arts.

Regional, National and International companies - over 50 troupes of professional performers - will be lined up for seven whole weekends from June 28th to August 10th 2008.

This amounts to over a hundred performances over the festival, with at least 20 by amateur troupes, the "Off" performances, will be taking place on their own stage (called the zizanie or "madness" stage).

Representations will this year be facing the horizon, with 5 stages set up on the seafront. Other stages will be set up in important locations: the Saint-Roch square, the Théâtre de l'hôtel de ville, the courtyard of the Malleraye school, the town's pedestrian zone, the forecourt of the town hall, the harbour

The program includes a number of plays, classical and modern music, circus arts, puppet shows, and much more…

The Savage side of mother nature.

"Nature through the eyes of some of the greatest photographers." The Natural History Museum in Rouen is living up to its reputation and is organising this unique exhibition, a stunning display of sensitivity and graphic beauty.

These 110 photos were selected through a rigorous process, revealing an aspect of our planet rarely seen in museums: the wild, savage, untamed face of Mother Nature.

The Dark Side of Authouart.

Discover the complete collection of Daniel Authouart's "dark period" (période noire).

This series of paintings was produced in Le Havre in the 70s and is marked by a distinct sense of tragedy, even of violence. They provided the foundations to build his current style of artwork.

This collection as a whole will be displayed on the day of the vernissage. The exhibition will be added-to over the months, progressively shifting from Authouart's darker style to his more recent works.

A star-lit country marketplace.

Enjoy this grand nocturnal market organised by the local Quiberville-sur-Mer council. Find the best produce around and then, when your shopping bag is full, sit back to experience a great fireworks show. Only local producers and artisans will be permitted to exhibit their products.

Activities and events will be organised on site, and organisers are working to provide a food court.

Thirty cathedrals dancing in Rouen.

This summer from July 1st to August 31st, and then on the 19th and 20th of September, Rouen's major cathedral will be wiped from the landscape and replaced by a giant blank canvas...

Every evening, the cathedral facade will become a screen on which spectators will be able to admire a visual display inspired by Claude Monet's series of cathedrals. The crux of this event dates back to 1892-93, when the now-famous impressionist painter would set up his easel in front of Rouen's cathedral for days on end, tirelessly attempting to capture the shifting light and nuances of colour at different times of the day.

The result was a unique achievement in the history of art: 30 or so paintings of the exact same subject which are nevertheless completely different from each other.

A rich natural heritage.

The Parc Naturel Régional des Boucles de la Seine Normande lies between Rouen and Le Havre, in the Eure and the Seine-Maritime départements. Shaped by the meanders of the Seine, the area provides glorious panoramas and sweeps of well-watered meadows. Plateaux, valleys and hillsides carved out by the river make up the landscapes of the five natural regions of the Park: the Seine valley, the Pays de Caux, the Roumois, the Basse Vallée de la Risle and the Marais Vernier.
Three abbeys, rural museums, châteaux and thatched cottages forge the identity of the Park's cultural heritage. The wetlands, the Park's ecological highlight, sink into soft silences, punctuated by pollarded trees.
There are natural sites to be visited in the Marais Vernier and the Basse Vallée de la Risle, with or without a guide. These habitats, which are of vital importance to the Park as a whole, are the subject of special awareness and preservation campaigns.

The historian and his work.

French writer and historian Jules Michelet (1798-1874) wrote many of his works in the castle tower where he installed his study.
As you pursue your course along the "Route historique des maisons d'écrivains" (homes of famous writers), you will be able to retrace the life and works of Jules Michelet,
author of such works as Histoire de France (a history of France) or Histoire de la Révolution française, a history of the French Revolution.

Le Havre by the sea.

Spend 1h30min aboard the "Ville de Fécamp" to discover France's leading freight and container port.
The many activities of the port of Le Havre are best appreciated from the sea. Weather permitting, you will sail along the coastline of Le Havre to appreciate the town that was rebuilt after the Second World War by Auguste Perret, and is now a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Architectural heritage and cultural events.

Periodic events: concerts and exhibitions of paintings and sculptures, seminars and symposia (programme available on request).
Permanent exhibition: visits by appointment:
Architectural heritage, workshops, turbines and exhibition rooms.

The genius and the mountain.

Victor Hugo, poet, literary master and author of such great works as Les Misérables, Choses vues, Notre-Dame de Paris, Dernier jour d'un condamné, was also driven into exile on account of his passionate opposition to the imperialism of Napoleon III, brandishing the written word like a sword.

Bowling late into the night.

Looking for an evening out with family or friends where you can relax and have fun? Look no further. Parvis Bowling in Evreux is open for bowling until late into the night.
There are plenty of other facilities to enjoy, too, including a bar, restaurant (closed Sunday and Monday except for groups), an ATM, TV screens, etc.

Timeless Corneille...

Pierre Corneille is one of France's greatest 17th century playwrights.
Born in Rouen in 1606, the son of a magistrate, Corneille was initially destined for a career in the law. Life was to decide otherwise, however. It was after suffering a disappointment in love in 1629 that he began writing poetry and his first play.
With comedies such as Clitandre, La Veuve, La Galerie du Palais, La Suivante, La Place Royale, Médée and L'Illusion comique, he created a new form of theatre in which tragic sentiments were expressed in a contemporary context.
Corneille went on to become an "official" playwright to Cardinal Richelieu, writing plays glorifying nobility, such as the famous Le Cid.
He was elected to the Académie Française in 1647. His plays began to enjoy less success, however, with competition from Jean Racine, whose plays were more sentimental and less heroic than those of his rival.
Corneille never ceased experimenting with new ideas, however, and later returned to Greek tragedy in Oedipe.
After a life of triumphs and disappointments, Corneille died in Paris on 1 October 1684.

In honour of the dada artist.

Seven educational exchange projects involving the permanent collections of the FRAME (French Regional & American Museum Exchange) museums, financed by the Annenberg foundation, were chosen for 2006.
The Musée des Beaux-Arts, in association with the Denver Art Museum and the Dallas Museum of Art, put forward a project based on Marcel Duchamp. To mark the occasion, a new permanent exhibition room features the works of Marcel Duchamp and theAndré Raffray cycle illustrating his life.
The visitor can settle comfortably to consult at leisure a range of visual and sound archives.
The collaboration between the three partner museums also culminated in a musical work commissioned from Paul D. Miller alias DJ Spooky that Subliminal Kid, an author and conceptual artist living in New York.

Orchestra and beginners, please!

If you have a hankering for getting up on stage and revealing your talents, the Bateau Ivre is the place for you on an open-mike night at la Goguette. As well as the microphones and piano already in place, feel free to bring along your own instruments and show what you can do.

Open space and animals

This is a wonderful day out for all the family. Find out about the heritage of the region while the children find out all about the farm animals.
The farm is six hectares big, and contains a maze, flower gardens and a whole farmyard menagerie.

Learn, understand, pick, enjoy!

Picking fruit and vegetables fresh from the garden is such a pleasure... But it's important to know when, where and how. All will be explained during this fruit-picking event: when to pick and how, because picking is not as easy at is might seem.

There is a method to the harvesting process, particular to each fruit or vegetable, in order to avoid damaging your hard-earned goods. Instructive, healthy and value for money: pick-your-own is a winner on every count.

Relaxation and sports.

The gardens are an ideal setting for relaxing, strolling and playing sports.
Against their splendid natural background, take advantage of the mini-golf, the exercise circuit, the BMX track, playgrounds and picnic spots.

The Museum's new life.

An unusual journey in itself, Rouen Museum is a place where time seems to have stood still. Since it was first founded in 1828 by Rouen scientist Félix-Archimède Pouchet, it was managed until 1965 by only three curators, each of whom left his mark on the history of the museum. Encyclopaedic minds, each the disciple of his predecessor and each respecting the curatorship of his mentor, left the museum with an extraordinary sense of uniformity.
In addition to the museum's own acquisition policy, the collections have constantly been swelled by donations from scientists and also from navigators, returning from their distant expeditions with objects from all over the world.
By a natural process, the museum has thus become one of the last witnesses in France to what the museums of the early 20th century once were.

Gentleman burglar.

The Clos Arsène Lupin, which opened to the public in Etretat in 1999, recounts the life and memory of Maurice Leblanc, creator of the famous Arsène Lupin.
The visit is divided into 7 stages to create an original, entertaining adventure in the footsteps of the most famous and most charming of burglars.

1,000m² dedicated to health and fitness.

Euro Fitness offers bodybuilding, cardio training, sauna, sun beds or relaxation in its 1,000m² town centre premises, followed by a snack at its health-food bar.
Euro Fitness offers 28 group lessons a week, from ballroom dancing to personalised bodybuilding.
A real convenience for visitors: the club offers a one-day subscription for those just passing through.

A meeting-place of artists.

A century ago, a colony of American Impressionist artists settled in Giverny near the home of Claude Monet. Following in their footsteps, the Musée d'Art Américain Giverny invites you to discover American art from 1750 to the present day, with new exhibitions mounted every year.

Designed by Philippe Robert of architects Reichen & Robert, the architecture of the building is intimately linked to the light and landscape that are such essential features of Giverny.

He has created a crossroads between art and nature, in which the Impressionist paintings form part of the surrounding landscape. Set into the hillside, in a natural hollow, the sober white museum building extends horizontally, half-hidden by the surrounding vegetation.

A large, light-filled entrance hall welcomes visitors, and the three exhibition rooms extend over several levels, following the slope of the hillside.

The lowest level houses a small exhibition room and a spacious auditorium equipped for lectures, films, concerts and corporate events.
The architecture us in perfect harmony with its setting and the Giverny site.

Discover the monastic life.

The abbey was founded by Herluin, a Norman knight, in 1034 and had a far-reaching intellectual influence in the 11th century, owing mainly to the monks Lanfranc and Saint Anselme.
The present buildings date from the 17th and 18th centuries when they were reconstructed by the Benedictine congregation of Saint-Maur around a vast courtyard adjoining the cloister. The two refectories, the old and the new, are perhaps the abbey's most remarkable rooms. The tall Saint-Nicolas tower dates from the 15th century.
The abbey of Bec-Hellouin was used as military stabling throughout the 19th century and suffered considerable damage. Since 1948, however, it has been home to a community of Olivetan Benedictine monks who have succeeded in restoring much of the abbey's former glory, with the help of the French historic monuments fund, the Caisse des Monuments Historiques et des Sites.

545 hectares of beautiful woodland.

The Evreux Forest is made up of 545 hectares of beautiful woodland, perfect for any number of walks and rides, from the Mare aux Biches to former quarries. Maps are available from the Tourist Office.
Take a walk with family, friends, or by yourself.

How to…

Mrs Cozzi offers you private or group lessons of up to 5 people.
Learn to prepare and cook original and exotic dishes.
Simple, quick and economical.
Treat your friends to sweet and savoury delights!

Two lakes to fish!

Two lakes on a private estate in the Eure valley: fishing competitions organised on request.
Picnics, barbecues, tennis, pétanque, mountain-biking, cycling.
Nearby, canoeing on the Eure available.
Gîte rural 3 épis and furnished cottage on the property.

A fresh-air getaway.

Looking for a romantic cycling weekend for two, or for all the family? The Eure has some lovely countryside to offer, not least the famous 80km "Voie Verte", an greenway closed to motor vehicles.
Rent bikes on the spot and set off early for a great day's cycling.
A set of cycling maps is on sale at the Tourist Office, price 2€.

A choice of 7 routes will give you every opportunity to discover the natural and architectural heritage of Evreux and its surrounds on two wheels.

A choice of three circuits.

Here's an out of the ordinary way to explore the countryside and rural heritage of the Eure!
The train runs on the tourist line along the Eure Valley, a stretch of the former Rouen-Orléans line, offering a choice of three circuits.
Every care has been taken to re-create the atmosphere of yesteryear: ticket offices, weighbridge, the goods shed, all the buildings that made Pacy one of the biggest stations on the Acquigny to Saint-Georges-Motel section of the line.
Adults enjoy it, and children are thrilled to play train-driver!
A great idea for a family outing...

Takes your breath away!

Nature provides the backdrop for an original round-up of family leisure activities at the heart of the French forests.

The setting is ideal for the Adventure Forest, a place of discovery, physical activities and excitement.

Make your way along the tracks, paths and circuits and to the different workshops offering something for everyone.

Learning and understanding go hand in hand with walking, crazy exploits and daredevil stunts: that's what the Adventure Forest is all about.

Unrivalled in Europe.

Since 1921, the church of Saint-Laurent (15th and 16th century) has housed a collection of wrought ironwork that was and is a reference of its kind in Europe.
Its donor Henri Le Secq des Tournelles made over to the city of Rouen the first methodical collection of ironwork, begun in 1862 by his father Jean-Louis Le Secq Destournelles (1818-1882).

The latter, a member of the Mission Héliographique mounted by Prosper Mérimée to take photographs of outstanding monuments on behalf of the French Monuments Historiques department, was at once a practical, hands-on man, a painter and an art-lover. His was the original idea of taking an interest in hitherto overlooked objects: he began acquiring, from demolition sites as well as on the art market, every article of outstanding ironwork that he could find, with the exception of arms and armour, which others were already collecting.

Straight to the heart of the town's heritage.

Here is a circuit that will fascinate all ages, stepping into the history of Evreux: its cathedral consecrated in 1076, its town hall (in particular the marriage room) and former bishop's palace.
Walk classified as "easy" by the Comité Départemental de Randonnée Pédestre.

Clear-skies, zero-gravity, and a healthy dose of adrenaline…

Ever dream of simply falling through the air, of being so high up you see the curve of the horizon and yet feel no fear whatsoever?

Well wake up because this is IT! Just take a deep breath, say a little prayer, check your straps and jump... And don't forget to look down or you'll miss all the fun!

Experience sky-diving, the thrill of a lifetime.

Over 5 centuries of the history of ceramics.

The museum is built around the core collection amassed by André Pottier (1799-1867), author of Histoire de la faïence de Rouen.
Established temporarily (1870) in a gallery in the cloister of the former convent of Sainte-Marie, already home to the Antiquities Museum of the Seine-Inférieure, the Ceramics Museum was officially opened on 15 August 1864.
The municipal collection of faïence remained here until February 1888, when it was transferred to the first floor of the new Musée des Beaux-Arts.
In the 1930s, there was talk of setting up a separate Ceramics Museum to offset the lack of space caused by the steady growth of the collections of both paintings and ceramics.

The Hôtel d'Hocqueville, built in 1657 and redecorated in the 18th century, was acquired for the purpose in 1936, but it took another half-century for the project to reach completion.
The collection was finally transferred to the new museum in 1984.

The collection currently contains some 6,000 exhibits, ranging from the simple ceramic tile to monumental busts, two thirds of which were made in Rouen, giving the museum monographic status.
The visitor is offered a full historic and aesthetic overview, beginning with the first production of faïence by Masséot Abaquesne in the mid 16th century, then the second wave which began with Edme Poterat in 1647, flourished in the following century and disappeared at the beginning of the 19th century.

Horse-racing, and other runners.

Punters and horse-lovers are certain to be found here every year in spring and summer for the traditional horse racing, but the racecourse park is also an ideal place for walks and is very popular with runners of the two-legged variety!

Everyone on horse-back!

The Centre Equestre du Havre Rouelles is located in the centre of the 6 hectare Parc de Loisirs de la Bouteillerie and offers a wide range of horse-riding activities.

All disciplines are covered, from the classics (dressage, show jumping) to less formal activities such as horse-ball or voltige.
Courses, lessons, initiation, etc. Instructors for every level from beginner to experienced rider.
The Centre has 60 loose-boxes, a tack-room, 2 schooling rings, 2 covered schools, a cross-country course and a field equipped for staging competitions.

Equatorial temperatures.

Feel like taking time out for relaxat