As a rule, this is done as follows: first, a settlement appears, then a fortification is built to protect it. But in the case of the Chateau Gaillard (Saucy Castle) near Rouen, the castle appeared in 1198, and only then did the city grow around it. Les Andelys (home to 8 thousand people) is much better preserved than the citadel. Although only the ruins of the castle remain, tourists can still imagine the power and beauty of the citadel while viewing them. The writer Maurice Druon claims that Richard the Lionheart called the Chateau Gaillard a "merry" castle when he saw a white-stone, blue-roofed fortress, which, of course, would be too tough for the French.

In the Middle Ages, the two states fought for territories belonging to modern France. The island was too cramped for the English monarchy, so it tried to gain a foothold on the continent. The castle was built during the English rule in Normandy, in record time (in just 2 years) according to all the rules of fortification. The Chateau Gaillard had three defenses: the outer walls and two baileys (inner courtyards). Between the outer wall and the first courtyard, there was a suspension bridge over the moat. Another moat was dug-out on the way to the second courtyard, the heart of the castle. Each wall was higher than the previous one, and the outer one had external loopholes. Another trick invented by Richard the Lionheart was a gate that opened in different directions. Even if the first gate was taken by storm, the second could not be taken by running at it. When King Philip Augustus of France heard about the new fortress, he predicted: "I will take it, even if it is all made of iron". Richard replied: "You will not take the Chateau Gaillard, even if its walls are made of oil". However, Richard the Lionheart was soon killed in battle and succeeded by his brother John of England, who was not a very skillful commander. As a result, after a long siege in 1203, the French occupied the castle and got a foothold in Normandy. During the Hundred Years' War, the Chateau Gaillard changed hands several times and was badly damaged. In 1600, the castle was demolished.