Situated in the north of France, the Seine-Maritime is one of those rare French departments that manage a number of sites and museums. These sites bear witness to the great wealth of heritage and allow visitors to plunge into the heart of its history, the people and events that have left their mark and which it is important to preserve today. Monuments, natural elements, art and traditions, the Seine-Maritime is keen to unveil its most beautiful jewels, to showcase its permanent collections and to celebrate temporary exhibitions, for a stay where culture plays a central role

When monuments become exhibition sites

With the nickname "the most beautiful ruin in France", the Abbey of Jumièges is one of the oldest Benedictine monasteries in Normandy. Founded around 654 by Saint-Philibert and then destroyed in the 19th century, it has been preserved as it was so as not to distort its history. Its white stones as well as its exceptional location in the heart of a green and wooded park give it that touch of romanticism that invites wonder. From the discovery of its different parts including the cloister, the abbey church Notre-Dame la Porterie and the church of Saint-Pierre, one takes pleasure in going to see its collections, to discover pieces of great beauty: the keystone with the lamb of God, Saint Philibert and the legend of the Green Wolf and the apostolic college to name but a few. An environment that brings together exceptional buildings and soothing green spaces is also an opportunity to organise cultural events that invite contemplation and strolling. And that is why this summer, the public will enjoy discovering the beautiful exhibitions "The Light of the Wolf", photographs by Benjamin Deroche on the legend of the Green Wolf, and "The Flowing Waters do not return to the source", the work of fifteen international artists around the relationship between man and nature and photography and time. The setting was also perfectly chosen for the magnificent "Prints" by Isabelle Beaussant de Pas and Sophie Villoutreix Brajeux.

Another extraordinary place, the Roman Theatre of Lillebonne is also owned by the Departmental Council of Seine-Maritime since 1818. Listed as a Historic Monument, various excavations have uncovered one of the largest amphitheatres in Roman Gaul. The visit is fascinating between the discovery of the ruins and the greenery which also occupies the space. The whole forms a harmonious landscape. If the objects that were found during the excavations are today exhibited at the Museum of Antiquities in Rouen, the place also hosts various highlights such as "A day of shows in Antiquity", an exhibition that addresses the origins of the arena's shows and the theme of gladiature, far from the clichés that the cinema puts forward. To be discovered at all costs this summer.

Lovers of architectural heritage should also stop at the former Saint-Georges-de-Boscherville Abbey, a Romanesque masterpiece dating from the 12th century. Here you can stroll successively through the monastery building, the chapter house and the chapel of the Chamberlains. Then, you spend some time strolling through the alleys of its formidable French gardens, created in 1680, where you will find an orchard, aromatic and medicinal plants as well as a vegetable garden. You should not miss the opportunity to go up to the top of the garden for the pleasure of admiring the Seine and enjoying a panoramic view of the entire abbey estate. The place also praises artistic creation, with the possibility of seeing this summer the exhibition "The hidden beauty of the vegetable garden", suspended works whose fabrics reveal the colours created from nine plants that feed the garden. The "Contemplations" exhibition will showcase the photographs of Jean-Baptiste Leroux, an artist who has photographed superb images of the various sites managed by the Department over the four seasons

Parks and museums to discover other facets of the Seine-Maritime region

Proof that the Seine-Maritime offers multiple experiences, the Clères park, which can be reached in a few minutes from Rouen, offers a stopover in the green, in the heart of a large area of 13 hectares. It's a great place for families to spend time with their children and show them some of the 1,000 animal species that populate the park. Red pandas, tamarins, lemurs and other wallabies are present, not forgetting the many species of birds that make the place a real paradise for ornithologists. The superb castle, the English botanical park and its rare species, as well as the areas dedicated to picnics and relaxation make it a great place to recharge your batteries and have a good time with family or friends. Without forgetting a generous cultural programme (exhibitions, tales, concerts...) for the entertainment of all.

For museums, the Château de Martainville proves to be a special place to plunge into the heart of Norman traditions and arts. This superb example of early Renaissance architecture was built in the 15th century for the Rouen shipowner and merchant Jacques Le Pelletier, before being transformed into a pleasure residence by his nephew. Next to the building there are a number of outbuildings to see: the bread oven, the stables, the dovecote, the wells and the cart house. Without forgetting the back of the castle and its garden also of Renaissance inspiration. Today, the castle is home to the Museum of Norman Traditions and Arts and the public can enjoy seeing furniture, musical instruments, costumes and textiles made in Normandy. There are 28 rooms that allow visitors to travel to the heart of daily life in the region between the 15th and 19th centuries. Temporary exhibitions enrich the cultural programme, with this summer the possibility of seeing the "Farmers of Normandy" exhibition, which focuses on rurality in Normandy and the evolution of agriculture between the 19th century and the present day. The notion of rurality and the importance of agriculture can also be seen in the exhibition "Des hommes et des pommes" (Men and apples), which brings together photographs by Vincent Brien on the theme of cider making, the role of man and the know-how around a fruit whose drinks come to supplement the income of many households in the area.

Taking an interest in a department also often means following in the footsteps of great people, men and women who have passed through a territory and who have been inspired by it to create. In Villequier, the Victor Hugo Museum is the former home of Victor Hugo's in-laws. The public can discover a former shipowner's house, which was refurnished as it was at the time, and thus all that embodies the memory of the Hugo-Vacquerie families, the daughter of the writer Léopoldine having married Charles Vacquerie, before they both perished in a tragic drowning. Finally, the site offers the opportunity to plunge back into the work of Victor Hugo, one of the greatest French-language writers, and this summer, the "Cosette" exhibition will allow visitors to rediscover one of his mythical female characters, through the plates of the youth illustrator Olivier Desvaux.