Le Porche de l'Église Saint-Sulpice

It is between the Seine valley and the Pays de Bray, between the Pays de Caux and the Vexin, that the charming commune of Ry is located, in the Seine-Maritime region, about twenty kilometers from Rouen. The porch of its church Saint-Sulpice, obtained the label "Rural Heritage" by the Department in 2021 in order to develop this remarkable architectural element.

Accompanied by my friend Isabelle, we are leaving today to join the country of Emma Bovary. Both lovers of literature, the village of Ry seems familiar to us, as it inspired Gustave Flaubert. We are also very curious to know more about this 16th century porch that we were told about at the tourist office.

Well indicated by directional signs, we go up to the Saint-Sulpice church. There are several possibilities for parking: either along the low wall of the church, or by parking on the parking lot provided for this purpose by taking an ascending road along the church. We choose the second option.

Equipped with our cameras, we are ready to start our visit. At the gate of the cemetery, we find ourselves in front of the tomb of Delphine and Eugène Delamare. This couple, whose wife was the subject of a scandal in the 19th century press, was probably the model for the plot of Gustave Flaubert's novel: Mme Bovary.

Then we arrive by the side of the church porch and are amazed by the 16th century carved wooden lace, classified as a historical monument and inspired by the Italian Renaissance. Standing on a stone base, the porch contrasts with the simplicity of the church. We admire the finesse and richness of its decoration. Isabelle is shooting with her camera. By zooming in, she can observe the details of the biblical figures, the animal or warlike representations. On my side, I am intrigued by the figures of the monsters at the end of each beam which support the vault in the shape of an overturned boat, characteristic of the Norman architecture. Isabelle and I are having a contest to see who can find the biblical details in this porch, a true work of art.

Beyond its primary function, the originality of this porch is that it is an open-air book on the social, military and religious history of the 16th century. We are happy to be in this precious place and without any doubt unique in Seine-Maritime! We keep on taking pictures and Isabelle tells me she will put some on Instagram. "Excellent idea", I tell her, "a site like this must be more known"!

Before leaving, we enter the church to appreciate the freshness of this simple place dedicated to prayer. We rest there for a few minutes. Observing in silence from our seated position the walls, stained glass windows and furniture. Then we decide to go back to our car.

As we don't want to leave the charming village of Ry, we decide to continue our discovery by the pedestrian circuit "In the footsteps of Emma Bovary" whose pretty informative panels mark out the heart of the village. Here we go again for a new cultural discovery!