If Giverny is well known for its rural setting, there’s a pretty, little-known village just 10 minutes away by car: Vernon. Vernon is home to a curiosity dating back to the 16th century. A picturesque hanging mill, spanning the Seine for over 500 years… And it is said to have inspired Claude Monet to paint one of his works… Shall we show you around?
A mill suspended over the Seine for over 500 years…
But who ever had the incongruous idea of building a half-timbered mill above the waters? Built in the XVIᵉ century, the Vernon mill wasn’t always like this… Originally, the latter was installed on a bridge dating back to the XIIᵉ century. Originally built for military purposes, the bridge eventually became a commercial area, and five flour mills were installed. An ingenious hydraulic system, located between the bridge piers, powered our famous mills.
Unfortunately, in 1651, the bridge fell into disrepair due to lack of maintenance, and was abandoned. All that remains today are a few piers and our beloved mill, which has withstood flooding and the passage of time!
An artist’s muse
This mill has always inspired painters and artists. One of the best-known is undoubtedly Claude Monet, who immortalized the mill in his painting Maisons sur le vieux pont à Vernon (Houses on the Old Bridge, Vernon, 1883). It has to be said that the artist didn’t live very far away, Giverny being only 6 km away. His painting is now on display at the New Orleans Museum of Art. His son-in-law and friend, the painter Theodore Earl Butler, also painted him in a picture entitled The Red Bridge in Vernon, near Giverny.
A symbol of the town, the Vernon mill almost disappeared at the end of the Second World War. Fortunately, the town’s inhabitants rallied to restore this piece of Normandy’s heritage. You won’t want to miss it on your next trip to the region!
📍Location: 7 Impasse de la Chaussée Vernon