I was just reading a web page that says Rouen has more maisons à colombages than any other city in France —
more than Troyes or Strasbourg, for example. Here's a link to the article, which also says that
700 houses of this style and vintage were destroyed during the Second World War.
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That's interesting!
ReplyDeleteThat web page I linked to might be biased in Rouen's favor.
DeleteLove seeing these buildings. Rouen has so much charm.
ReplyDeleteIt does have charm, not to mention history.
DeleteYes, they have a lot of character. Interesting to see all the color combinations of the timbers vs. stucco here.
ReplyDeleteI wish I could remember what these houses looked like in 1972-73. I'm sorry I didn't take photos back then.
DeleteAll those gorgeous colors. Most of the colombage houses I've seen in pictures were in various shades of brown.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure there are traditionalists who would prefer that all the half-timbered houses be painted in shades of brown, but in a dreary, gray, damp climate like Rouen's, those splashes of bold colors can really boost a person's morale.
DeleteThe multi-colored ones, top right, remind me of SF's Painted Ladies.
DeleteI had the pleasure of having lunch with some work colleagues from Australia at Le P'tit Zinc restaurant (in photograph 4) in 2007. We were in Rouen to look at public transport development there, prior to deciding to introduce a Light Rail system here in the Gold Coast, Australia. I'm a little hazy now about the meal.
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