Orival, Seine-Maritime

Orival is a commune in the Seine-Maritime departement in the Normandy region in northern France.

Geography
A village surrounded by woodland and situated by the banks and cliffs of the river Seine, just 12 mi south of Rouen at the junction of the D938, D64 and the D132 roads.

History
The history of the town goes back to Neolithic times, as proved by the finds of Stone-Age tools and mammoth bones in the numerous large caves and the cliffs of the area. The Romans also left traces of their passing, with the remains of a fanum visible on one of the hills. King Richard I of England (the Lion Heart) was very active in the region, erecting a castle here in 1195. His brother John of England (known as John Lackland), could not hold on to the territory and the building was already a ruin by 1203.

Places of interest

 * The church of St. Georges, dating from the fifteenth century.
 * The ruins of the thirteenth century castle of Roche-Fouet.