While driving through the Seine River Valley, quite by chance I stumbled upon the Church of Our Lady in the riverside town of Caudebec-en-Caux. Turns out I was not the first to be impressed by this early Renaissance church. Good King Henry, Henry IV of France, claimed it to be ‘the most beautiful chapel in his kingdom. Travel labels such as ‘hidden gem’ are often overused, but for anyone in Normandy exploring medieval and religious architecture, Caudebec-en-Caux truly is a stop worth taking.Â
- Thomas Dowson
- Last Checked and/or Updated 11 March 2025
- France
France may have more than its fair share of great Gothic churches, but the first thing that struck me as I walked up to the entrance was the exquisite, finely carved figures that decorate the west portal. Originally there were some 333 of them, representing saints and characters from daily life. The one that catches everyone’s eye is the loure player. In amongst a group of musicians is a figure that is playing what appears to be a bagpipe.Â
The instrument depicted is a bag pipe, a loure to be more precise. Having always thought this musical instrument was restricted to Scotland, I have since learned that bagpipes have been played since at least 1000 BC in western Asia, spreading to many areas of Europe, north Africa and south Asia. In Europe, representations of this woodwind instrument start to become quite common from about 1000 AD. In Normandy, the bagpipe was called loure since a, thought to come from the from either the Norse word lúðr meaning horn or trumpet, or from the Latin word lūra, which refers to the opening of a leather bag or a wineskin, a satchel or a purse.
The church is typical of the Flamboyant Gothic style of the early Renaissance. There is no transept, which might explain why King Henry IV referred to it as a chapel. A small church, probably Romanesque in style, was built on the site of a Merovingian women’s abbey in the 11th century. From 1426 the church was completely rebuilt in Flamboyant Gothic, with the bell tower and spire completed by at least 1530. Sadly, the church suffered significant damage in the Wars of Religion (after 1562), the French Revolution and World War II.
Since then successive restoration projects have been carried out . These include the small carved figures on the south side of the western façade.
For anyone wanting to read more about the history of the sculpture on the west portal, Florian Meunier has written an interesting article published in Revue de l’Art, 2010: The portal of Caudebec en Caux and the sculpture in Normandy at the end of the Hundred Years War.
Besides the exquisite carved figures, the church is also known for its 15th and 16th century stained glass windows. Other features not to miss are the hanging keystone, estimated to weigh 7 tonnes, and the intricately carved wooden baptismal font. The organ case is widely thought of as one of the most beautiful organ cases from the French Renaissance.
The church is situated in the historic centre of the town. Photographs from the 1950 show half-timbered housed squeezed tightly up against each other. Unfortunately, many of these were destroyed by fires that ravaged through the town in 1940 when the Germans blew up the ferry terminal. The main street through the town follows the path of the Roman road that linked Rouen to Lillebonne.
Adjacent to the church is ‘la Maison des Templiers’. Considered to be the oldest standing building in the town, there is no evidence that prove the house belonged to the Knights Templar. Today it houses a local history museum.
The church is free to visit, from 9h00 – 12h00 and 14h00 – 18h00 all year round.Â
Day Trip from Rouen
Caudebec-en-Caux is a small town on the north side of the Seine River, with a lot of history – going back to at least the Iron Age and Romans. It is situated in the Boucles de la Seine Normande Regional Natural Park, which encompasses the loops and beds of the river, as it meanders between Rouen and Le Havre. Whether you have your own car or rely on public transport, a drive, or cycle, along the north side of the river is a wonderful day trip from Rouen. Must see attractions include the ruined Jumièges Abbey and the Victor Hugo Museum, as well as the Notre Dame church in Caudebec-en-Caux.
If you have your own car, Caudebec-en Caux is about a 40 minute drive from Rouen – avoiding the loops in the river.Â
The only public transport options from Rouen is bus service 530, that takes just over at hour from Rouen Рand does follow the river. One of the stops is at Jumi̬ges Abbey.
You can use the MyAstuce website to check details, or have a look at the transport pages on the Jumièges commune website for the most up-to-date bus timetables and options.
Route 530 is a wonderful ride along the banks of the Seine for the most part. It travels between Rouen (from Gare Routière, just behind the Art Theatre) and Caudebec-en-Caux. The complete route takes around an hour, and costs around €2 per person.
Add Caudebec-en-Caux to Your Itineraries & Travel Lists
If you are planning a trip to Normandy, can create your own travel lists (such as places you have been to, places you would like to visit) and an itinerary for your visit. You can see how this is done by watching our Using the Itinerary video on YouTube, or reading the Using the Itinerary page.
For more points of interest to add to your lists and itinerary, see:
Notre Dame Caudebec-en-Caux
King Henry IV of France is said to have declared this church to have been the most beautiful chapel in his kingdom. I it is not difficult to see why. Typically flamboyant and Gothic in style, the highlight of this church is the finely decorated west portal. Here you will see 333 beautifully sculptured human figures, each representing the various saints and other aspects of daily life. Of special interest is a figure playing an old Norman musical instrument – the Loure, a bag-pipe no longer played in Normandy.
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