What to do in Le Havre??

[Free and Easy]

Shall be arriving at Le Havre in August with 12 hours to spend. Have given up the idea of going to Paris as it is a bit far off and we have been there so many times already :). I read from the web that we can consider going to Honfleur or Rouen. Would be grateful for any advice as to which option is better and ways of getting there. Thank you so much in advance!!

[CGinMTL]

I always check the ship tours available to get an idea of what to do in a port.

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we were in LeHavre in 2010 and had also looked into going to Paris.... but realized that we would not be there for very long

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that time, we decided to do a ship tour to Mont-St Michel.

Very nice.

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We are going back to Le Havre in Sept and this time, we are booking a tour with

http://www.normandy-sightseeing-tour...eur-monet.html

[realnice46]

Shall be arriving at Le Havre in August with 12 hours to spend. Have given up the idea of going to Paris as it is a bit far off and we have been there so many times already :). I read from the web that we can consider going to Honfleur or Rouen. Would be grateful for any advice as to which option is better and ways of getting there. Thank you so much in advance!!

 

Depends on where your interest are. Honfleur is a beautiful port just to walk, enjoy lunch at an out outdoor café and browse in all the shops and patisseries.

If you are interested in WWII history a tour of the D-Day beaches might be your choice . Also if there is a tour to Mont St Michel very beautiful, but filled with tourists during the day and if it is rainy the lanes in the town can be very hard to manage with an umbrella.

[wheezedr]

Rouen or honfleur would give a nice French town experience. If you are a history buff at all it would be hard to top a visit to Normandy and the d-day beaches. Takes some driving but can be done as a tour or oyo. Very moving experience.

[Northern Aurora]

Through the years we've had several port calls at Le Havre, so we have visited D-Day Beaches, Giverny, Honfleur and so forth. This spring we did a B2B2B2B series which included two port calls at Le Havre, so for the first time we visited the Musee d'art moderne Andre Malraux. What a wonderful art museum! Great collection of impressionist works and a lovely restaurant.

[prish]

IMO the top draw at le Havre is a tour of the DDay beaches. But if you've already been there, Rouen and Giverny would make for a great day, Monet's paintings of the Rouen cathedral are world famous. Bayeux is another option, to see the famous tapestry of the Norman Conquest of 1066, also the lovely cathedral. The Caen museum is also very interesting, you could then go on to end the day at Honfleur:)

Edited July 3, 2016 by prish

[Free and Easy]

Thank you all for the numerous suggestions!! Having researched a bit more on travelling time and sights to see, chances are we may be going to Rouen after all......:).

[4774Papa]

Go to Normandy, it is wonderful. We saw the Omaha and Sword Beaches as well as Bayeax Tapestry and Cathedral and American Cemetery.

[Turtles06]

Go to Normandy, it is wonderful. We saw the Omaha and Sword Beaches as well as Bayeax Tapestry and Cathedral and American Cemetery.

 

Just so others aren't confused .... While Americans have shorthanded "Normandy" to mean (only) the D-Day beaches, in fact Normandy is a region of France. Le Havre is in Normandy, so the OP will already be there. :)

 

But I agree that visiting the D-Day beaches and other related D-Day sites is an incredible experience. I wish we'd had time on our port call to also see the Bayeaux Tapestry and the inside of the Cathedral; next time!

[4774Papa]

Just so others aren't confused .... While Americans have shorthanded "Normandy" to mean (only) the D-Day beaches, in fact Normandy is a region of France. Le Havre is in Normandy, so the OP will already be there. :)

 

But I agree that visiting the D-Day beaches and other related D-Day sites is an incredible experience. I wish we'd had time on our port call to also see the Bayeaux Tapestry and the inside of the Cathedral; next time!

 

We did a tour from Le Harve on Celebrity that includes the Normandy Beaches, Cemetery and Bayeux Tapestry and Cathedral.

[FritzG]

We loved Honfleur. We took a ship's tour for half a day the first time we were there on a b2b trip. We enjoyed it so much that on the second stop we took a cab to Honfleur and spent the day there. The impressionists museum is well worth a stop, and we had a great time wandering through the quaint streets and shops. Lunch on the quayside felt like stepping back in time.

[OCruisers]

We enjoyed taking the "Paris own your excursion" offered by the ship.

Worked by us because we were able to do the exact things we wanted to do and had not done on previous visits there. :)

[Alaskanb]

Just so others aren't confused .... While Americans have shorthanded "Normandy" to mean (only) the D-Day beaches, in fact Normandy is a region of France. Le Havre is in Normandy, so the OP will already be there. :)

 

But I agree that visiting the D-Day beaches and other related D-Day sites is an incredible experience. I wish we'd had time on our port call to also see the Bayeaux Tapestry and the inside of the Cathedral; next time!

Overlord does a tour that includes part of the D-Day beaches etc and Bayeux. http://www.overlordtour.com/overlordtour-from-ports-in-bus.html

[macaroni]

We loved Honfleur. We took a ship's tour for half a day the first time we were there on a b2b trip. We enjoyed it so much that on the second stop we took a cab to Honfleur and spent the day there. The impressionists museum is well worth a stop, and we had a great time wandering through the quaint streets and shops. Lunch on the quayside felt like stepping back in time.

 

How much was the taxi? Ships tour is only half day and we would want to stay longer...

[FritzG]

How much was the taxi? Ships tour is only half day and we would want to stay longer...

 

Last fall they offered a flat rate of 30 euros each way per taxi, not per person.

[macaroni]

Did you just get one at the port when you got off the ship?

[FritzG]

Did you just get one at the port when you got off the ship?

 

At the port there were taxis waiting, and they all offered that rate. Just be sure to ask beforehand. In Honfleur the first taxi we stopped offered the special rate, too.

[claudepaulette]

We were in Le Havre this May on the Navigator of the Seas transatlantic.

In the am we took the ship's tour "Extended half-day to Honfleur", returning after 1.00. We had lunch and a rest on the ship and later went to Le Havre's Malraux museum. It was walkable but there was a shuttle for 4 euros to the main square which was well worth it. The Malraux has a wonderful collection of Renoirs.

[prish]

We were in Le Havre this May on the Navigator of the Seas transatlantic.

In the am we took the ship's tour "Extended half-day to Honfleur", returning after 1.00. We had lunch and a rest on the ship and later went to Le Havre's Malraux museum. It was walkable but there was a shuttle for 4 euros to the main square which was well worth it. The Malraux has a wonderful collection of Renoirs.

 

Thanks for the tip about the Renoirs, will certainly try and visit the Malraux museum next June:)

[marne-c]

I posted this in a separate thread, but I thought I'd add it here too.

 

My cruise will end at Le Havre on a Sunday, but we'll arrive there on Saturday and dock overnight. Post-cruise, my wife and I will take off in a rental car for several days of exploring. But we must pick up our rental car on Saturday, since the car-hire office is closed on Sundays.

 

That means we have to park the car in Le Havre overnight. Is there a safe place to park near the cruise dock? Is there a safer or more sensible location for overnight parking somewhere else in Le Havre?

 

 

--Marne

[LynnMW3]

At the port there were taxis waiting, and they all offered that rate. Just be sure to ask beforehand. In Honfleur the first taxi we stopped offered the special rate, too.

 

We will be visiting LeHavre in April and are planning to do exactly this...we're in port from 7 am to 8 pm, and would like to enjoy a leisurely day in Honfleur. About how long is the cab ride from the port to LeHavre? Were there enough taxis available to be confident we'll be able to get one to get us back to the ship?

 

I'm so glad I found this thread...it's exactly what I was looking for...THANK YOU!:D:D

[margeecruiser]

We did a private tour to Rouen and Honfleur It cost 425 euro for an 8 passengers van. This was an all day excursion and was wonderful. We used radio taxi leHarve Email contact@radiotaxi-leHarve.com

 

Margee

 

 

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[Hlitner]

What to do in Le Havre? Leave! :). There are so many different options including cruise line excursions to afar, rental cars, trains, regional buses, trips to various parts of Normandy, cities like Rouen and Paris (a bit far for my taste), or perhaps Giverny. One can even stay in region of Le Havre and visit places like Honfleur, Deuville, Fecamp, Etretat, etc etc. So many options..and too little time. This is why some of us love to spend extended vacations in France.

 

Hank

Edited September 16, 2016 by Hlitner

[prish]

What to do in Le Havre? Leave! :). There are so many different options including cruise line excursions to afar, rental cars, trains, regional buses, trips to various parts of Normandy, cities like Rouen and Paris (a bit far for my taste), or perhaps Giverny. One can even stay in region of Le Havre and visit places like Honfleur, Deuville, Fecamp, Etretat, etc etc. So many options..and too little time. This is why some of us love to spend extended vacations in France.

 

Hank

 

Hank, we have two days in le Havre next June, we're doing the Overlord DDay tour on Day 2 but am still trying to figure out Day 1. I have a car booked and the plan was to drive to Giverny, then Rouen and Honfluer before getting back to the ship. Our ship docks at 9am, so it's going to be closer to noon by the time we get to Giverny and I'm wondering how crowded it will be, especially on a Saturday.

 

The other option would be to go to Etretat and Honfluer, maybe Rouen too, depending on time. What do you think? We've been to thee places before, though not Etretat. I'm also thinking we could go again to Giverny on a later trip to Paris. Would really appreciate your comments and suggetsions, thanks:)

[Hlitner]

Hank, we have two days in le Havre next June, we're doing the Overlord DDay tour on Day 2 but am still trying to figure out Day 1. I have a car booked and the plan was to drive to Giverny, then Rouen and Honfluer before getting back to the ship. Our ship docks at 9am, so it's going to be closer to noon by the time we get to Giverny and I'm wondering how crowded it will be, especially on a Saturday.

 

The other option would be to go to Etretat and Honfluer, maybe Rouen too, depending on time. What do you think? We've been to thee places before, though not Etretat. I'm also thinking we could go again to Giverny on a later trip to Paris. Would really appreciate your comments and suggetsions, thanks:)

 

You raise very good points. We do really enjoy visiting Giverny (but we are huge Monet and Impressionist fans) but Monet's home is generally very crowded during the high season (including June). But as long as you are not planning to go back to the ship for an early dinner (we would probably buy ourselves dinner in Honfleur) you can certainly get it done in a day. Etretat (and nearby Fecamp) are places we put low on our list...and mention them for those that have essentially done it all in the region. By the way, there is small village called Beuvron en Auge.....which can be combined with a visit to Honfleur. Beuvron is not often visited on tours...but is really a very cute village worth an hour. A very attractive and strange place for this part of France. Here is a link that gives you an idea why:

http://www.france-beautiful-villages.org/en/beuvron-en-auge

 

So now, we have probably complicated your plans :)

 

Hank