An emblematic building in the heart of Rouen, the Aître Saint-Maclou is one of the last remaining gallery cemeteries in France. Listed as a historic monument in 1862, the building with its beams decorated with macabre motifs never ceases to fascinate. Take a trip back to the Middle Ages and discover the secrets of this monument, which has become a place of culture off the beaten track.
Churchyard or cemetery?
Within earshot of the bells of Saint-Maclou church is a place as unique as it is extraordinary: the Aître Saint-Maclou. First of all, it’s worth remembering that the word ‘aître’ comes from the Latin atrium, the inner courtyard of a Roman house. Over time, the word evolved to refer to the courtyard of a medieval church. A courtyard that soon became a cemetery; hence, an aître is a cemetery.
Why a cemetery so far away from its church?
The surprising thing about the Aître Saint-Maclou is that it’s not attached to the church. A mystery that can actually be explained if you take the time to go back several centuries. Like all churches, Saint-Maclou had a cemetery, the old Aître Saint-Maclou, built around its large white facades in the extravagant Gothic style. However, in the middle of the 14th century, this cemetery quickly became full, saturated, with no space left, due to a terrible event: the plague. In the five years between 1347 and 1352, it is estimated that half the population of Europe died as a result of the Black Death. The parishioners of Saint-Maclou church decided to buy a field and dedicate it as a cemetery on the site of the old church.
A unique building
Surrounded by a wall, the site initially contained simple graves with crosses. But with the influx of the dead, space began to run out. A question then arose: what to do with the bones that were found each time a new grave was dug? The answer, in the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance, was to build a monument of galleries. Their purpose was to store all the bones that were dug up. The building was used as an ossuary until the 18th century. This explains all the decoration related to death: bones, liturgical instruments and the gravedigger with coffins, picks and spades. It is worth noting that the columns of the west and east galleries are decorated with couples representing a danse macabre.
Saved by the schools
In the 17th century, during the reign of Louis XIV, charitable schools were established on the site; nothing shocking at a time when death was much more common than it is today. These schools lasted until 1920, when plans were made to demolish the monument. It was the Ecole des Beaux-Arts (Fine Arts School) that gave it a new lease of life in 1940, when it took over the premises following the fire at the southern end of the cathedral. After more than two years of restoration work carried out by the Rouen-Normandy Metropolitan Council, this jewel of the past was restored to its former glory in June 2018. With its priests’ courtyard and the Géricault passage, it is now as much a place to visit as it is to stroll around. And if you’re a good observer, you might be drawn to the cat that wakes the dead as it moves from wall to wall. Then maybe you’ll get a chance to watch the skeletons and sybils dance?
Activities, Galleries and Gastronomy
The venue has a broad cultural vocation, and hosts a wide range of activities. At the heart of the Aître, the Galerie des Arts du Feu invites you on a unique journey of the senses. In addition to the exhibition space, the gallery offers an interactive trail, a pottery workshop where you can watch professionals at work, and a craft shop. And if you’d like to make the transition from visitor to “actor”, you’ll be pleased to know that there are courses on offer to introduce you to working with clay, metal (making copper jewellery for adults and parents/children) and glass (making stained glass).
The Telmah Gallery brings together internationally renowned visual artists and emerging talents in contemporary art.
Gourmets will be in heaven when they open the door to Pâtisseries de Gill. Just a stone’s throw from the square where his grandfather and father’s bakery once stood, Gilles Tournadre has brilliantly taken up the torch. In this exceptional setting, he and pastry chef Christophe Lecourt offer you a taste of desserts that sublimate the apple.
Finally, what better way to savour the moment and take in every detail of this unique monument than to sit down in the dining room or on the terrace and enjoy a meal and a drink? Between the Cour des Prires and the Passage Géricault, take a seat at the Café Hamlet. Chef Gilles Tournadre and his team offer a chic snack menu at all hours.
As you can see, everything is in place to make this an unforgettable day of historical, cultural and gastronomic discoveries!
Weekend in Rouen
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Explore Normandy at your own pace and enjoy a more responsible holiday. You’ll also find some of our best addresses: hotels, restaurants and places to visit, all accessible without a car.
