The Seine

The Bridges of the Seine : Eternal Ties

Caudebec En Caux 2018 Pont De Brotonne Csnt 1

The arrival of the ferries greatly improved the daily lives of those who worked on both sides of the river. Crossing from one side to the other soon became routine. However, as traffic increased, it was sometimes necessary to wait up to two hours to cross. It was therefore decided to build the Tancarville and Brotonne bridges, in 1959 and 1977 respectively.
The Brotonne bridge, whose construction broke records at the time, nevertheless marked the end of ferry crossings from Caudebec-en-Caux and La Mailleraye-sur-Seine, which are still a great cause for nostalgia today.
Don’t miss the opportunity to take one of the ferries still in service when you cross the river, between Heuteauville and Jumièges, or between Port-Jérôme-sur-Seine and Quilleboeuf!

What is a Seine pilot?

The Seine is also home to huge ships, often container ships. These giants of the seas are entrusted to the vigilance of Seine pilots when they enter the Seine and sail up to the port of Rouen. The changeover between two pilots takes place halfway between Le Havre and Rouen, at Caudebec-en-Caux. We went to meet one of these pilots, Patrick Duquenoÿ, who tells us about his passion for the river he calls his home, “one of the most beautiful navigable rivers in the world”.

“I never tire of the Seine valley, it’s never the same from one season to the next. In autumn, the colors of the forests clinging to the cliffs create such a rich tapestry! I particularly like the first green shoots of spring in May, and the trees and flowers near Heurteauville and Jumièges. I see lots of birds, including storks, waders and swans! There’s a greater diversity of species. Ship captains marvel at the well-preserved, wilder areas along the farmlands. The rapeseed fields, the blue of the flax fields and the patterns left by the farmers who work the land offer a magnificent view from the Seine.”

Heurteauville 2018 Bac Heurteauville Csnt 1

Caudebec En Caux 2018 Bateaux De Croisieres Sur La Seine Csnt

Caudebec En Caux 2018 Bateaux De Croisieres Sur La Seine Csnt 1

Villequier 2020 Tableau De Turner Csnt 1

The Seine, a source of inspiration

The Seine has always been a source of inspiration for artists. The Seine valley, bathed in ever-changing light, was immortalized by the Impressionists and continues to inspire and seduce local painters and photographers with its palette of colors. Olivier Desvaux, a painter who lives on the banks of the Seine in Villequier, has also found here what he so admires and inspires in the work of the Impressionists. Villequier and the Seine also influenced Victor Hugo, but in a more tragic way. The drowning of his daughter Léopoldine and her husband inspired several of his most famous poems, which have linked the name of this great figure of French literature to the small Normandy village.
Discover the Seine, its history and heritage with a visit to MuséoSeine!