The best traffic-free bike rides around Grandcourt

Seine-Maritime has a rich 19th century industrial heritage in various forms. This is the case of the Touffreville-sur-Eu railway viaduct, which has just been awarded the "Rural Heritage of Seine-Maritime" label. The viaduct is part of the "Chemin Vert du Petit Caux" hiking trail. It all began in 1872 with the opening of the 40 km Dieppe-Eu railway line, on which the Touffreville-sur-Eu viaduct was built to cross the Yères valley. Inaugurated in 1885, the brick viaduct has nine arches and is operated by the Compagnie de l'Ouest, in particular for the transport of pebbles exported for industrial purposes. A coastal railway line then operates from Tréport to Le Havre to serve the beaches where seaside life is booming with casinos, villas and sumptuous hotels with architecture typical of the Normandy coast. From 1938, the line is closed to passenger traffic and reserved exclusively for freight transport. The Second World War led to the disappearance of most of the buildings on the coast and seaside activities were interrupted. Freight traffic then resumed until 1972, when it was stopped with the oil crisis. The SNCF then bought the 17 km line between Saint-Quentin-au-Bosc and Eu in 1986 to transform it into a hiking trail and that was the birth of the Chemin Vert du Petit Caux! Source: www.normandie-tourisme.fr

Once again a place where History is present surrounded by a magnificent forest where it is pleasant to walk by bike or on foot

Small bucolic spot for a short break, with a pretty water mill on the Yrès.

This former royal residence has hosted the kings and queens of France and England. It was built in the 16th century by Henri de Lorraine, third Duke of Guise, and renovated in the 17th century by the Grande Mademoiselle, cousin of Louis XIV. It became the property of Louis-Philippe, the last king of France, who twice hosted Queen Victoria there. You can walk around the castle from the station, and visit the museum there.

Eu residents lament that their town is really only known to crossword enthusiasts, who are familiar with the question of "a village in the valley of the Bresle with two letters." After all, Eu has a rich past, in which William the Conqueror married his cousin Mathilde of Flanders in 1050, and where more recently, at the end of the 19th century, King Louis-Philippe set up his summer residence here.

Nothing remains of the castle where William the Conqueror and Mathilde of Flanders married in 1050. Louis XI had it demolished in 1475. The current castle was built in 1578 by Henri de Guise and Catharina van Kleef and has been restored several times. It came into the possession of the Orléans family and became one of the favorite cuttings of Louis-Philippe, who received Queen Victoria twice. From 1874 to 1879, Violet-le-Duc was charged with the refurbishment by the Count of Paris, grandson of the King. He modernized the castle and installed gas lamps and central heating. Since 1964, the castle has been owned by the city of Eu. It houses the town hall and the Musée Louis-Philippe and has been listed as a protected monument since 1985.

Beautiful Gothic Church; Was supposed to be open during the day but wasn't when I was there.

The mill belongs to the Manoir d'Hottineaux or Domaine de Penthièvre. The gate to the property was closed, which is a bit surprising given that there are even signposts leading there. The building is difficult to see from the street, but at least the mill wheel, which is still working, is visible.