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Voykit pocket guide · France
Les Andelys
Go for one night, not a base: Château Gaillard plus the riverside walk fills a day; a second night only works with a car or a checked bus link to Giverny.
Les Andelys is a small Seine-side town in Normandy split into two halves: Grand-Andely (shops, the collegiate church) and Petit-Andely (the river, the ruined castle above it). Richard the Lionheart built Château Gaillard here in the 1190s; it is the reason most people stop. Trains do not reach the town, so you arrive by car or bus, and one night covers it.
- Country
- France
- Best months
- May–Sep
- Avoid
- Nov–Feb (grey, wet, short days)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Contactless cards work in most shops, cafés and restaurants.
- Daily spend
- Budget €55–85 excl. bed · Mid €85–140 excl. bed · High €140+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Orange, SFR, Bouygues Télécom and Free sell prepaid SIMs in their shops and at tabacs; ID is required to register.
- Emergency
- European emergency number 112 · Ambulance (SAMU) 15 · Police 17 · Fire 18
- Plugs
- Types C, E · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; type E sockets have an earth pin sticking out, so Schuko (type F) plugs need a C/E hybrid or an adapter.
- Tipping
- Café or bar: Leave small change, €0.20–1.; Restaurant: Service is included; leave 5–10% in cash for good service.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro or two.; Hotel porter or housekeeping: €1–2 per bag or per night.; Tour guide: €5–10 per person for a half day, more for private guides.
- Water
- Tap water is safe everywhere unless signed otherwise. Restaurants must serve a free carafe of tap water on request.
- Toilets
- Paris has free automatic public toilets (sanisettes); elsewhere use cafés (buy a coffee), museums and stations, where some charge €0.50–1.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | €1.50–3 |
| Lunch menu (plat du jour) | €14–22 |
| Dinner, mid-range restaurant | €25–45 |
| Beer: bar / supermarket can | €5–8 / €1–2 |
| Château Gaillard entry | check |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | €15–30 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- CDG · Paris Charles de Gaulle
- Drive time and route to Les Andelys: check; no direct rail link to the town
- ORY · Paris Orly
- Drive time and route: check; confirm hire-car desk hours before a late arrival
Typical fares
- Taxi Vernon station → Les Andelys
- about €30–40, about 25 min (check)
- Taxi Gaillon-Aubevoye station → Les Andelys
- about €25–35, about 20 min (check)
- Seine boat tour
- from about €35 per person, 45 min–2 h 45 min (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The town is walkable but the two halves, Grand-Andely and Petit-Andely, sit apart (about 2 km (1.2 mi) — check). No SNCF station in town: the nearest are Vernon and Gaillon-Aubevoye, both on the Paris–Rouen line, then a taxi or bus. Local buses are thin — check times before you rely on them.The town is walkable but the two halves, Grand-Andely and Petit-Andely, sit apart (about 1.2 mi (2 km) — check). No SNCF station in town: the nearest are Vernon and Gaillon-Aubevoye, both on the Paris–Rouen line, then a taxi or bus. Local buses are thin — check times before you rely on them.
See and do
Known for
- Château Gaillard
- Seine river bend and white cliffs
- Petit-Andely half-timbered houses
- Notre-Dame collegiate church, Grand-Andely
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Giverny (Monet's garden) | Car, or train from Vernon — check the link from Les Andelys | Check |
| Évreux | Car via the N13/D316, about 30 km (19 mi) (check)Car via the N13/D316, about 19 mi (30 km) (check) | Check |
| Rouen | Car via the A13, about 65 km (40 mi) (check)Car via the A13, about 40 mi (65 km) (check) | Check |
| Château de Gaillon | Car via the D313, about 15 km (9.3 mi) (check)Car via the D313, about 9.3 mi (15 km) (check) | Check |
Sleep
- Petit-Andely (riverside)
- Closest to Château Gaillard, the Seine walk and the boat dock; the pick for one night.
- Grand-Andely (town centre)
- Shops, market and the collegiate church; about 2 km (1.2 mi) from the castle path.Shops, market and the collegiate church; about 1.2 mi (2 km) from the castle path.
- Countryside B&Bs around the town
- Quiet, car needed; good for two nights with a Giverny day.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Bonjourbon-ZHOOR |
| Thank you | Mercimair-SEE |
| Please | S'il vous plaîtseel voo PLEH |
| How much is it? | C'est combien ?say kom-BYEN |
| Can I pay by card? | Je peux payer par carte ?zhuh puh pay-YAY par KART |
| Where is the castle? | Où est le château ?oo ay luh sha-TOH |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say 'bonjour madame/monsieur' on entering any shop, bus or office; avoid: Asking a question before saying bonjour — it is read as rude
- Cheek kisses (la bise): Follow the other person's lead; one to four kisses depending on region; avoid: Initiating la bise with strangers or in business
- Addressing people: Use 'vous' and titles until invited otherwise; avoid: First names and 'tu' with older people or staff
- Restaurants: Wait to be seated in restaurants; call the waiter 'monsieur' or 'madame'; avoid: 'Garçon', snapping fingers, asking for the bill before you are finished
- Conversation: Debate is a pleasure; food, politics and philosophy are fair game; avoid: Asking about salary or religion; loud voices on trains
- Dinner at a home: Bring flowers (not chrysanthemums), chocolates or a good bottle; arrive 10–15 minutes late; avoid: Cutting the tip off a cheese wedge or asking for ketchup
- Dress: Smart-casual in cities; covered shoulders in churches; avoid: Beachwear in town centres
Scams and watch-outs
- No train station in Les Andelys: plan the last leg from Vernon or Gaillon-Aubevoye in advance.
- The climb to Château Gaillard is steep and uneven — check conditions and wear shoes with grip.
- The castle is a ruin: check for open drops and missing railings before letting children roam.
- Many restaurants close one or two days a week and shut the kitchen early: book or eat by 20:00.
A quiet, low-crime small town; the real risks are the steep, unrailed castle path, wet riverside stones and thin evening transport. Keep to lit streets at night and book your last leg back.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Les Andelys yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Château Gaillard
- Seine river bend and white cliffs
- Petit-Andely half-timbered houses
- Notre-Dame collegiate church, Grand-Andely
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Les Andelys — official town tourism site: lesandelys.com/
- SNCF Connect (timetables and fares): www.sncf-connect.com/
- Wikivoyage: Les Andelys, revision 5090826 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5090826
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Les Andelys
À cette adresse, s'il vous plaît
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassy in town; the US, UK, Canadian, Australian and Irish embassies are in Paris. Consulates-general are also in Paris.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/les-andelys). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.