ART, ARCHITECTURE, HISTORY & THE BEACH
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| Le Havre, Centre-Ville (photo: Valentin Pacaut) |
There are so many reasons to explore France’s Normandy coastline: The Côte d’Albâtre (Alabaster coast) is a stretch of chalk cliffs, like England’s white cliffs of Dover across The Channel, with several worthwhile stops along the way.
Le Havre, located on the Seine River estuary where it meets the English Channel, is the busiest port on the northern French coast. Many people come to Normandy to see the D-Day Landing beaches; well, Le Havre is another part of that World War II history--bombed by the Allies in 1944 to liberate the port from the occupying Germans.
Maybe you haven’t thought about planning a trip to Le Havre because all you’ve heard is it’s a huge port city with ugly, modern architecture--that doesn’t even come close to properly depicting this outstanding place. Yes, it’s a major port which happens to be amazing. Yes, a section of town was rebuilt after being bombed during World War ll, but the re-build is a must-see, architectural marvel. Plus, the city is just luminous from the quality of light that once even impressed a young painter--Claude Monet.
ARCHITECTURE THAT WILL KNOCK YOUR SOCKS OFF
In 1944, the Allies bombed Le Havre as they moved across Normandy following the D-Day landings. The massive aerial bombardment was part of a plan to break the German defenses and force them to surrender. While Operation Astonia succeeded in its mission, the port and the downtown area of Le Havre was completely destroyed.
In the aftermath, it was decided not to just rebuild Le Havre, but to redesign it. The architect chosen for this task was an École des Beaux Arts-trained architect, Auguste Perret, whose innovative concepts turned the destroyed area into a showcase of modernist design. The Centre-Ville Reconstruit du Havre (Reconstructed City Centre) is an outstanding example of post-war, urban planning with an emphasis on light and space: plazas, courtyards, arcades, parks & gardens, and pedestrian streets between the major, triangular axis: Boulevard François I, Avenue Foch, and Rue de Paris. The buildings were constructed from specially-treated concrete, tinted with various stains, that give them a range of hues, from pinkish-beige to golden-brown, preventing a monotonous, gray appearance. The apartments are warm & welcoming with lovely, open-plan layouts that are flooded with light from floor-to-ceiling windows and balconies. Built between 1945 and 1954, Centre-Ville is now a designated UNESCO World Heritage site.
Visit a Furnished Perret Apartment: Appartement Témoin Perret
Maison du Patrimoine, 181 Rue de Paris; Tel: +33 2 35 22 31 22; https://tinyurl.com/3mjf6rxb
(Tour in French; request English, German, Spanish) - Take a guided tour of a period-furnished, Perret apartment; you’ll want to move right in!
ARCHITECTURE THAT WILL KNOCK YOUR SOCKS OFF
In 1944, the Allies bombed Le Havre as they moved across Normandy following the D-Day landings. The massive aerial bombardment was part of a plan to break the German defenses and force them to surrender. While Operation Astonia succeeded in its mission, the port and the downtown area of Le Havre was completely destroyed.
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| Centre-Ville (photo: Phillippe Breard) |
Visit a Furnished Perret Apartment: Appartement Témoin Perret
Maison du Patrimoine, 181 Rue de Paris; Tel: +33 2 35 22 31 22; https://tinyurl.com/3mjf6rxb
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| Appartement Perret (photo: Phillippe Breard) |
Tour the Town: In addition to this Centre-Ville area, there’s many other interesting architectural and unique-to-Le Havre sites worth seeing. You can do:
a) Bus Tour: Bee Le Havre (Audio-guide in French, English, German, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian & Russian) - 1-hour tour of the city highlights in a bright, yellow bus. Once you get the lay-of-the-land, go back for a more-extended visit of the sites.
b) Self-Guided Tour - Be sure to check out: Église Saint-Joseph (Blvd François 1er; Open: daily, 10am-6pm; Free) - From the outside, the church looks like Brutalist architecture which belies the magnificent, stained-glass interior. The “Volcano”, a cultural complex & library designed by the architect Oscar Niemeyer. And, while many original buildings were destroyed, there are still some lovely ones from the 16th- & 17th-century as well as examples of Art Nouveau & Art Deco.
BEHOLD THE MAGNIFICENT PORT
Le Havre was founded in 1517 by King François l who wanted a deep-water, fortified port to defend France's coastline and facilitate trade to enhance the nation's strength and influence. During World War II, the Port of Le Havre was occupied and used by the Germans as a strategic naval base. The Allies needed the port to bring supplies to their armies fighting in Europe. Their 1944 bombing liberated yet mostly-destroyed the port. After World War II, the port was rebuilt and, since the early 1970s, the port has undergone significant expansions and modernizations to accommodate larger vessels and increased traffic.
Grand Port Maritime du Havre - The Port of Le Havre consists of a series of canal-like docks and multiple terminals for different types of cargo such as container ships and cruise liners. Cruise Terminal (Pointe de Floride) - In addition to being an important, cargo port, several major cruise lines stop in Le Havre, including: MSC Cruises, Norwegian, Royal Caribbean, Cunard, Oceania Cruises, etc. Port de Plaisance - There is also a marina.
Tour the Port of Le Havre:
Vedettes Baie de Seine (Tour in French) – This boat tour of the port is fascinating, even if you don’t speak French. Port Center (Tours in French; in English, request in advance + additional fee) – Offers various tours of the port by bus (autocar).
Tour Le Havre in Other Languages:
There are so many interesting sights. If you don’t speak French, there are great
Guides (guide conférencier) who speak English & other languages (i.e., German, Spanish, Italian, etc.) such as the terrific Anne-Charlotte Perré.
Inquire at: the Patrimoine office: Tel: +33 2 35 22 31 22;
maison-patrimoine-info@lehavre-etretat-tourisme.com
Or the Tourism office: Le Havre Etretat Normandie Tourisme
186 Blvd Clemenceau; Tel: +33 2 32 74 04 04
ART IS EVERYWHERE: FROM IMPRESSIONIST TO CONTEMPORARY
Many art historians believe that Impressionism originated in Le Havre as it was here in 1872 that Claude Monet painted his famous Impression, Sunrise which gave its name to the whole art movement. Monet’s mentor, the artist Eugène Boudin, introducing him to en plein air (in the open air) painting--working outdoors rather than in a studio. In 1858, when Monet was just 18 years old, Boudin coaxed him to paint the nature around them--clouds, sun, the seashore--and the way objects changed according to the fluctuating daylight. This plein-air style was also an inspiration to many future generations of artists.
a) Bus Tour: Bee Le Havre (Audio-guide in French, English, German, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian & Russian) - 1-hour tour of the city highlights in a bright, yellow bus. Once you get the lay-of-the-land, go back for a more-extended visit of the sites.
b) Self-Guided Tour - Be sure to check out: Église Saint-Joseph (Blvd François 1er; Open: daily, 10am-6pm; Free) - From the outside, the church looks like Brutalist architecture which belies the magnificent, stained-glass interior. The “Volcano”, a cultural complex & library designed by the architect Oscar Niemeyer. And, while many original buildings were destroyed, there are still some lovely ones from the 16th- & 17th-century as well as examples of Art Nouveau & Art Deco.
BEHOLD THE MAGNIFICENT PORT
Le Havre was founded in 1517 by King François l who wanted a deep-water, fortified port to defend France's coastline and facilitate trade to enhance the nation's strength and influence. During World War II, the Port of Le Havre was occupied and used by the Germans as a strategic naval base. The Allies needed the port to bring supplies to their armies fighting in Europe. Their 1944 bombing liberated yet mostly-destroyed the port. After World War II, the port was rebuilt and, since the early 1970s, the port has undergone significant expansions and modernizations to accommodate larger vessels and increased traffic.
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| Port de Plaisance (photo: Sabina Lorkin/Anibas Photography) |
Grand Port Maritime du Havre - The Port of Le Havre consists of a series of canal-like docks and multiple terminals for different types of cargo such as container ships and cruise liners. Cruise Terminal (Pointe de Floride) - In addition to being an important, cargo port, several major cruise lines stop in Le Havre, including: MSC Cruises, Norwegian, Royal Caribbean, Cunard, Oceania Cruises, etc. Port de Plaisance - There is also a marina.
Tour the Port of Le Havre:
Vedettes Baie de Seine (Tour in French) – This boat tour of the port is fascinating, even if you don’t speak French. Port Center (Tours in French; in English, request in advance + additional fee) – Offers various tours of the port by bus (autocar).
Tour Le Havre in Other Languages:
There are so many interesting sights. If you don’t speak French, there are great
Guides (guide conférencier) who speak English & other languages (i.e., German, Spanish, Italian, etc.) such as the terrific Anne-Charlotte Perré.
Inquire at: the Patrimoine office: Tel: +33 2 35 22 31 22;
maison-patrimoine-info@lehavre-etretat-tourisme.com
Or the Tourism office: Le Havre Etretat Normandie Tourisme
186 Blvd Clemenceau; Tel: +33 2 32 74 04 04
ART IS EVERYWHERE: FROM IMPRESSIONIST TO CONTEMPORARY
Many art historians believe that Impressionism originated in Le Havre as it was here in 1872 that Claude Monet painted his famous Impression, Sunrise which gave its name to the whole art movement. Monet’s mentor, the artist Eugène Boudin, introducing him to en plein air (in the open air) painting--working outdoors rather than in a studio. In 1858, when Monet was just 18 years old, Boudin coaxed him to paint the nature around them--clouds, sun, the seashore--and the way objects changed according to the fluctuating daylight. This plein-air style was also an inspiration to many future generations of artists.
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| Claude Monet, Impression, Sunrise (1872) |
2 Blvd Clemenceau, https://www.muma-lehavre.fr
The museum has the second-largest Impressionist collection in France. It was the first museum rebuilt after World War II, inaugurated by famous author & then Minister of Culture, André Malraux, in 1961. There are paintings by Monet, Pissarro, Renoir, Degas, Courbet, Braque, Eugène Boudin, Sisley, Van Dongen, Matisse, Marquet, Dufy, Friesz, Derain. You can also enjoy a tasty meal in the museum restaurant, Les Fauves.
Street Art - Self-Guided Tour
Back in 2017, to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the founding of the city and the Port of Le Havre, there was a festival, Un Été au Havre, that has become an annual event. At the first fest, international artists were invited to create large-scale art installations. Every year since, new works of art have been added, gradually transforming the city into an open-air, contemporary art exhibit.
Stop by an Art Gallery: Galerie Éric Baudet (121 Avenue Foch, https://galerie-ericbaudet.fr) – Modern & contemporary art.
NATURE IN-TOWN: THE BEACH, PARKS & GARDENS
Parks & Gardens: During the rebuilding of Le Havre and the port’s renewal, the inclusion of green spaces was paramount. Hence, there are splendid parks, gardens and woodlands throughout the town. Enjoy a stroll through: Square Saint-Roch, Les Jardins Suspendus (Hanging Gardens); Parc de Rouelles, Parc Forestier de Montgeon, and more.
Head to the Beach - La Plage
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| La Plage, Le Havre |
All you have to do to get to the beach in Le Havre is hop on a tram (A&B, Last stop: La Plage). Then, stroll along the promenade, get a snack from one of the many seaside eateries, enjoy some water sports or rent a lounge chair (May-Sept) and just relax. But, mind your tootsies, it’s a pebble beach, not sand.
Making Your Trip To Le Havre Easier:
- Le Havre Brochures & Maps (in French & English)
- Bee Le Havre: 1-hour city tour
- Visit Le Havre with a “Greeter” This is a lovely concept: locals share their favorite Le Havre spots with you for free!
Getting Around: Le Harve has a very efficient transport network (LiA) that makes travel easy between the city center and various places of interest. There are 2 tram lines (A/B), 21 bus routes, and a funicular (connects uptown to downtown), plus miles of bike paths (rent a bike, LiA Vélos). And, of course, taxis.
Where to Dine: No shortage of restaurants, brasseries, creperies, etc.
Chez André (9 rue Louis Philippe, www.restauration-chezandre.fr) - For a truly, delicious meal, give this one a try.
Where To Stay: There’s every type of accommodation imaginable.
Hotel Vent d’Ouest (4 Rue de Caligny; https://www.ventdouest.fr/en) - A charming, 4-star boutique hotel & spa with a very-friendly staff in an excellent location.
Getting There: The Normandy region has its own train lines NOMAD; Paris - Gare Saint Lazare, direct to Le Havre (2 hours). Ferry from England: Portsmouth – Le Havre (8 hours)
Nearby Jaunts: Visit other lovely towns along the Côte d'Albâtre. Normandy also has its own bus lines (NOMAD autocar): Ligne 509 connects Le Havre - Etretat - Fécamp. From Fécamp to Dieppe (Ligne 513, then 514).
Le Tarif bas-carbone (Low-Carbon Rate) – Get 10% off at various attractions by showing your train or bus ticket, or a photo of your bike! Sejours bas-carbone (Low-Carbon Visits) – Suggestions of places to visit that are easy to get to (& get around) without a car. If you really want to drive, rent an electric car! Explore Normandy Pass – Discounts throughout the region.
Claude Monet - 2026 marks the 100th anniversary of his death; there’ll be lots of special exhibits in Normandy.
Making Your Trip To Le Havre Easier:
- Le Havre Brochures & Maps (in French & English)
- Bee Le Havre: 1-hour city tour
- Visit Le Havre with a “Greeter” This is a lovely concept: locals share their favorite Le Havre spots with you for free!
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| Catène de Containers, Vincent Canivet |
Getting Around: Le Harve has a very efficient transport network (LiA) that makes travel easy between the city center and various places of interest. There are 2 tram lines (A/B), 21 bus routes, and a funicular (connects uptown to downtown), plus miles of bike paths (rent a bike, LiA Vélos). And, of course, taxis.
Where to Dine: No shortage of restaurants, brasseries, creperies, etc.
Chez André (9 rue Louis Philippe, www.restauration-chezandre.fr) - For a truly, delicious meal, give this one a try.
Where To Stay: There’s every type of accommodation imaginable.
Hotel Vent d’Ouest (4 Rue de Caligny; https://www.ventdouest.fr/en) - A charming, 4-star boutique hotel & spa with a very-friendly staff in an excellent location.
Getting There: The Normandy region has its own train lines NOMAD; Paris - Gare Saint Lazare, direct to Le Havre (2 hours). Ferry from England: Portsmouth – Le Havre (8 hours)
Nearby Jaunts: Visit other lovely towns along the Côte d'Albâtre. Normandy also has its own bus lines (NOMAD autocar): Ligne 509 connects Le Havre - Etretat - Fécamp. From Fécamp to Dieppe (Ligne 513, then 514).
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Going Green: The Normandy region encourages “green” travel with some unique offers:Le Tarif bas-carbone (Low-Carbon Rate) – Get 10% off at various attractions by showing your train or bus ticket, or a photo of your bike! Sejours bas-carbone (Low-Carbon Visits) – Suggestions of places to visit that are easy to get to (& get around) without a car. If you really want to drive, rent an electric car! Explore Normandy Pass – Discounts throughout the region.
Claude Monet - 2026 marks the 100th anniversary of his death; there’ll be lots of special exhibits in Normandy.
