The historic town escaped the bombing that Le Havre experienced during World War II and consequently the centre is choc-a-bloc with colorful old timbered houses and cobbled streets. Once famous for its shipbuilding (Samuel de Champlain sailed from here to found Quebec) and fishing fleet, Honfleur became a favorite spot for impressionist painters in the 19th century and remains inspirational to artists today. Claude Monet’s mentor Eugène Boudin was born in Honfleur, and Monet and his contemporaries would often set up their easels at the Ferme Saint-Siméon on the hill above Honfleur, according to the Normandy Tourism website.
This is a popular spot so expect the town to be busy during peak vacation times and public holidays.
What To Do
Honfleur is small so a couple of days is all you need, but the surrounding area offers other gems such as Deauville, famous for its beach and horse racing, as well as the stylish resort of Trauville-Sur-Mer.
· Self Guided Walking Tours ~
Honfleur’s cobbled streets are a dream to stroll around. Pick up a map from the Tourist Office and you can follow three walking tours: one around the old town, another along the banks of the Seine to the beach and a final steeper walk up the hill to enjoy the views of the town.
Vieux Baasin (all photos by Jackie Harding)
· Soaking Up History ~
The “old town” is a delight to stroll around. Its old harbour, “ Vieux Bassin,” surrounded by restaurants and bars offers a welcome spot to sit and “people watch” in the sun. The Lieutenance, an original part of the fortifications, now shows the maritime history through various medias and has great views from the rooftop.
· Sainte Catherine ~
Honfleur has France’s largest wooden church, Sainte Catherine. This interesting old building was constructed by the shipbuilders of the town in the 15th century and has a separate bell tower. The marketplace surrounding the church offers great spots for coffee and food.
· Impressionist Art ~
The Musée Eugène Boudinhas a slightly worn appearance but holds a small but lovely art collection from local artists who were inspired by the town.
Jardin des Personalities
· The Garden of Personalities ~
The Jardin des Personalities is a beautiful municipal park celebrating nature and the town’s famous visitors. With its hidden statues in boat shaped topiary, wandering paths and a small lake popular with waterfowl it provides a quiet spot to relax. On the last Sunday in June the town hosts a picnic with music here.
· Music ~
Maison Satie is a celebration of Honfleur’s most famous composer Erik Satie.
· Fun for kids ~
Le Naturospace is a tropical environment housing butterflies and birds. Great place for kids on a cold or wet day.
· Shopping ~
Honfleur is full of art galleries, studios, ateliers, and brocante/antique stores, just wander the streets and you are sure to come across a little store to explore. On Saturdays there is a large market around Sainte Catherine’s church area.
*This had been relocated temporarily around the small harbour whilst we were there.
Food & drink
Honfleur is in the Calvados region of Normandy which is a rather large clue to the popular items bought here…. cider and calvados. The stores listed below are definitely worth a visit.
La ferme de Pascaline is a perfect spot to sample and purchase quality cider and calvados, along with other apple related produce.
La fromagère et le vigneron is a small store selling an array of local cheeses.
Au Fin Gourmet, a butchers and deli.
Ati Bio ~ a bio fruit and vegetable store.
Bread & pastries ~ this is France and there are more great places to buy delicious baked goods than you can shake a stick at!
Where To Eat
· Le Lingot~ This “special occasion” Michelin-mentioned restaurant was fantastic with a menu based on the fresh produce of the day. Highly recommended if you are looking for something upmarket and really special. You can see the menu here
· La Gambetta ~ Another small unpretentious local seafood restaurant that is worth a visit.
· La Tortue ~ A reasonably priced friendly restaurant that served great food.
·There are many other average priced restaurants too, so don’t be scared!
Where to stay
There are only a few large chain hotels in Honfleur, mostly outside of the historic centre. Honfleur’s historic centre has smaller boutique hotels and apartments. Here are some examples:
*The centre of Honfleur is pedestrianized so parking is at a premium around the town. Hotels with parking are much sought after.
Impressionist artist Eugène Boudin said of Honfleur, “I like the picture so much that I painted it ten times over….” and when you are strolling the cobbled streets or sipping calvados on the Vieux Bassin watching the sun set, you completely get where he was coming from.
Photographer/writer Jackie Harding was born in the United Kingdom. As a long-time expat, she lived in Boston for 12 years and in the Netherlands for the past 10 years.
Trained as a nurse in the U.K., she worked for nine years in the United States as a special education teacher’s assistant. Since moving to the Netherlands, she has discovered writing and photography.
Contributing to Dispatches since 2016, Jackie has written about her travels around Europe as well as about expat life and issues.
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