Day Six – Joan of Arc Pilgrimage

Originally we planned to visit Orleans, but after a little research decided Rouen was the place to go. That’s where Joan of Arc was imprisoned, tried and burned at the stake. The town has a little was museum dedicated to Joan. It was a little rinky dink, but still fun. They had tiny dioramas, movie posters, shot glasses, and seven or eight rooms filled with wax figures posed in scenes from Joan’s life. Best one was St. Joan in the flames, surrounded by ogre-ish minions of the corrupt bishop who tried her. It was especially funny because she was headless. Wait a minute. We never heard that her head had been lopped off, too. A news article was pinned to the wall with the headline: “Jean d’Arc – Decapitated!” and then an explanation that the poor saint’s dome was being refurbished by the museum.

Across the courtyard was the funky modern church dedicated to Joan. The rooflines are all crazy, 1970s curves. But the stained glass windows were salvaged from a 15th century church damaged in WWII. Lit more candles. Took more pictures.

Then we strolled through Rouen’s charming streets. Two- and three-story “timbered” houses from the 13th to the 18th centuries overlook the narrow streets. The houses are colorful and quaint. It looks like someone’s about to empty a chamber pot on your head at any minute.

Nearby was Rouen’s Notre Dame. Older than Paris’s famed church, this was has taken more of a beating – and it shows. The Nazis bombed it in the 40s. A tornado shredded it about 10 years ago. The figures on the front of the church look like they’ve had their faces melted off by acid. But I almost liked it more than its more famous sibling to the south. It was quiet. No mobs. Ruby really liked this town because it felt like a village. I think she’s getting tired of crowds and subways.

Last stop was the Joan of Arc tower, the dungeon where Saint J. renounced the voices she heard in her head, but then rencounced her renouncement. There was a letter from Mark Twain there, along with the original manuscript of a story he wrote about Joan of Arc for Harpers Magazine. He said Joan was one of his great heroine’s because of her courage and conviction. Not a bad role model for little Ruby.

Tomorrow: the catacombs.