A stopover in one of the most beautiful villages in Normandy: Veules-les-Roses.
And Veules-les-Roses is truly one of the most beautiful villages I’ve visited: be it its river – the smallest in France, its architecture – from thatched cottages to seaside-style villas, its gardens filled with flowers and especially roses, Veules-les-Roses is enchanting.
The village – formerly called Veules-en-Caux – is among the oldest of the Pays de Caux, as evidenced by the presence of a Merovingian cemetery.
From the 11th century, the river served as a dividing line between two parishes: St. Martin on the left bank and St. Nicolas on the right bank.
The wars of religion divided the population, ruined agriculture and commerce. In the village, the split was marked by the clothing of women: Catholics in red skirts, Protestants in blue. Many people expatriated towards other cities.
The main source of income of the village has always been the river, be it the washing of sheep’s wool, of the wheat mills installed all along the Veules river. During the industrial revolution, these mills were converted to grind flax.
In 1826, fleeing an unhappy love, an actress of the French Comédie Française, Anaïs Aubert, visited and stayed in Veules. As soon as she returned to Paris, she praised its charm. Men of letters and artists flocked: Paul Meurice, the Goncourt brothers – to name a few, drained towards the village the Parisian society which discovered this peaceful holiday resort.
Victor Hugo visited his friend Paul Meurice several times. According to Emile Bergerat – a French writer, « when Victor Hugo was at Paul Meurice’s, his favorite walk was the edge of the Veules. He must have left rhymes hanging on the trees and the birds certainly still have some in their nests ».
July 24, 2020
Laure de Sagazan x Monoprix dress – Repetto shoes – Vintage hat – Monoprix purse – Tom Ford sunglasses
