Honfleur … a harbour and more!

The road to Honfleur took us first over the Pont de Normandy or Normandy Bridge. Completed in 1995, it spans 2km across the Seine and is the second-largest cable-stay bridge in the world. We stopped and took photos from the viewpoint …

… but the best views were as we drove over!

I have often seen pictures of Honfleur and thought it would be a lovely place to visit and finally we are here. The fishing boats may have been largely replaced with yachts, but the C17th Vieux Basin or old dock is still like a painting.

Narrow, tall, timber-framed buildings with slate roofs surround the harbour and a warren of narrow, cobbled streets wind their way into the centre of the town.

We are staying at the charming The Hotel du Dauphin in the heart of old Honfleur …

… and while the walls may date back to the C12th century, it is a stylish boutique hotel within!

Honfleur’s most famous landmark is the wooden Église Sainte Catherine, which is France’s largest wooden church. Built by a local shipbuilder and intended to be a temporary structure to replace the previous church destroyed in the Hundred Years’ War, it has a ceiling resembling two upside-down ships’ hulls.

It is surprising as the church building looks more like a market hall than a church, especially as the bell tower is completely separate.

We pottered around taking photos and taking a look in the chic French shops before sitting in the sunshine trying out the local cider …

… then visited a creperie for dinner … delicious!

In the morning, we took a walk along the dyke to the beach …

… and also caught a glimpse of the bridge.

Returning through a garden with definite Monet influences …

…. reminded us where we were heading next! …

Map