Rouen, Its History and Monuments Part 12

COURS DE LA REINE.

According to _Farin_, this public walk was formed for a walk for the ladies, and is one of the finest in the kingdom; its length is about 674 fathoms. Four rows of large elms form the whole length on the banks of the Seine. On holy-thursday, the _Cours-de-la-Reine_ begins to be used as a fas.h.i.+onable promenade, and it may be said that on that day, it has a very gay appearance.

AVENUES OF MONT-RIBOUDET, AND COURS-DAUPHIN.

The first is the princ.i.p.al entrance to Rouen from Havre and Dieppe, and the second, at the opposite extremity of the quay, the entrance from Paris, Evreux, etc.

THE BOULEVARDS.

They occupy, for the greater part, the place of the ditches which surrounded the town; they were planted between the years 1770 and 1780 and were paved in 1783, at the expense of the town. They are about 3 miles in length.

WALKS WITHOUT THE TOWN.

Mount Saint-Catherine first presents itself. We may go to it, either by the Paris high road, or by the _pet.i.tes eaux_ Martainville. The last mentioned, although the least frequented, is perhaps the preferable route on account of the diversity of the landscape.

It will be useless for the traveller, when he has reached the top of the hill, to look for the ancient abbey of the _Sainte-Trinite-du-Mont_, the chapel of the _priory of Saint-Michel_, or the fortifications, in which the marquis of Villars withstood the attacks of Henry IVth; nothing of them remains at the present day, except two remnants of a wall, which threaten to fall on the traveller, who is imprudent enough to approach too near them.

From this elevated position, in turning towards the north-east, we see the valley of _Darnetal_, which has become so rich through the industry of those who inhabit it. The eye reposes with pleasure on the gothic tower of the church of _Carville_; and of which, according to tradition, Henry IVth, made a post of observation when he besieged the fort of the _ligue_. We must not forget that an English detachment, which served in the army of the king, conducted itself very bravely in the different attacks, with which it was entrusted. On the opposite side of the valley of Darnetal and towards the north, we distinguish the hill named _des Sapins_, on which the monumental burying ground is situated. This latter hill adjoins the _Bois-Guillaume_ from which also the view is admirable although inferior to that from the mount Saint-Catherine, which advances like a promontory, above the immense valley of the Seine, while that of Bois-Guillaume or Beauvoisine, recedes from the circular line formed by the union of these different hills.

The Bois-Guillaume joins _Saint-Aignan_. We cross the latter _commune_, on our way to _Mont-aux-Malades_, formerly the _Mont-Saint-Jacques_.

Antiquarians will not fail to go and see a church at this place, which is a venerable remains of norman architecture. There were two, but the other is now almost destroyed. Travellers should also visit the hill of _Canteleu_ from which the view is very fine, and at the same time the country house of M. elie Lefebure, called the _Chateau of Canteleu_.

BURYING GROUNDS OF ROUEN.

There are at present, five burying grounds for the roman catholics, and two for the protestants. They are the burying grounds of _Saint-Gervais_, _Beauvoisine_, _Val-de-la-Jatte_, of which a part has been walled off for the protestants; _Mont-Gargan_, _Saint-Sever_, and _Champ-des-Oiseaux_, which latter forms the second protestant burying ground. The great demand of families, to obtain a piece of ground, on which to erect a monument on the tomb of a relation, had caused a great diminution of ground for interments; the munic.i.p.al administration therefore took measures to prevent the consequences of it. On the proposition of the marquis de Martainville, then mayor of the town they determined, on the 24th april 1823, that a monumental burying should be established on the east of Rouen, on a portion of the hill of Fir-Trees which was barren, and could be disposed of without any loss.

This new burying ground contains about ten acres of ground, enclosed with walls. A chapel is erected on the highest point of the hill; and a vault has been formed under it for the provisional deposit of bodies, which cannot be interred immediately. A tariff exists, which regulates the sum to be paid by families, who wish to purchase a place in this burying ground.

THE END.