Luneray

His Sunday market, his Protestant temple and his history linked to weaving have made the reputation of the township.
The rectangular square, also called the “carreau”, hosts the main shops as well as the market and the town hall in the center installed in an old grain market.

Luneray is first of all

A market every Sunday

Go to the market square where the town hall stands and where every Sunday morning is held one of the most popular markets in Seine-Maritime.

Numerous local producers gather every week to offer you quality dishes. You can find identity products of our region such as watercress and oysters from Veules-les-Roses, fresh or well-made neufchâtel, apples for sale in bulk, good artisanal bread, cream, eggs, milk, yoghurts produced in the surrounding farms, Norman vegetables, organic and seasonal, … An experience not to be missed!

All markets here

Luneray's market stall — ©Market stall on the Luneray market|Pierre Leboucher

Garlic market of Luneray — ©Stall on the Sunday morning market in Luneray|Pierre Leboucher

A little history

A Protestant bastion

It is thanks to a flourishing industrial and commercial activity, and thus a literate population that Jean Venable decides to set down his suitcases in Luneray to carry the evangelist word in the 16th century.

The temple built in 1807 still hosts Sunday morning worship, and many places recall the stormy times of the religious wars, such as the underground cemeteries.

A la découverte de Luneray Seine Maritime

The Protestant Temple — ©Listed building with typical Normandy materials|Aurore Pélerin

Detail of the architecture of the temple — ©Brick and flint decoration|Aurore Pélerin

Family Cemetery — ©Protestant Gravestones|Aurore Pélerin

Focus on

The textile activity

From the textile activity remain many witnesses: old dryer, street names and the famous basket paths, narrow paths allowing the passage of a person carrying a basket, which were used for the transport of skeins. A picturesque way to go through the village through a circuit that will also allow you to contemplate the small heritage.

Still today, textile activity can be found here:

The Ronchay Weaving

Luneray (76) : une ligne de tissage du lin relancée au Pays de Caux

A siamese dress — ©Woman wearing a dress of Siamese fabric|Domaine public

Speaking of street names ...

Have you ever noticed a street with a curious name in Luneray?

The Rue des Siamoisiers

What is it about?

A siamoisier was a weaver specializing in “la siamoise,” a fabric made of a linen warp and a cotton weft.In fact, at that time, cotton arrived by boat at the port of Le Havre from the colonies. This raw material is thus introduced little by little in the region.

But why this name?

These new fabrics take the name Siamese because they resemble the fabrics worn by the ambassadors of the King of Siam when they were received by Louis XIV in 1686. The Siam that we call today, Thailand!

Ambassadors of Siam — ©Meeting between the representatives of Siam and the court of the King of France in 1686|Domaine public

How did they work?

The weavers, numerous in Luneray and in the Pays de Caux exercised their trade at home. The whole family of the weaver was associated with his work. The weaver used the loom while the wife and children were busy spinning the linen.

The loom was set up in a room in the dwelling called the “opener”, lit by glass windows, small panes of glass embedded in the wall between the doves and sealed with cob. Some houses were also recognizable by the fixed windows in the attic that served to light the weaving room.

Continue your discovery of Luneray with our Luneray on Foot brochure!

And if you’d like to learn more, follow me on guided tour this summer or visit the village by testing your knowledge with our fun audio-guided tour on the izi.travel mobile app!