Acquigny, located 1 hour from Paris, Versailles, Chartres, Deauville and Dieppe, offers you much else to discover well within a day’s journey from the village.

Cultural visits

Follow up your visit to the park with an exploration of the village of Acquigny and its rich history, and take advantage of all the possibilities you also have before you in the surrounding area.

Acquigny, a stroll in a Norman village

The square de l’Eglise Saint Cecile, surrounded by the chateau’s outbuildings, the rectory, and the girls’ and boys’ schools, is a beautiful example of the architectural style of the 18^th century.  The Saint Cecelia Church and its neoclassical facade as well as the Baroque interior decoration are exceptional.

The main street of the village is bordered by old pink brick houses as well as the Saint Martin Mill. Near the bakery is a typical thatched cottage with flowers on the roof ridge; you can also see the old half-timbered ferryman’s house with the iron support on the chimney decorated with the letters ALS, which used to be next to the gate at the entrance to the chateau before the bridge across the Iton river was built in 1849.

Numerous artisans specializing in fine arts and crafts work in the Eure Valley, and particularly in Acquigny: Marie de Biasio, Decorator and François Jaillette, Best Artisan in France, Restorer of Ceramic Art.

Along the main street of the village are three pedestrian trails that allow visitors to discover the village and the area around it:

• Circuit des Etangs  (The Pond Trail) : 13.5 km (8.4 miles)/3 hours, 30 minutes
• Circuit du Bois Ricard (Ricard woods trail):  13 km (8 miles)/3 hours, 30 minutes
• Au fil de Becdal (Becdal trail): 12 km (7.5 miles)/3 hours

The Seine-Eure hiking guide is available upon request at the Seine-Eure Tourist office, and is also available for download on the Vert Bois website.

The Royal Eure Valley

Louviers: L’Eglise Notre Dame, 12^th-16^th centuries, with its exceptional Flamboyant Gothic-style porch, as well as its Renaissance stained-glass windows, created by Raoult de Nimègue and Enguerrand Leprince, and the only cloister on the water in Europe.

Pont-de-l’Arche: Our Lady of the Arts Church, in the Flamboyant Gothic style, and its stained-glass windows (1605), as well as the Abbey of Bonport.

Château d’Anet: Henri II asked Philibert de l’Orme to build the castle in 1547 for Diane de Poitiers.

Old Guainville Castle: An Anglo-Norman castle on French territory from the 12^th century.

Château de Maintenon: A château from the 12^th-17^th centuries, and its gardens, designed by Le Nôtre. The gardens have just been restored for Le Nôtre’s 400^th birthday.

The Neubourg Plateau

Le Bec-Hellouin:  “One of the most beautiful villages in France” with the Abbey Notre-Dame du Bec founded in 1035 by Herluin.

Harcourt Arboretum: Created in 1826 around the mound on which the castle is constructed, and containing 500 varieties of trees.

Château du Champ de Bataille: A 17^th century chateau, large furnished apartments, formal gardens.

Evreux and the Pays d’Ouche

Evreux: The Romanesque and Gothic cathedral dates to the 10^th-13^th centuries. Its 13^th-16^th-century windows are among the most beautiful in France and are colored with the famous “Evreux Yellow” (Jaune d’Evreux), invented in the 14^th century in Evreux, and its large contemporary organ. There is also the museum in the old Episcopal palace.

Conches: The Eglise Sainte Foy (13^th 14^th and 16^th centuries), the fortress and its donjon (11th century) the Saint-Jaques, the old abbey (11^th, 15^th 17^th centuries) the glass museum, which houses stained glass windows by François Décorchemont.

Bernay: “City of Art and History”, the Abbatiale Notre-Dame de Bernay (11^th and 17^th centuries) is one of the most venerable Romanesque edifices in Normandy, The Eglise Sainte Croix, (15^th century) the Basilique Notre Dame de la Couture (15^th century), and the Hotel de la Gabelle (18^th century).

The Château de Beaumesnil : A furnished Louis XIII château. The Binding Museum is on the first floor and displays one of the most important private collections of antique books in the world.

The Seine Valley

Château de Gaillon : This chateau, the first Renaissance chateau built in France, was built by Cardinal Georges of Amboise, an important figure in the introduction of the artistic Renaissance to France, as well as Louis XII’s chancellor.

Les Andelys: Its churches, the Nicolas Poussin Museum, the banks of the Seine, and the 12^th century Château-Gaillard fortress with a beautiful view of the Seine.

Giverny: Claude Monet’s House and Garden, and Impressionist Museum.

Vernon: the Collégiale Notre-Dame ( 11^th, 13^th, 14^th et 15^th siècles), The Château de Bizy and its Gardens: furnished chateau, 18^th-19^th centuries, magnificent view of the fountains constructed in 1740 in the courtyard of honor.

Château de La Roche-Guyon: Situated in “One of the most beautiful villages in France”, it was the property of the Silly family, who transformed the medieval fortress into a residence. Louis de Silly, Lord of Roche-Guyon, and his wife Anne de Montmorency Laval built Acquigny Castle.

Haute-Isle Cave Church: One of the few churches entirely housed in a cave in France, with rare and astonishing architecture.

Vétheuil: Rural village in a bend of the Seine, bordered by white cliffs. The church, with its large staircase, dominates the village. Claude Monet lived here, and his wife, Camille Doncieux, is buried in the old cemetery.

Rouen: The Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Saint Ouen Abbey, the Saint Maclou Church, the Palais de Justice (Norman Parliament building), the Vieux-Marché Square, the contemporary Jeanne d’Arc Church with 16^th century windows, the historic center of Rouen, and its museums: the Fine Arts Museum, Le Secq des Tournelles Museum (the largest ironworks museum), the Ceramic Museum…

The Andelle Valley

Notre Dame de Fontaine Guérard Abbey: Romantic park on the banks of the Andelle around the ruins of the abbey, which was founded around 1190 and is a beautiful example of Anglo-Norman Gothic architecture.

Lyons la Forêt Village: “One of the most beautiful villages in France”, built around the feudal mound, with its 18^th century covered market surrounded by old pink-brick or half-timbered houses.

Mortemer Abbey: The remarkable ruins of the abbey, which was constructed in a pastoral environment in the heart of the Lyons’ forest in 1134 at the request of Henry I Beauclerc, Duke of Normandy, King of England and fourth son of William the Conqueror.

Château de Fleury-la-Forêt: Furnished 17^th century castle, it contains the Old Doll Museum (which also exhibits period furniture).

Leisure Activities

Hikes

• Circuit des Etangs (pond trail): 13.5 km (8.4 miles)/3 hours, 30 minutes
• Circuit du Bois Ricard (Ricard Wood trail):  13 km (8 miles)/3 hours, 30 minutes
• Au fil de Becdal (Becdal Trail): 12 km (7.5 miles)/3 hours

The Seine-Eure hiking guide is available upon request at the Seine-Eure Tourist office, and is also available for download on the Vert Bois website.

Canoe, Kayak, and bike rental

• Aones Canoe-Kayak in Louviers
• Randonn’Eure in Autheuil-Authouillet
• Aventur’Eure in Ecardenville sur Eure
• Aux Plaisirs de mon Moulin in La Croix Saint Leuffroy

Le Voltig’Eure: Tree Climbing Adventure Park , 9 acrobatic obstacle courses of different levels in the trees of the Forest of Bord in Louviers.

Caséo Aquatic Complex: An aquatic and relaxation space in Louviers.

Léry Poses Leisure Center: water sports, golf.

Horseback riding: Bord-Louviers Stables in Louviers.

Ultralight aviation: L’Eure de l’ULM  in Saint Aquilin de Pacy.

18-hole golf

Three Lakes Golf at Léry Poses

PGA France Golf of Vaudreuil

Champ de Bataille Golf at Le Neubourg

Cruises on the Seine at Poses

Other leisure activities

Eure Valley Railway: In the heart of the Eure Valley, onboard a steam locomotive, you will discover the beauty of the landscapes and the villages you can see from your train car.

Biotropica: Tropical zoological greenhouse in Val de Reuil.

Your gourmet market

Clet Cellar and Workshops: Wine, Champagne and liquor tasting and classes, fine groceries, in Louviers (6 km, 3.7 miles)

The lively Wednesday morning market at le Neubourg.

Les Noës Farm: Apple products, cider, and foie gras, in Saint Aubin sur Gaillon (17 km, 10.6 miles)

Mesnil-Jourdain Orchards: Apple and pear juice, honey and honey products, jams (6 km, 3.7 miles)

Elise’s Goat Farm: Goat cheese, in Le Plessis Hébert (25 km, 15.5 miles)

Restaurants

In Acquigny

L’Hostellerie d’Acquigny: gastronomic cuisine 02 32 50 20 05

La Chaumière: traditional cuisine 02 32 50 20 54

La Casbah: oriental cuisine

Under 15 minutes by car

L’Atelier de Jacques: sophisticated and inventive cuisine, Saint Aubin sur Gaillon (17 km, 10.6 miles) 02 32 54 06 33

Le Pré St-Germain: traditional cuisine, Louviers (6 km, 3.7 miles) 02 32 40 48 48

Le Cheval Blanc: traditional cuisine, La Croix Saint Leuffroy (10 km, 6.2 miles) 02 32 34 82 86

La Ferme de la Haute-Crémonville: traditional cuisine, Saint Etienne du Vauvray (12 km, 7.5 miles) 02 32 59 14 22

Les Deux Sapins: traditional cuisine, Cailly (7 km, 4.3 miles) 02 32 67 75 13

Hotel Saint Pierre: traditional cuisine, Saint-Pierre-du Vauvray (12 km, 7.5 miles) 02 32 59 93 29

Le Moulin de Connelles: gastronomic cuisine, Connelles (12 km, 7.5 miles) 02 32 59 53 33

Le Manoir de Surville: seasonal, local fine cuisine, Surville (7 km, 4.3 miles) 07 61 61 44 55

Accommodations

In Acquigny

Rooms and Bed and Breakfasts

Mr. And Mrs. Natier: 06 76 24 66 51

La Roseraie: Mrs. Heullant, 06 33 39 84 55

Hostellerie d’Acquigny: 02 32 50 20 05

Le Vieux Logis: Valérie and José Collet de Oliveira, 06 98 92 43 68

Les gîtes: La p’Tite Maison and la Bergerie, Mr. And Mrs. Manchon, 06 28 07 48 48

Under 20 minutes by car

Rooms and Bed and Breakfasts

Mr. Koning : Louviers, 06 03 91 67 99

La Foulonnière, Marie-Lorraine and Olivier Hibon, Louviers, 06 06 77 90 24

La Chaiserie: Michèle and Eric Deleu, La Croix-Saint-Leufroy, 06 89 68 27 89

Le Champ de l’être: La Croix-Saint-Leufroy, 06 13 88 08 42

Château d’Argeronne: Mrs Martin-Lavigne, La Haye Malherbe, 06 21 82 36 86

Le Manoir de la Houlette: Saint Pierre du Vauvray, 06 71 80 27 71

Les Jardins de l’Aulnaie: Eliane and Michel Philippe, Fontaine-sous-Jouy.

Le Clos de Mondétour: Aude and Grégoire Jeanson, Fontaine-sous-Jouy, 06 71 13 11 57

La Ferme des Isles: Sophie and François Breban, Autheuil-Autouillet, 06 63 46 00 45

Le Logis du Moulin: Elisabeth and Franck Lamblardy, Fontaine-sous-Jouy, 06 87 77 44 47

Château d’Emalleville: Arnaud and Frédérique Tourtoulou, rooms at the château, Emalleville, 06 14 49 24 20

Hotels

Le Moulin de Connelles: Connelles, 02 32 59 53 33

Le Manoir de Surville: Mr. And Mrs. Roussel, Surville, 07 61 61 44 55

Hotel Le Pré Saint-Germain: Louviers, 02 32 40 48 48

Val de Reuil Hotel Center: First Class, Fasthotel, Balladins, Mercure, Best Hotel

Château Corneille: Vieux Villez, 02 32 77 44 77