Our river cruise ship docked in the town of Les Andelys and we were given the opportunity to visit…read morethe remains of Château Gaillard. This was an impressive medieval castle built by the English, led by Richard the Lionheart, in 1198 and overtaken by the French in a siege in 1204. The 30 minute hike up the hill to the strategic as well as scenic overlook was a great way to get some countryside fresh air as well as your fitness steps for the day. The state of the art castle was built in only 2 years. There's a lot of medieval history to be taken in here, and we were nicely treated to a 45 minute video documentary on the place before our arrival and that certainly enhanced the visit.

Castle located on a steep hill overlooking the small town of Les Andelys near Rouen France, some 70…read moremiles from Paris. We walked from the river where our Viking river cruise boat was anchored, through the town, to the top of the hill. The castle looks pretty intact until you get to the backside, where only shattered walls remain. You can see the shooting vents through which archers fired arrows at attacking soldiers. The fort fell after months of siege, after which the structures inside the walls were burned to the ground. The moat of water surrounding the castle was drained and then filled in with dirt. There are some chambers inside the castle which are viewable for a small fee. Great views of both the town and the Seine river below. You can see why it was a dominant place overlooking the town and river.