Évreux

Tucked away in the pretty Iton valley, Evreux often surprises visitors not only with its heritage but also with its douceur de vivre, aka relaxed French way of life, and warm welcome.

CAPITAL OF THE EURE département

Capital of the Eure département, Evreux has retained a great many of its historic buildings, with its imposing and magnificent cathedral dominating the town to this day, despite the damage inflicted upon the town in World War II. The cathedral reflects all the main developments in medieval and Renaissance architecture and attracts thousands of visitors every year. A futuristic organ lurks within. Then there is the beautiful town hall square and its 15th-century belfry, Italianate theatre, arts centre and contemporary media library. Three miles away, the Roman remains of Old Evreux have been discovered, artifacts from which can be seen in Evreux Museum.

Follow the walking trail along the banks of the river Iton in Evreux, where you will come across the old wash houses and cafe terraces where concerts are sometimes held on fine days. Evreux’s big moment came in 1966 when Jimi Hendrix played his first ever concert in France here! Since this moment, Evreux has stayed rocking, with a popular summer festival called Rock in Evreux welcoming thousands of festivals goers every year.

DON’T MISS

• Notre-Dame Cathedral: One of Normandy’s most remarkable cathedrals.
• Evreux Museum: Located right next to the cathedral, this museum is well worth a visit.
• Théâtre Legendre: This beautiful Italianate theatre is the perfect place to catch a show.
• Gisacum: This site was a Gallo-Roman religious sanctuary near the settlement of Mediolanum Aulercorum (Evreux) in the Eburovices territory of northern Gaul (now Normandy). The site lies in the commune of Le Vieil-Evreux (‘Old Evreux’).
• Rock in Evreux: One of Normandy’s most popular summer music festivals.

Nearby

• The Eure valley and its picturesque villages, including Chambray, La Croix Saint-Leufroy and Houlbec Cocherel.
• Giverny: The famous village where Claude Monet lived and worked for 43 years. Don’t miss the artist’s house and gardens and the Musée des Impressionnismes.
• Vernon: This small town is located just a few miles away from Giverny on the River Seine. Its old mill is one of Normandy’s best-loved sites.