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The
village of La Bouille is delightfully situated at the foot of a wooded
hillside on the south bank of the River Seine. It is about 12 miles from
Rouen and 40 miles from Le Havre. La Bouille is a quiet residential
village and picturesque riverside resort. |
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The population of La Bouille is about 1000. Like Whitchurch,
there is an old part, with buildings dating from the 18th
century, and a new residential estate built in the last 30
years. La Bouille, however, has managed to keep a wide range of
shops including a baker, grocer, newsagent, hairdresser plus
antique and craft shops. There are also a couple of hotels and
several restaurants and cafes. Day trippers from the city of
Rouen help to support these establishments.
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References to La Bouille
in the literature date back to the early 13th century when, in
1203, King John of England, also Duke of Normandy, defeated his
nephew Arthur at Rouen. Arthur’s body was recovered from the
Seine at La Bouille and buried at the site of the present
church. One of
the features of the village is Le Bac, or ferry, connecting La
Bouille to Sahurs on the other side of the river. Up to 1925,
Le Bac took the form of a 30 foot long shallow-draft boat
propelled by two men using 18 foot oars in the standing
position. There were also two rowing boats for foot passengers,
each operated by a single oarsman. A single ferry, capable of
carrying lorries and towed by a motor vessel, replaced these
boats. The current Bac has its own engines and dates from 1988.
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La
Bouille has many artistic connections. In literature, the list
is headed by Hector Malot (1830-1907), writer of children’s
stories. His novel, Sans Famille, enjoyed enormous success in
France and abroad. There is a memorial bust of him in the
village. Over
the years, La Bouille’s picturesque setting has been has been
the focus of many famous painters, including Gaugin and Turner.
The latter published sketches of the village in his Great Rivers
of Europe project. |
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