The "pearl" Honfleur

Across from Le Havre on the left bank of the estuary of the Seine lies like a pearl in an oyster hugged by the forest of Touquet on the crest of the hills of Grace the village of Honfleur whose history is as thrilling and dramatic as Saint Malo.

The main difference, however, is that it was spared by the fierce bombardment of WWII that flattened Le Havre and burned Saint Malo to the ground. You can enjoy its original grace and picture perfect beauty just as it was in its heydays.

In the IX century the Vikings used the natural harbor made of 4 short rivers joining just before the estuary of the Seine protected by the crescent of hills from the north-western storms to prepare their conquest up the Seine; they laid siege to Paris and went even further, until eventually driven back for good in a nearly 100 year long brutal war.

During the middle ages the harbor was fortified with a moat and was awarded priviledges under the crown for its various naval activities in defense of French interests on the seas. Honfleur served English and French masters during the 100 year war but also built commercial ties with Portugal and Spain.

The Honfleurais had their own armies and their ships carried guns. They became corsairs and some of them got involved in the slave trade. Samuel Champlain, born in Saintonge, was a captain in Honfleur who founded Quebec in 1608.

Under Louis XIV Colbert had the harbor rebuilt to its present shape, allowing frigates to dock inside the city. The city prospered and is considered today wealthier than Deauville. It shows in the organization of the city: at 7 a host of éboueurs equiped with vacuum cleaners on wheels sweep up the trash. The parks and sport centers are impeccable. The swimming pool is one of the loveliest in France, covered, clean and friendly for hard daily work-outs. The flower arrangement in streets and squares, and the recently built médiatheque housing books and a row of huge palm trees, are a sight for the hungry eye.

Honfleur has almost more art galleries than restaurants. Of the 110 galleries, 10 are honest, the others - according to a gallery owner - could be considered "point de ventes". Luc Verdier, at 6, place de l'Hotel de Ville, has masters of the IXX century in his Galerie Boudin. Honfleur was immortalized by famous painters, Monet, Dubourg, Jongkind, Courbet, Cals, visited, and others spent their life here, like Eugène Boudin whose museum you can visit at the place Erik Satie.

Erik Satie was born here, now looking across the sea at the entrace of the port inside the fabulous jardin des personalités that was inaugurated in 2004. The personality of a city is shaped by its citizen and Honfleur is a perfect example. Its illustrious citizen include the shapers of history.  |center>

You can visit the marine museum on the old port in Saint Stephen's Church which dates back to the middle ages. Visitors just come for a couple of hours yet it takes at least a couple of days to meet the notables of a seasonal business like Serge who's been running a merry-go-round here since 1945.|center>

It doesn't rain in Honfleur, Satie once said, it rains on lonely people. And when it rains, it pours. Despite the rain the changing light transforms this wonderful city into the jewel of the Normandy coast. |center> |center>