Why Le Havre should be in your list of holiday destinations? Let me share the best things to do in Le Havre in this viewtraveling blog post.
Today, I am going to speak about a totally new holiday destination that the majority of non-Europeans are not even aware of.
The subject of this blog post is Le Havre, one of the romantic, and historic cities in France.
In addition, the city is also culturally rich. I am sure most of the tourists to any part of France are attracted by the country’s stupendous culture, fashion, and culinary diversity. It has all the salient attractions of France.
Let us get to know briefly about the places to see, and the things to do in Le Havre, France.
Exact location of Le Havre:
Le Havre is boldly displayed in the northern part of France. It is abutting the English Channel, a part of the Atlantic Ocean.
The location also happens to be the estuary of the Seine River, meeting with the Channel.
It is 200 km northwest of Paris. This coastal city is part of the Normandy region of France.
How do you get to Le Havre?
By all four modes of transportation (car, train, flight, and ferry), you can reach the city.
By car:
You can leave Paris in a taxi, and reach your destination in about 2 hours.
By train:
Direct trains from Paris to the mouth of the Seine estuary are available. The train journey takes a little more than 2 hours.
By flight:
You can fly from London to Le Havre in about 75 minutes.
By ferry:
You get on board a ferry from Portsmouth, U.K. The vessel will deposit you across the Channel in 6 hours.
Even Brussels operates flight services to this city. However, it is not advisable due to long duration. It is better to drive from Brussels.
So,It has good connectivity, internationally.
Where to stay in Le Havre?
Small guest houses where you can cook your meals are affordable.
Similarly, boutique hotels also fit the budget of backpackers, and couples who travel without their children.
I recommend choosing your accommodations in properties that are near the scenic harbour.
Beautiful beach-facing hotels are in good demand and are pricey too.
Which is the best local food to eat in the city?
If you have never tasted the ‘scallops’’ but have heard about it, Le Havre is the best place to try them.
The restaurants, big, or small, promise scallops, straight from the boat to the kitchen.
Herring is another fish that is popular near the Channel.
Turbot fish, a small one, is the favourite of the local French people.
Finally, ‘rillettes’ are widely served in the restaurants. It is a method of cooking the meat for up to 10 hours!
The finely shredded meat of chicken, goose, duck, and even rabbit is used to fill the rillettes.
Crepes, is a variety of pancake (flat bread) in France. It goes with butter, jam, marmalades, and rillettes too.
These round-shaped pancakes are used as wraps around meats, vegetables, fruits, and cheese. You can opt for either a sweetened version or as a savoury.
Note:
It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, that is awarded mainly for the city’s typical French Gothic architecture.
Best Things to Do in Le Havre
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Andre Malraux Modern Art Museum
France, and art of any type, are inseparable. Throughout France, churches, cathedrals, and museums are rated as the foremost tourist places to see.
This particular museum is full of impressionist paintings. This is a kind of painting. It began as a movement in France.
A visit to the Andre Malraux museum is one of the first things to do in Le Havre.
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Roch Square
What a beautiful garden!
France is full of such creatively-landscaped gardens. Invariably, such gardens will have several statues of eminent French personalities.
There is a small pond inside the garden that is surrounded by a lush carpet of a lawn.
The star attractions are the many coloured roses. A garden anywhere in France that is devoid of rose plants is unheard of.
St. Roch garden and square is located in the middle of the city, and hence one of the prominent places to see here.
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Le Havre port
The harbour is one of the major ports in Europe. It is a busy port that receives the merchant navy ships, cruise ships, and luxury ferries from the U.K, sitting on the other side of the English Channel.
Watching the movement of vessels, the arrival and departure of passengers from London, is one of the jolly things to do in Le Havre.
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Tan Carville Bridge
This beautiful suspended bridge is built over the Seine River. It connects two localities in the city.
You can walk across the bridge, admiring the scenic beauty on either side. The bridge is 1.4 km long.
Even a drive over the bridge will give you goosebumps as your vehicle climbs over it.
Tan Carville Bridge is also known as Pont de Normandie.
Interesting fact:
Here, clothes stand is called, “Clothes Horse”.
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Le Havre Tram ride
The best way to tour the city is to enjoy a ride on the tramway. There are as many as 23 stations where the tram stops to pick up and discharge passengers. You will really appreciate the city’s beautiful buildings, malls, tourist landmarks during your slow tram ride.
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The Hanging Gardens
You always wanted to see a hanging garden-right? Finally, here it is in the city, just two hours drive from Paris.
If you are touring Paris, you can quickly make a day trip to see the hanging gardens.
From some places in the beautiful garden, you can view the English Channel.
Did you see the slope indicating the garden looks like a terrace garden? That’s why it is called the hanging garden.
The hanging gardens have two aliases.
- Japanese Garden
- City Hall Garden
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Stade Oceane
This is a sprawling football ground located in the heart of the city. It can host over 25,000 spectators at a time.
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Skate Park
The multipurpose skating rink is quite large, comprising a whopping 75,300 sq. ft!
It is reported to be the largest outdoor skate park in entire France. It is usually included in the list of attractions in Le Havre.
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Water Sports near the Vauben Port
It is blessed with both the Seine River and the English Channel as water bodies for all kinds of water-based activities that include:
- Rowing
- Kitesurfing
- Windsurfing
- Wavesuefing
- Sailing
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Churches
As many as ten places for praying are to be seen in the city. They include cathedrals, churches, and one solitary monastery.
Le Havre Cathedral, and the Church of St. Joseph find place in the city tour itinerary.
