Eu: Château, heritage and nature

Eu offers a range of ways to enjoy a stay focused on culture and nature, including a royal residence with a museum, Norman religious architecture, archaeological remains and the landscape of the Forêt d’Eu. You can choose what to focus on by exploring the collections, buildings, viewpoints and natural areas.

Château, museum and glassmaking history

The Château d’Eu, the last royal residence in France, was built in the 16th century by Henri de Lorraine, the third Duke of Guise. Since 1973, it has housed the Musée Louis-Philippe. Its collections include furniture, porcelain, gold and silverware, paintings and historical memorabilia connected with the Princes of Orléans and the first Entente Cordiale. The museum thus brings together different kinds of objects and historical associations linked to these figures and the Entente Cordiale.

The Musée des Traditions Verrières d’Eu offers a different perspective on regional history. It presents the history of glass from its origins to the present day, with a particular focus on regional bottle-making. While furniture, decorative arts and paintings are part of the collection at the Musée Louis-Philippe, the Musée des Traditions Verrières focuses on the development of glassmaking. If you are interested in crafts, its focus on bottle-making is especially distinctive.

Religious architecture and archaeology

The Collégiale Notre-Dame et Saint-Laurent is considered an important example of Norman religious architecture and is part of the Route des Abbayes de Normandie. Another chapter in the area’s architectural history is the Chapelle du collège des jésuites: built in the early 17th century, it is now a listed historic monument with an extensive programme of cultural events. The Collégiale represents Normandy’s religious architecture; the Jesuit chapel combines its architectural history with cultural events today. If you want to plan your stay around a particular programme, check the relevant event dates.

You can also explore Eu’s archaeological history. On a visit or introductory archaeology course, you can discover the remains of Briga, a small town dating from the 1st to the 3rd century AD, and learn more about the lives of its inhabitants. Dates and availability for the visit or course may vary, so arrange your plans in advance.

Views, park and natural areas

The Chapelle Saint-Laurent site offers 360-degree panoramic views of the Bresle estuary and the three sister towns of Eu, Le Tréport and Mers-les-Bains. It is freely accessible all year round, so you can visit the viewpoint independently of the dates of the annual nine-day novena. The novena takes place around 10 May and includes a pilgrimage from the Collégiale to the chapel. If you want to attend the pilgrimage, check the exact dates for your travel period.

The park of the Château d’Eu covers just under four hectares. In the Forêt d’Eu, the Sainte-Catherine viewpoint is a good place for a picnic. The Forêt indivise d’Eu comprises four remarkable natural areas: la basse forêt d’Eu, les coteaux calcaires de la haute forêt d’Eu, les tourbières du Siège Madame and les landes de Beaumont. This forest is home to protected species, including ferns, orchids and amphibians such as frogs and newts. The natural highlights therefore range from the area’s varied landscapes to the plants and amphibians found there.

These attractions offer a range of themes to guide your trip planning: the museums explore collections and glassmaking history, religious buildings connect architectural history with cultural associations, and the natural highlights include viewpoints, a park and protected species.

Discover more destinations: La Ferté-Saint-Samson, Longueville-Sur-Scie, Saint-Aubin-Sur-Scie, Contremoulins, Notre-Dame-De-Bliquetuit, Criquetot-L'esneval, Ancourt, Bois-Guillaume.

See the regional travel overview: Seine-Maritime.