Honfleur is a commune in Normandy in France. A small fishing port, Honfleur is very touristy and lively, with its old basin lined with many shops and restaurants. Honfleur is a small town in Lower Normandy, located on the south bank of the Seine estuary, opposite Le Havre, all near the Pont de Normandie. It is populated by 7,913 inhabitants. Honfleur makes you discover its unique architectural heritage. With its picturesque alleys, its narrow and slate-covered houses, Honfleur has a historical past which today describes it as one of the most visited towns in France. City of international renown known for the charm of its cobbled streets, its small shops, its charming hotels and its typical restaurants. The Vieux Bassin and the Lieutenancy are the symbols of Honfleur. Honfleur, marina, trade and fishing port is also a city of painters and Impressionism. A source of inspiration for Courbet, Monet, Boudin and many others, this city still contains several dozen galleries and artists' studios permanently presenting classic or contemporary works.
Honfleur Tourist Office Quai Lepaulmier, Tel. +33 2 31 89 23 30, fax: +33 2 31 89 31 82 from Easter to June Mon - Sat: 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Sun: 10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m., July to August Mon - Sat: 9:30 a.m. - 7:00 p.m., Sun: 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., in September Mon - Sat: 9 30 a.m. - 12.30 p.m. and 2 p.m. - 6.30 p.m., Sun: 10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. - 5 p.m., October to Easter Mon - Sat: 9:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. 30 and 2 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Old basin of Honfleur
The old basin is a port located in the
center of the town of Honfleur in the French department of Calvados
in the Normandy region. Its narrow slate houses reflected in the
basin make it the main tourist attraction of the city.
Sainte-Catherine de Honfleur Church
Sainte-Catherine Church is a
Catholic church located in Honfleur, in the French department of
Calvados, France. It has the particularity, very rare in France, of
being built primarily in wood. The Sainte-Catherine church is
located near the old basin, just behind the Sainte-Catherine quay.
The church is dedicated to Saint Catherine of Alexandria as
recalled by a wood carving above the porch of the bell tower
separated from the two naves. She is represented there carrying a
wheel and a sword. The first nave (the one on the left) is the
oldest part of the building, dating from the second half of the 15th
century, built after the Hundred Years War. It was built on the
model of a market hall, where elements used in shipbuilding were
used, all giving the appearance of an overturned boat hull. Then,
the bell tower was erected at a good distance from the nave, to
prevent the parishioners present in the building from falling prey
to the flames in the event of a fire. Indeed, the bell tower
attracts lightning because of its elevation and its position on the
hillside. In the sixteenth century, a second nave was added to the
right of the previous one, the vaulting of which conformed to the
wooden vaults of modest Gothic churches. It therefore has a more
rounded shape and a frame layout, unrelated to the structure of a
ship. In addition, the two naves are extended by two additional
bays. In addition, they are framed by aisles of the same length,
also vaulted in wood.
The famous “ax masters” of the city's
shipyards produced this beautiful ensemble without having to use a
saw, just like their Norman ancestors who can be seen in action on
the Bayeux tapestry and just like the Vikings before them.
The beams used for the realization of the pillars of the nave and
the aisles are of unequal lengths, because we no longer had oak
trunks long enough to build them. Also, some have a stone seat, more
or less high and others, none.
The spans of the choir, taken
again in the nineteenth century, are of rather poor quality and the
roof which crowns them is raised compared to that of the old parts.
The church is partially covered with chestnut wood shingles,
which one dialectically calls “essentes” and which therefore
constitute an “essentage”.
The "neo-Norman" porch was built
on the model of those of the rural churches of Normandy at the
beginning of the twentieth century and replaces a monumental portal
in neoclassical style built in the previous century and which can be
seen represented on some paintings. de Jongkind or Boudin. The south
portal is in the Renaissance style.
Note the classical organ
from the parish of Saint-Vincent in Rouen and the Renaissance
balcony adorned with musical figures. Nineteenth-century
stained-glass windows decorate the choir windows to the east.
The building was classified as a historical monument in 1875.
The building is devoid of a transept and the aisles of chapels
which are only materialized by recent statues of holy figures
including the natives Saint Marcouf and Saint Thérèse of Lisieux.
Origins and Early Development
Honfleur, a picturesque port town in
Normandy, France, located at the mouth of the Seine River where it meets
the English Channel, has roots tracing back to the Viking era. The name
"Honfleur" likely derives from Old Norse, possibly meaning "Honna's
river" or "on the corner by the river," reflecting its strategic
position. The site was first occupied by Vikings in the 9th century
during their invasions of northern Gaul, establishing a colony that
evolved into Normandy—the "land of the North Men." The earliest written
record of Honfleur appears in 1025 (or 1027 in some sources), referenced
in documents by Richard III, Duke of Normandy. By the mid-12th century,
the town had become a vital transit point for goods moving from Rouen to
England, benefiting from its safe harbor, natural defenses provided by
surrounding cliffs, and a prosperous hinterland that supported trade in
items like wood, salt, wine, and wool. This period marked Honfleur's
transformation into a fortified port under the Dukes of Normandy and
later the French crown, setting the stage for its maritime significance.
The Hundred Years' War and Medieval Conflicts
Honfleur's
strategic location made it a focal point during the Hundred Years' War
(1337–1453), a prolonged conflict between England and France. King
Charles V fortified the town in the 14th century to safeguard the Seine
estuary against English incursions, coordinating defenses with the
nearby port of Harfleur. Despite these efforts, the English captured
Honfleur in 1357 and again from 1419 to 1450, holding it for over 30
years in the latter occupation. When under French control, Honfleur
served as a base for raiding parties that targeted English coastal
towns, including a notable attack in the 1450s that partially destroyed
Sandwich in Kent. The war's disruptions highlighted the town's military
importance, but peace after 1453 allowed for recovery and growth.
Age of Exploration and Maritime Prosperity (15th–18th Centuries)
Post-war, Honfleur entered a golden age of maritime expansion that
lasted until the late 18th century. The port became a hub for
transatlantic voyages and colonial trade, exporting goods to Canada, the
West Indies, the African coasts, and the Azores. It ranked among
France's five principal ports for the slave trade during this era. Key
explorers departed from Honfleur: In 1503, Binot Paulmier de Gonneville
sailed to Brazil; in 1506, local resident Jean Denis reached
Newfoundland and the Saint Lawrence River; and most famously, in 1608,
Samuel de Champlain organized an expedition that founded Quebec City,
establishing New France (modern Canada). Champlain's legacy endures in
the town through statues, plazas, and commemorative programs. The 16th
and 17th centuries saw the development of the Vieux Bassin (Old Harbor),
a "floating harbor" with constant water levels, lined with tall,
slate-fronted townhouses that housed merchants and sailors. Trade
boomed, leading to rapid urban growth, though interrupted by the
16th-century wars of religion. In the late 17th century, fortifications
were demolished under orders from Jean-Baptiste Colbert, France's
finance minister, to facilitate expansion.
Decline in the 18th
and 19th Centuries
The late 18th century brought challenges,
including the wars of the French Revolution (1789–1799) and the
Napoleonic Empire (1804–1815), compounded by the Continental Blockade,
which devastated Honfleur's economy. Silting of the harbor entrance
further hindered operations, while the rise of Le Havre—bolstered by a
direct railway from Paris in 1847—eclipsed Honfleur as a major port.
Honfleur received its own branch railway in 1867, but it was
discontinued later, leaving the town as a quieter backwater. Limited
recovery came through 19th-century trade in northern European wood, but
overall, commercial decline preserved the town's historic architecture
and charm, sparing it from industrial overdevelopment.
Artistic
Renaissance in the 19th Century
The 19th century shifted Honfleur's
identity toward culture and art. Native painter Eugène Boudin, born in
1824, played a pivotal role in attracting artists to the town, drawn by
its unique light, water reflections, and coastal scenery. Boudin
encouraged figures like Claude Monet, Gustave Courbet, and Johan
Barthold Jongkind to paint en plein air (outdoors), forming the "École
de Honfleur," which is considered a precursor to Impressionism. This
artistic movement, emphasizing light and color over detail, found
inspiration in Honfleur's harbor and landscapes, making the town a
cradle of one of the 19th century's most influential art styles. The
legacy continues through museums, galleries, and preserved sites.
20th Century and Modern Era
In the 20th century, Honfleur's
proximity to World War fronts posed risks, but it escaped major
destruction in both conflicts. During World War II, following the
Normandy landings, the town was liberated on August 25, 1944, by Allied
forces—including the British Army's 19th Platoon of the 12th Devon's
(6th Air Landing Brigade), the Belgian Brigade Piron, and Canadian
troops—without combat. Postwar, tourism surged, capitalizing on the
preserved medieval architecture, cobblestone streets, wooden churches
like Sainte-Catherine (built in the 15th century by shipbuilders), and
vibrant art scene. The population has remained stable, fluctuating
between 7,400 and 10,000 since 1793, with around 8,000 residents today.
Honfleur now thrives as one of Normandy's most visited destinations,
blending its seafaring heritage with cultural tourism, while maintaining
small-scale shipping and fishing activities.