Honfleur is a picturesque town in Normandy in the northwestern region of France at the mouth of the Seine Estuary and it's a popular place to visit with many things to see and do. I've put together the best things to see and experience in Honfleur after my own visits to this wonderful French town. Here are the best things to see in Honfleur.
The 8 Best Things to See and Do in Honfleur, Normandy
With its pretty harbour and timber framed townhouses around the Vieux-Bassin (old port), some up to seven stories high, ancient churches and religious buildings, Honfleur has long been a favourite with artists and photographers and it's easy to see why it is still so popular today.
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Les Vieux-Bassin (The Old Port)
The old port bathed in the glow of the morning sun with the houses reflected in the water is one of the main areas that attracts tourists. With many cafes, bars, restaurants and even small flea markets, it's a bustling and happy place to enjoy the sunshine or people watch.
If you like boats or enjoy sailing, a stroll along the marina, especially when the set is setting on a balmy evening, is magical.
Jardin des Personnalités
Jardin des Personnalités is a ten hectare park featuring sculptures of famous figures associated with Honfleur and is only a two minute walk from the Vieux-Bassin.
The sculptures in this calm green space include Claude Monet, Eugène Boudin, composer Erik Satie and poet Charles Baudelaire - all who were influenced by the town in some form.
I recommend a visit to this quiet place and particularly during summer when the roses bloom as the colours and scents of the roses is beautiful.
Église Sainte-Cathérine
Église Sainte-Cathérine is the largest surviving wooden church in France and is constructed on the site of a former church that burnt down in the Middle Ages. It's truly spectacular.
The exterior of the building is interesting but the inside is something else to see. I've seen lots of church interiors during the last ten years of living part time in France, but the wooden interior and wooden carved window frames of Église Sainte-Cathérine took my breath away. The church was built by shipwrights in the 15th century and the panelled roof looks like the upturned hull of a sailing ship.
Unusually, the bell tower is built separately from the church and you can visit the bell tower as part of the Eugène Boudin Museum. Historical notes advise this was to ensure that sparks from the bell tower could not set the wooden church on fire.
Follow In the Footsteps of Famous Painters at Honfleur
Honfleur was the source of inspiration for so many painters, and especially for Eugène Boudin who was born, lived and painted there. He loved the natural light and would often set up his easel and paint outside utilising the natural light. Eugène Boudin was a close friend of Courbet and Baudelaire, and is considered one of the most important of the pre-impressionist painters. Boudin's chance meeting with a young Claude Monet in 1858 (who was only 18 years old at the time) had a big impact on Monet who was amazed watching Boudin painting outdoors.
Claude Monet was so impressed that he later wrote "On seeing Boudin's paintings that day I suddenly realised what painting was all about". Read more about Claude Monet with our articles on Claude Monet's House at Giverny and Claude Monet's Garden at Giverny.
Honfleur with its port, boats and bright skies and wind blown clouds was also popular with Sisley, Jongkind and Pissaro.
L' Absinthe Restaurant
The memory of Eugène Boudin lives on at L' Absinthe restaurant which looks out over the old port with their gastronomic menu called Menu Eugène Boudin. The dining rooms of the restaurant date back to the 15th and 17th centuries.
A Normandy speciality to try at L' Absinthe restaurant is a Pommeau, which is often served before a meal as an aperitif.
"Pommeau production took off during the seventies when apple farmers would use a system called mutage, a process in alcohol production that slows fermentation, on their fruitiest and tastiest apple juice. Apple brandy, known as Calvados in the Normandy region, was added to the juice to prevent it from losing its flavour over the course of the year, resulting in what is known today as Pommeau de Normandie." - Culture Trip
Honfleur is famous for its seafood and because of its seaside location there are many platters and dishes on offer in the town. A well known regional dish to try is moules frites, which is a delicious dish of mussels and fries, often cooked with garlic and white wine. Try our delicious recipe Mussels in White Wine and Garlic.
L' Absinthe restaurant - 1 rue de la Ville 14600 Honfleur www.absinthe.fr
Musée Eugène Boudin
The Musée Eugène Boudin holds more than 100 paintings by Boudin, who was nicknamed the "King of the skies" by Camille Corot. As well as Boudin's paintings, the museum also displays works by Monet, Bourbet and Jongkind.
Musée Eugène Boudin - rue du l'Homme de Bois, 14600 Honfleur www.musees-honfleur.fr
Boutique Shopping
Browsing the boutiques that are as diverse as they are in number, is a pleasant way of spending a few hours. Spoilt with a choice of chocolateries (chocolate shops), candy stores, regional foods including tinned sardines, Calvados, caramels, clothing stores and souvenir stores, shopping in Honfleur has something for everyone.
Musée de la Marine or Maritime Museum of Honfleur
The Maritime Museum at Honfleur is a small museum located inside the deconsecrated Eglise St Etienne, a beautiful 14th century church.
Honfleur's maritime museum is housed inside the deconsecrated Eglise St Etienne, a beautiful 14th century church. The museum has a large collection of model ships and shipbuilding tools from Honfleur's maritime heritage with engravings, 18th and 19th century prints, drawings and watercolours and many other exhibits that showcase the fishing, shipbuilding and commercial heritage of this seafaring town.
Office de Tourisme d'Honfleur - Quai Lepaulmier, 14600 Honfleur - www.ot-honfleur.fr
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