Set at the mouth of the Seine River, Le Havre is a cosmopolitan port city where you can admire avant-garde architecture, visit word-class art galleries and indulge in delicious French cuisine. After being flattened by Allied bombs in 1944, Le Havre was painstakingly rebuilt using designs by Belgian architect Auguste Perret. Today his legacy lives on in the contemporary concrete buildings, spacious boulevards and sunny squares across the city.
Things to do in Le Havre
Musée Malraux boasts one of the most impressive collections of impressionist works in Europe, including pieces by Monet, Renoir and Pissarro. The stylish café overlooks the harbour and is perfect for enjoying coffee and a croissant.
One of Perret’s finest designs, Église St-Joseph towers 107 metres over the city. The imposing concrete church is sheathed with thousands of colourful glass panels, many designed by iconic French stained-glass artist Marguerite Huré. Cathédrale Notre-Dame survived World War II and welcomes you with a beautiful Baroque façade and serene interior.
Jardins Suspendus occupies the footprint of an ancient hilltop fortress and will enchant you with its trees, flowers and plants from around the world. Relax on the manicured lawns and get lost in the steamy greenhouses filled with orchids, palms and ferns.
Le Havre is dotted with brasseries, bistros and restaurants where you can enjoy traditional cuisine from the Normandy region. Try local specialties like creamy Camembert cheese, tart apple cider and lamb raised on the region’s salt marsh meadows.
Getting around Le Havre
Pedestrian-friendly Le Havre is compact and easy to get around on foot while local buses are an easy way to get from A to B. The city is a 2.5-hour drive from Paris and three hours by train. Rental cars offer the freedom to explore Upper Normandy at your own pace. Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport is a 2.5-hour drive away.