Day-tripping from Paris to Beauvais
A Paris to Beauvais day-trip is a wonderful way to see more of France when visiting Paris. It is a short hour and 15 minute train journey from Paris Gare du Nord. The train arrives in the city center and the Beauvais Cathedral is only a 15 minute walk.
Although our ultimate destination was Rouen with its amazing cathedral, I couldn’t miss seeing a cathedral that is listed as the tallest cathedral in the world.
From the train station (or the car park which is also in the same vicinity) you will quickly see a beautiful spire and naturally head in that direction. Doing so, you won’t miss any of the features pointed out below, but you also won’t arrive immediately at the cathedral. What you are seeing is the Church of Saint Etienne which is worth a visit in itself.
Bronze Statue of Jeanne Laisné
Jeanne Laisné
On our way to the cathedral, we saw a bronze statue of Jeanne Laisné, also called Jeanne Hatchet (yes, that is a hatchet you see in her right hand). Jeanne was born in 1456 and at the age of 27 is credited with saving the ville from Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy.
At the end of World War II, this town showed the scars it suffered from the bombardments. Near the Office of Tourism you will find the remnant of the Church of Saint Barthélémy at the right which also has partial remains of a gallo-roman wall showing.
Beauvais Collegiale Church of Saint Barthélémy
Eglise Saint-Etienne
L’eglise Saint Étienne (Saint Étienne Church) initially deceived us into thinking we had found the it. Constructed between the 12th and 16th centuries, part of the church is Romanesque architecture and part is Gothic in style. It has beautiful Renaissance era stained glass windows and a lovely garden adjacent to the Romanesque side of the church.
Beauvais Saint Etienne
Beauvais Saint Etienne
Saint Etienne Gardens
Saint Etienne Gardens
Sometimes I find the exterior details even more captivating than the interior details! I probably have as many gargoyle photos as other photos in my collection.
Gargoyles and Grotesques
Grotesques
Museum of the Oise
Continue walking north to Rue Saint Pierre where you will find the Departmental Museum of the Oise and the Cathedral. Housed in the 14th century Bishops Palace across from the Cathedral we found a museum. Unfortunately, we visited Beauvais on a Tuesday which is the only day it is closed.
Bishop’s Palace
Beauvais Cathedral
The Beauvais Cathedral did not disappoint us but it can hardly be squeezed into a paragraph here with the other sites of town. The Cathedral has a fascinating history and architectural story as you will discover by clicking on the photo.
Beauvais Cathedral
There are shopping streets around the area of the Cathedral with a wide selection of places to choose from for lunch. We chose Le Zinc Bleu for lunch. Any café or restaurant populated by locals must be good! It proved worthy of choice, with reasonably priced good food.
Le Zinc Bleu
I DEFINITELY saw the stations of the cross on the walls. I canont tell you how many times we had to make the rounds all the years I was in boarding school with the Dominicans…and I wasn’t even Catholic. That did not make a bit of difference to them. When you are in a Catholic school you do as the Catholics do. The interesting part is I really loved it there. The picture is so pretty. I am still drawn to all Catholic churches to look at their altars and stained glass. genie