Overview

Honfleur is a charming town located in Calvodos, Lower Normandy, in the north of France. With more than 1000 years of history, it’s really worth a visit if you love the ocean and medieval architecture. The town has preserved many historic and traditional buildings and houses, as well as some interesting museums, churches and monuments.

From the twelfth century onwards, it became an important crossing point for goods transiting via the sea to England. In order to be protected from enemy invasions, the town was fortified and did not cease to grow with the expansion of maritime trade.

The town has long been a favorite with painters such as Claude Monet, Gustave Courbet, and Johan Jongking, who have contributed to the appearance of the Impressionists movement. Though the center can be overrun with visitors on warm weekends in the summer months, it’s still worth a visit for the fabulous rugged maritime charm of the Old Harbor, which evokes maritime Normandy of centuries past.

Visiting Honfleur means discovering a charming little town, with its cobbled alleys, half-timbered houses, small beautiful harbor and old trawlers. This Normandy town for sure will surprise you!

Things to see and do

Start exploring the city with a visit to the Tourist Office to pick up a map of the area. These maps offer different walking routes, all detailing points of interest around town. The “Footsteps of the Painters” takes you on a tour to 14 panels of paintings by 19th-century artists around town. Walk along the scenic quays, past the fishing boats and narrow, slate-roofed houses that line the Harbor.

The picturesque Le Vieux Bassin (Port of Honfleur) is a must-see attraction in Honfleur and most photographed spots in town. It was built in 1681 and necessitated destruction of part of the city’s ramparts in order to enlarge the old port. Surrounded by 17th and 18th-century narrow houses that are listed as historical monuments, the colorful area creates a beautiful atmosphere to be admired.

Take time to visit the Notre-Dame de Grace chapel. It was built at the beginning of the 17th century to replace the old chapel destroyed by a cliff collapse. It was originally built by the Duke of Normandy as a token of gratitude for his survival during a violent storm. Since then, this chapel has been venerated and is the home of paintings, ship models and an ancient organ. Make sure to admire the panoramic view of the Normandy Bridge (Pont de Normandie) from the top of the hill.

The Normandy Bridge (Pont de Normandie) was built in 1995 and links Honfleur to Le Havre. It’s a true symbol of maritime supremacy in the region and is a feat of engineering and one of the city’s modern icons. The bridge stands over 700ft in height and stretches for 1.3 miles across the water, it was a world record at the time it was built.

Located in the heart of Honfleur, Naturospace is a tropical paradise of gardens and home of hundreds of butterflies, about ten different bird species, and a greenhouse of rare tropical specimens. Naturospace aims to recreate the ecosystem of the rainforest, and they have an amazing team dedicated to doing so.

Also worth visiting is the Le Jardin des Personnalités (the Garden of Personalities). A beautiful garden down by the mouth of the Seine is a bucolic and cultural walkway created by the mayor of Honfleur in 2004. As you stroll through the many alleys of the garden, you will be able to meet the busts of illustrious personalities, natives of the small Normandy harbor or having stayed there. Among these: Claude Monet and Eugène Boudin, composer Erik Satie, poet Charles Baudelaire, sailors Samuel de Champlain and Jean Doublet, or even Charles V and Jean-Baptiste Colbert.

Visit the Satie House and Museum (Maisons Saties). The house is dedicated to composer and musician Erik Satie. Born in 1866 in Honfleur, this genius worked with such great names as Picasso or Braque, and inspired artists like Debussy and Ravel. As you walk through the different rooms with an audio guide, you will discover musical scenographic paintings mixing the magic of image, sound and light, retracing Erik Satie’s artistic journey in order to make him better known to the public.

Another museum worth visiting is the Eugène Boudin Museum, named after the famous local painter, Eugène Boudin. This museum is home to a large collection of Norman painters: Boudin, Courbet, Money, Dubourg, Dufy, to name a few. The seven exhibition rooms of the Eugène Boudin Museum are themed and offer an intuitive dive into the heart of romantic and impressionist painting in the region.

Built in 1186, Honfleur Saint-Leonard’s church (église Saint-Léonard) was destroyed during the Hundred Years’ War. It was rebuilt at the beginning of the 16th century, created in tribute to Leonardo, a young noble of King’s Clovis court. He is considered as the Holy Patron of the prisoners. Take note of the rich Gothic architecture of the church, a testimony of the time. Its bell tower was rebuilt in a dome according to the popular Easter France architectural style.

Located in the oldest church of Honfleur, the Saint-Etienne church facing the Vieux Bassin, the Honfleur Marine museum (Musée de la marine de Honfleur) houses an important collection of models, engravings and objects of all kinds related to the sea. Most of the treasures found in the museum come from donations and legacies. A visit here will give you insight into the sailors life, as well as about the typical activities of the time - fishing, maritime trade, and shipbuilding.

Shopping

There are many charming shops found around the harbor of Honfleur. Normandy is famous for its Calvados and Pommeau, alcoholic drinks that delight the taste buds. Honfleur has several shops selling these drinks, as well as whisky and beer from Normandy. You’ll also find dozens of art galleries, many located in the rue du Dauphin.

Check out the open markets of Honfleur:
-Bio Market, place Sainte-Catherine, each Wednesday 8:30am to 1:00pm
-Traditional Market, Sainte-Catherine area, each Saturday 8:30am to 1:00pm
-Fish Market, harbor, each Saturday 8:30am to 1:00pm

Food

Honfleur is renowned for producing the best products of Normandy. Discover authentic flavors from its fertile lands and seacoast. Some authentic local specialties include: The local apple and the alcohols produced with it, the fantastic seafood dishes, the artisan high quality cold cuts, and the mild produced by Normandy cows (excellent cheeses, sweet treats such as milk jam, and Isigny caramel). As you stroll the streets, the aromas that come out of the many restaurants will stop you in your tracks. You can choose from a variety of cuisines. Whether it is local French delicacies or other Mediterranean specialties you are after, Honfleur offers it all.

Getting Out

If you are looking for a city to visit outside of Honfleur, check out Deauville. It is an easy drive by car or with a direct bus going from Honfleur to Trouville every hour. The journey takes about 30 minutes.

Deaville is a luxurious seaside resort and trendy, chic holiday destination. Here you’ll find a beach, casinos, a golf course, as well as a horse race track. During your visit to Deauville, you can also take a stroll along the famous “Promenade Les Planches”, where you will find the typical beach huts or do a bit of shopping in the luxury boutiques.

Just opposite Deauville, you can also walk around the seaside resort of Trouville, easily accessible by a pedestrian footbridge or by crossing with a small boat. Trouville also offers a large sandy beach and a casino.