Honfleur
The old harbour and slate-covered houses
Just twenty minutes from the gîte, Honfleur is one of Normandy’s most beautiful harbour towns. The Vieux-Bassin, lined with tall slate-roofed houses, inspired Monet, Boudin and a whole generation of Impressionist painters. Gallery hopping, browsing local produce shops and lingering over fresh seafood with a harbour view make for a perfect afternoon.
Don’t miss the church of Sainte-Catherine, built entirely in wood by ship’s carpenters in the 15th century — the largest wooden church in France. The Eugène Boudin Museum next door houses luminous paintings of the Norman coast and local life, giving rich context to the extraordinary light that has drawn artists here for centuries.
Just a short walk from the port, the old quarter’s half-timbered streets climb toward Sainte-Catherine, rewarding the effort with some of the finest views over the harbour and the Seine estuary.
Come early in the morning or on a weekday to avoid the summer weekend crowds. Parking fills up quickly in high season.