March 16, 2020

Honfleur: The Old Port

The French port of Honfleur is located on the coast of Normandy where the Seine River flows into the English Channel. Samuel de Champlain set sail from the port to New France (now Canada) and founded the city of Quebec. Centuries later, Honfleur became the "birthplace of Impressionism" when artists like Eugène Boudin and Claude Monet set up their easels outdoors to paint the picturesque town.



The Old Port of Honfleur, France


My evening visit to Honfleur began with a pre-dinner stroll around the Vieux Bassin (Old Port).




Normandy Liquors Calvados and Pommeau, Made from Apples



Samuel de Champlain Memorial



Hotel de Ville (Town Hall) and Carrousel




Historic Houses along the Quay








St. Catherine's Church is a wooden structure with two naves that was erected by shipbuilders in the 15th century. The bell tower was built separately to ease the load on the roof.



St. Catherine's Church



Church Bell Tower




Church Interior



From the church we returned to the other side of the Vieux Bassin for dinner.



Honfleur's Vieux Bassin (Old Port)






Since we were dining on the coast, I decided to try the mussels, a specialty of the region. They didn't really appeal to me. I preferred my main course of rabbit in a lemon sauce, which tasted much like chicken.




Mussels




Rabbit and Potatoes


Next:  The D-Day Landing Beaches of Normandy

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