Honfleur – informations pratiques pour découvrir en famille la ville en normandie

Honfleur is a commune located in France's Calvados département, in the Normandy region. It faces the city of Le Havre, which lies to the north of the Seine. Honfleur lies on the south bank of the Seine, on the edge of the Seine Bay. Honfleur is classified as a "ville fleurie". Honfleur's charm lies in its slate-covered houses, which have delighted famous painters such as Claude Monet and Gustave Courbet.

Where is Honfleur?

Honfleur is located precisely on the south or left bank of the Seine estuary.

How to get to Honfleur

From Le Havre: Honfleur is easy to get to from Le Havre, via the Pont de Normandie. Bus lines serve Honfleur.

How many people live in Honfleur?

Honfleur certainly has a population of over 7,000.Honfleur is part of the Honfleur conurbation, which comprises more than 12 communes. Honfleur's inhabitants are called Honfleurais.

Honfleur, a name...

The town's name comes from the appellative 'fleur', which is far from unique to Normandy. The expression 'fleur' or 'fleu' simply means 'river'. Hon' in Honfleur is derived from the Old Norse word Hùni.

Honfleur and the Old Basin

 

Honfleur - History of the town

Honfleur was first mentioned in 1027.. Fortifications were built as early as the 13th century.^ème century, on the initiative of Charles V. He wanted to prevent English access to the Seine estuary. Despite these fortifications, the town was repeatedly besieged and occupied during the 15^ème century. Today, all that remains of these fortifications are the Lieutenance (or Porte de Caen) and its two round towers. Honfleur would later flourish thanks to its proximity to the maritime world: trade, shipbuilding, etc. It was from here that explorer Jehan Denis set sail for Newfoundland, as well as Samuel de Champlain for Quebec. Honfleur even became one of France's main slave ports. by giving its share to the triangular trade (the 7th^ème slave port, and more than 130 shipments). This led to the deconstruction of the fortifications on Colbert's initiative, with the aim of enlarge the basin, currently known as 'le vieux bassin' (the old basin). And it was Abraham Duquesne who continued the work, completed only in the 18th century.^ème century. But the town of Honfleur struggled to recover from the loss of its colonies and competition from neighboring Le Havre. Today, the port of Honfleur no longer has all the grandeur of yesteryear, but it serves in the port of Rouen.

Heritage of Honfleur

The town of Honfleur est surtout connue pour le vieux bassin, mais elle conserve un patrimoine intéressant, telle que les différentes églises – l’église Sainte-Catherine, l’église Saint-Etienne, l’église Saint Léonard.

Religious heritage

– la chapelle notre dame de grâce

The Chapelle Notre Dame de Grace is a religious edifice overlooking the town of Honfleur, facing the Seine estuary, but part of a neighboring commune, the commune of Equemauville, located in the Calvados department in the Normandy region. It has been listed as a historic monument since 1938. The first chapel was built on the Plateau de Grâce in 1023, on the initiative of Richard II, Duke of Normandy, who had escaped a storm at sea in accordance with his wishes. Today, ex-votos and a Dupont organ with two manuals and a pedalboard are on display.

– L’église Saint Léonard de Honfleur

The church of Saint Léonard de Honfleur is a religious edifice located in the south-east of the town of Honfleur, in the Calvados department of Normandy. It has been listed as a historic monument since 1980. While a sanctuary certainly existed here, it appears that the former church was destroyed during the Wars of Religion. The present church was built between 17^ème century and the 18th^ème century. The distinctive feature of this religious edifice, very recent in comparison with other Catholic churches in France, is certainly the shape of its domed bell tower. It also boasts a gallery organ by Ducroquet, Merklin, Charles Mutin, Jean-François Dupont and Nicolas Toussaint, all organ builders. It is listed as a historic monument in the Mérimée database.

-Saint Etienne church

L’église Saint Etienne de Honfleur – anciennement église Saint Etienne-des-prés –  est un édifice religieux qui se trouve à Honfleur, sur le quai Saint Etienne, non loin du vieux bassin. Contrairement à l’église Sainte Catherine, l’église Sainte Etienne est construite en pierre. Elle est classée monument historique depuis 1932. Selon la base Mérimée, elle a été construite pour une partie au XIVème siècle, une autre partie au XVème siècle, et une troisième partie au XVIème siècle. Elle aurait été déplacée en 1369, pour intégrer la forteresse sur ordre du roi Charles, puis, fait intéressant, agrandie en 1432 par les soldats Anglais qui occupaient alors la ville. Elle fut restaurée à la fin du 18^ème After the French Revolution, it underwent several changes of use (as a customs warehouse, or even as a stock exchange). It was restored again at the end of the 19th century.^ème century. Since then (1897), it has been converted into a naval museum, and was partially restored again in 1993.

– L’église Sainte Catherine de Honfleur

Eglise sainte Catherine is a religious building located in Honfleur, not far from the 'vieux bassin' on Quai Sainte Catherine. Part of the diocese of Bayeux and Lisieux, it has been listed as a historic monument since 1875. The church is unusual in France in that it is built of wood. Sainte Catherine was built at the end of the Hundred Years' War, according to a plan resembling a market hall. The bell tower and second nave were built later. According to custom, the entire building was constructed without the use of a saw, in keeping with the tradition of the "axe masters". Part of the roof is covered with timber.

Non-religious heritage

– Le musée d’ethnographie et le manoir du vigneron

The Musée d'Ethnographie is a museum located in the town of Honfleur, in the Calvados department of the Normandy region, more precisely in the winegrower's manor house. The museum was created at the end of the 19^ème century. The winegrower's manor has been listed as a historic monument since 1932. It is remarkable for its wooden, corbelled architecture.  

– le musée de la Marine

The Musée de la Marine is located in Honfleur, in the Calvados department of Normandy, and since 1897 has occupied the former church of Saint Etienne, or Saint Etienne-des-Prés, on the Quai Saint Etienne. Two years after its opening, the Musée de la Marien houses collections of objects and costumes. The museum as it is known today was reorganized between 1976 and 2002, on the initiative of Pierre Orange, allowing visitors to admire historical and maritime collections. The museum also features model ships, the largest of which is the Nymph.

– Les Maisons Satie

The term Maisons Satie refers to the three half-timbered houses that make up Erik Satie's birthplace and the Satie Museum. The Maisons Satie have been listed as historic monuments since 1992. The Musée Satie opened in 1998, and pays homage to the musician and composer of the same name in a variety of ways. Here you'll find a wide variety of objects, paintings, drawings, furniture and more...

– Le musée Eugène Boudin

The Musée Eugène Boudin is an art museum located in Honfleur, in the Calvados department of Normandy. The museum was created in 1868 on the initiative of the commune of Honfleur and Louis-Alexandre Dubourg, a painter by trade. Since 1924, it has occupied the former chapel of the Augustines convent, and was reorganized in the 1970s.

– Les greniers à sel

The salt granaries can be found in Honfleur, in the Calvados department of Normandy. Built of rubble stone, they were used to preserve fish, thanks to the salt's preservative properties, and proved extremely useful in this fishing port. They were listed as historic monuments in 1916. Today, only two of the three original salt granaries remain.

Other curiosities

Alphonse-Allais Museum

The Musée Alphonse Allais is located in Honfleur, Calvados, Normandy. It is located at 2^ème floor of a building. Created in 1999, it is said to be the smallest museum in France, measuring just 8m². Alphonse Allais was a humorist, writer and journalist born in Honfleur who lived in the second half of the 19th century.^ème century. Among other things, he wrote for the newspaper 'Le Chat Noir', for which he became editor-in-chief in 1886. He also wrote for other newspapers (Gil Blas, for example), and later published a number of collections. He died in 1905. Honfleur also boasts a number of other attractionsThese include the longboat 'cotre Sainte-Bernadette', listed as a historic monument in 1992.

– Honfleur et la peinture

The artists who painted the town of Honfleur made up what is today known as the "Honfleur School", an artistic movement that contributed to the emergence of the Impressionist movement. Among the painters who left their mark on Honfleur are Eugène Boudin, Claude Monet, Gustave Courbet, Camille Corot and Johan Barthold Jongkind.