Vieux Bassin

Honfleur


The old harbour, with its bobbing pleasure boats, is Honfleur’s focal point. On the west side, quai Ste-Catherine is lined with tall, taper-thin houses – many protected from the elements by slate tiles – dating from the 16th to 18th centuries. The Lieutenance, at the mouth of the old harbour, was once the residence of the town’s royal governor. Just northeast of the Lieutenance is the Avant Port, home to Honfleur’s dozen fishing vessels, which sell their catch at the Marché au Poisson.

Small children will get a kick out of a ride on the carousel, situated opposite the Lieutenance.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Honfleur attractions

1. Musée de la Marine

0.04 MILES

This museum displays model sailing ships, nautically themed engravings and watercolours, and a case that examines Honfleur’s role in the 17th- and 18th…

3. Lieutenance

0.05 MILES

The magnificent Lieutenance, standing at the mouth of the old harbour, was once the residence of the town’s royal governor.

4. Église Ste-Catherine

0.07 MILES

Initially intended as a temporary structure, this extraordinary wooden church was built by local shipwrights during the late 15th and early 16th centuries…

5. Marché au Poisson

0.13 MILES

A visit to this lively fish market to browse the day's catch is both fun and fascinating.

6. Musée Eugène Boudin

0.18 MILES

This museum features superb 19th- and 20th-century paintings of Normandy’s towns and coast, including works by Dubourg, Dufy and Monet. One room is…

7. Les Maisons Satie

0.29 MILES

This unusual and intriguing complex captures the whimsical spirit of the eccentric avant-garde composer Erik Satie (1866–1925), who lived and worked in…

8. Naturospace

0.39 MILES

Children and adults will enjoy this lush greenhouse that houses scores of species of free-flying tropical butterflies in the northwest of town, a short…