floating down the river in Normandy

There are good reasons for the Seine valley in Normandy to have been so popular with Impressionist painters.  The light, the rolling hills, the combination of old stone-built villages with farm land, and of course the river itself.

Today, river cruises are a popular way of seeing some of the sights, with the obligatory stops at Giverny, Rouen and Le Havre, but if you go by car  there are so many other really good bits in between.

Here is just a taster: my way of showing you some of the reasons that I love this part of France.  Pictures taken of the riverside town of La Bouille; the Château de Soquence; the Abbey de Jumieges; and de Wandrille.

And if you find yourself in Normandy one day, and you have some time to spare, then do your own exploring and check out some of the gardens, abbeys and tiny villages in this quiet rural part of France.

PS  Don't forget this week's giveaway, entries close tomorrow midnight!

all pictures thanks to google images