We are having a windy, rainy, December weekend. Yesterday afternoon we had a shower of ice pellets that lasted about 20 minutes. That was because of colder air moving in, pushing out the morning's warmer air. Anyway, today for our noontime meal I'm making a potée of cabbage, turnips, carrots, sausages, and smoked poitrine fumée. Meanwhile, I'm still enjoying these sunny Rouen photos.
One of the doors of Notre-Dame de Rouen cathedral
A blue door in the Eau de Robec neighborhood of Rouen
1601 — I don't think that's a street number.
This is part of the rue Eau-de-Robec where I photographed the blue door above.
I don’t think the blue door sees much traffic afraid as people would be by the guardian dragon above it.
ReplyDeleteInteresting name for that street; I wonder if there is a rue Eau de Cologne too?
Le Robec is a stream that is a tributary of the Seine. The name comes from old Scandinavian(the Vikings) and the etymology is interesting. See Wikipédia's article about it. Think about Le Bec-Hellouin, Caudebec-en-Caux, Orbec, Bolbec, etc.
DeleteFunny that you've found sunshine in Rouen! The dragon and blue door are quite a find. Our troubles would pale besides those of the people living in the year 1601.
ReplyDeleteStrange, isn't it? I was just lucky, I guess. Rouen has always brought me luck.
DeleteEvelyn's point about the troubles of people living in 1601 is a good one.
ReplyDeleteI would imagine that isn't a dragon over the blue door, but rather a fire-breathing salamander--you're probably aware of François Ier's "Nutrisco et extinguo" motto that appears with his salamander symbol all over the place (with a crown above the head), anywhere that he lived or had a section of a palace built, so it's in Chambord, Fontainebleau, Azay-le-rodeau,etc. But, his reign ended in 1547, so, why they'd have his salamander there, I don't know. Most of them are styled like this one (see here). Some additional checking just now pointed out that the symbol of the fire-extinguishing/fire-breathing salamander appeared over the homes of nobles whose residences were built during the reign of François Ier, though without a crown over the head. Still, doesn't make sense in 1601. I've also read that the whole symbol of the salamander and fire continued throughout the Renaissance, as a kind of symbol of strength and perseverance. Who knows! (I don't know much about many of the kings, but François Ier has been part of my area of interest since I started teaching about the Loire Valley 20 years ago.)
my faux pas! I know about that cute salamander.
Delete*rideau --typo, sorry LOL
ReplyDeleteJudy thanks for that - very interesting - I didn't know about the salamander. By the way a quick search reveals that house as 134 rue Eau-de-Robec and the 1601 as the date!
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