The ride starts at the Novotel, which has an underground car park. From here you can easily leave the city.
To visit Rouen, it is best to arrive a day earlier, or visit the city at the end of the second part of this tour.

Rouen, the capital of Normandy, is an atmospheric historic city with narrow winding streets and old half-timbered houses. The city has a particularly rich history. The Place du Vieux Marché in particular still appeals to the imagination: after her conviction, Joan of Arc was burned at the stake here in 1431. The Sainte Jeanne d'Arc church is located on this same marketplace. It has stained glass windows from the 16th century.
Notre-Dame Cathedral is unique because of the beautiful combination of Gothic architectural styles, especially in the facade. It is one of the highlights of French Gothic. In addition, the bishop's palace and its outbuildings have also been preserved and date from the same period.
Historial Jeanne d'Arc was opened in March 2015 in the buildings of the Archdiocese of Rouen. Here you will find the remains of the 'salle de l'Officialité' where Jeanne's death sentence was pronounced in 1431 and where the second trial took place in 1456, which overturned the previous sentence. The Archbishop's Palace has two crypts, beautiful halls and a tower from the 15th century, the atmosphere is medieval. The place to go if you want to learn more about the historical and political controversies surrounding Joan of Arc.
Also worth a visit is the Saint-Maclou church, a jewel of the Flamboyant Gothic style. This church is not far from the cathedral, in one of the most beautiful and oldest districts of Rouen.

After a few kilometers you arrive in the beautiful Seine valley west of Rouen. In St-Martin-de-Boscherville, make a small detour and visit the Abbey of St-Georges-de-Boscherville. This complex belongs to the 'château de Dieu', the Benedictine monasteries that arose in this area from the 6th century and bear witness to the religious, intellectual and economic prosperity of the early Middle Ages.
The Abbey of Saint-Georges de Boscherville is the result of a perfect mix of nature, art and history. It was built on a sacred site whose origins date back to Gallo-Roman times. There was a time when it was just a simple burial chapel. In the course of the 7th century, Christian buildings and a pagan temple also appeared. The latter underwent many transformations to eventually become the abbey. At the initiative of the Tancarville family, the first works began in the 12th century. In the 17th century, the estate was the scene of numerous reconstructions. The last restoration works date from 1998.
The Abbey of Saint-Georges de Boscherville has charmed many with its Romanesque architecture. To this end, it should be noted that it has been classified as a historical monument four times. As a bonus, it was classified as a historical monument in 1987.

Leave St-Martin on the D982 to Duclair and take the D65 to Le Mesnil-sous-Jumièges. Three kilometers away is the beautiful ruin of the Abbaye de Jumièges, where you can leave your motorcycle to dream away from earlier times in the enchanting valley of the Seine.
Along the Seine - cherished in a bend of the river - lie the photogenic remains of the enormous abbey of Jumièges. For many years this complex was a high-quality cultural and artistic center. The abbey was protected by the king for many centuries: during the French Revolution, the complex was judged on its ties to the royal power. Now only ruins remain.
Jumièges is undoubtedly one of the oldest and most important monasteries in the Western world. But its history is eventful. Saint Philibert, courtier of King Dagobert 1, founded the monastery in 654. The imposing silhouette seems to be engraved in the landscape, yet the structure has been badly damaged many times. It was destroyed by the Vikings in 841, then suffered considerable damage in the Hundred Years' War and after the Revolution, the complex served as a quarry for local residents. Destroyed, looted… but the abbey still stands proudly along the river. The remains of the cloister and monastic buildings are impressive, two towers of 46 m high above the Romanesque facade. There are ancient trees in the park, they give the place extra cachet. It was not for nothing that Victor Hugo spoke of the “most beautiful ruins in France”. The white limestones form a beautifully lived jewel, located on the banks of the Seine. Elegant and mysterious…

Via Yainville and Le Trait you continue to Caudebec-en-Caux and on to St-Wandrille-Rançon, which also has an interesting abbey. The domain of this complex extends into the valley of the Fontelle. Next to the proud ruins of the medieval abbey church are buildings of more recent date, such as the new church that was installed in 1969 in a large barn from the 13th century, with an overwhelmingly beautiful beamed ceiling. It is a preview of the many beautiful farms you will encounter in the Pays de Caux. They are surrounded by tall trees, which protect the buildings from the wind.
You now make a loop through the interior and then follow the Seine back just before Caudebec.

On your right you pass the 'Monument du Latham 47'. The memorial commemorates the disappearance of the seaplane Latham 47 during its mission to rescue the crew of the airship 'Italia' which was lost in the Arctic in 1928.
The aviation construction company Latham was founded in 1916 by Jean Latham who took over the Constant sites in Caudebec-en-Caux. It built seaplanes for the French Navy until 1947.
On May 25, 1928, the Italian airship 'Italia' crashed into the pack ice north of Norway on its return flight after flying over the North Pole. After an SOS was picked up by an amateur radio operator in Siberia, relief expeditions were sent out from Italy, Norway, Russia and Sweden. Explorer Roald Amundsen, the first man to reach the South Pole on December 14, 1911, was looking for a way to rescue the men from Italy. Georges Leygues, Minister of the French Navy, made the brand new Latham 47 available to him.
The Latham 47 flew to Bergen on 16 June 1928, and departed Bergen again the next day, with Roald Amundsen and pilot Leif Dietrichson. They stopped at Tromso for a final engine overhaul before departing for Spitsbergen at 4:05 pm, taking advantage of clearing skies. At 19:00 radio contact between the Latham 47 and the Norwegian TSF was lost. No one has ever seen the Latham 47 and its crew again. On August 13, 1928 only the debris of a wing tip was found, then a fuel tank on October 13, 1928. The survivors of the airship 'Italia' were picked up on July 12, 1928 by the Russian icebreaker 'Le Krassinc'.
In 1931, the municipality of Caudebec-en-Caux and the Latham company founded the monument.

A little further you can take a coffee break in Bistro 'Le Mascaret' with a view of the Seine. You can also easily park there.

In Lillebonne it is definitely worth taking a break for a visit to the Théâtre antique de Juliobona. During ancient times, the Roman city of Lillebonne, called Juliobona, was a strategic place. This amphitheatre, the only remnant of this period currently visible in Lillebonne, is one of the largest and best preserved in northern France. It is almost 108 m long and 94 m wide. It testifies to the grandeur of the ancient city of Juliobona. Built in the 1st century, it was modified and enlarged in the 2nd and 3rd centuries, then abandoned and turned into a fortress to defend the city. At that time and until recently, several thousand spectators could take place in the stands to attend all kinds of shows. The remains are fully visible from the square.

In Saint-Romain-de-Colbosc you can enjoy a wide choice of dishes in restaurant 'Juste à Côté'. The meals are prepared with fresh products of good quality and are very tasty. Excellent price / quality ratio. The service is smooth and very friendly.

After enjoying the meal you continue your way through the wooded hills of the hinterland. Gradually, long before you arrive in the city of Étretat, you start to smell the salty sea air more and more.
In Étretat, first drive along the boulevard along the beautiful pebble beach and then park your motorcycle in the parking lot so that you can climb the cliffs and enjoy the beautiful views.
At the southwest end of the boardwalk you come to a flight of stairs (180 steps) followed by a path to the top of the cliff. The path continues through the famous arch, the Porte d'Aval, and the no less famous Aiguille. In one word, the view is magnificent. A place to photograph extensively and never forget. In this part of the coast where the wall of cliffs is interrupted, harbors and seaside resorts have emerged.
Étretat is an old historic village that is visited by many thousands of tourists every year. Especially the beautiful old wooden covered market is a popular attraction. In these halls you will find shops where mainly souvenirs and other typical Normandy products are sold. Another well-known landmark is the 14th-century house 'Cirie Plantefor'. Originally the house was in Lisieux, but it was taken apart in 1899 and rebuilt in 1912 in Étretat. It is now operated as a hotel and restaurant.

When you leave Étretat, turn left to the 'Monument Nungesser et Coli'. It is becoming increasingly certain that Frenchmen Charles Nungesser and François Coli were the first aviators to cross the North Atlantic non-stop. They left Paris on May 8, 1927 aboard their plane 'l'Oiseau blanc' and never arrived in New York, their destination. The monument erected in Étretat celebrates their memory. The first monument, destroyed by the German army in 1942, was replaced in 1963 by the current 24 m high spire.

If you take the D11 from Étretat you will reach Fécamp via the beautiful quiet villages of Bénouville, Vattetot-sur-Mer and Yport. Until 1204, Fécamp was the residence of the Dukes of Normandy. Today it is a city full of art and history. Over the centuries, the port has developed into the most important cod port in France. There is a nice museum dedicated to it. There are still fishermen's houses along the harbor and their chapel on the chalk cliffs.
Visit the Musée de la Bénédictine here, a red palace that you absolutely cannot drive past unnoticed. This architectural masterpiece with neo-gothic and neo-renaissance inspiration was created at the end of the 19th century in honor of the Bénédictine liqueur. Discover the exceptional collections of ancient and sacred art belonging to the founder Alexandre Le Grand. After the free visit to the art collections, you can discover the distillery and the cellars with a guide and participate in a tasting in the new tasting rooms. The famous liqueur Bénédictine is a mythical drink composed of 27 plants and herbs, unique in the world, the exact recipe of which is closely guarded.

You leave Fécamp to dive again into the hinterland of the Cauchois, a feast of winding quiet lanes and sunken roads, almost invisible rivers and typical villages, farms and farmhouses.

In Héricourt-en-Caux the first part of the tour is over and you can spend the night in the Auberge de la Durdent. The Auberge welcomes you in the heart of the Durdent Valley. It features 6 suites with sleeping and living rooms. The park and the terrace bring you total peace in the summer. The restaurant offers simple, honest seasonal cuisine. In Auberge De La Durdent you can also enjoy a spa, free WiFi and private parking.