This unknown coastal town made me fall in love with France again

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Look, I’ve lived in Paris for the past five years, and after half a decade of struggling with the prefecture’s bureaucracy and putting up with the passive-aggressive antics of boulangers on the 15th i had a lot of time to fall in love with france, to hate it, and then fall in love with it all over again.

There is no time I despise this country more than when I have to visit my locals mairie and deal with the completely useless Jeannines with glasses on the edge of a funny nose at the reception.

And yet, almost immediately afterwards, I find myself unable to completely obsess over it when I accidentally stumble upon a ridiculously picturesque medieval town during a supposedly nondescript weekend trip to my in-laws’ beach house in Deauville, Normandy.

I mean, for most people, visiting family for a Sunday roast means lukewarm beer and overheated political debates over a bony rib.

Sure, there’s some of that here too, but then there’s also Honfleur, a fairytale harbor town just a 25 minute drive:

If Amsterdam and Copenhagen had a love child, this would be it

Honfleur is a charming town in Normandy, located directly on the most beautiful estuary, where the River Seine, which has traveled all the way up from Paris, flows into the English Channel.

It’s also what I like to call an antidote to France haters. It is impossible that you find it timeless Vieux Bassinwhich is simply French for Old Port, and still feel tempted to jump back on the hate bandwagon.

Well, unless you live in France for more than two weeks and have to deal with the administration, but anyway, I digress again. Honfleur is just downright Deliciousand it helps remind me why I live here in the first place.

Although certainly not the only one, the harbor is the main attraction here, and it is no surprise that it attracted the attention of renowned artists such as Claude Monet and Honfleur’s own native Eugène Boudin. The best way to describe it is if Amsterdam and Copenhagen had a love child:

An impressionistic painting that comes to life

A literal impressionist painting come to life, it is a row of tall 17th century mansions with slate roofs, reflecting in the water in every possible muted tone known to man.

They are so perfectly arranged along the boat-lined waterline that they almost create a painting-like symmetry. I went to Honfleur at least five summers (and in winter) there were now, and on all occasions, hardly any foreign tourists on the road.

It can undoubtedly get busy on weekends, but it is still mainly French visitors from neighboring cities, or Parisian day trippers who make the trip here. I’m not sure about you, but the fact that there aren’t beret-clad TikTokers setting up tripods every 20 meters also makes it feel That much more authentic.

In the evening the lamplights cast their golden glow on the water and on the weathered facades of buildings making the whole thing feel like a scene from a storybook, and don’t get me started on all the traditional brasseries and seafood spots, with oysters so fresh they taste like they were picked straight from the port minutes ago.

And I promise you that’s a good thing.

The oldest wooden church in France!

French churches are known for their elaborate rose windows, imposing Gothic facades and tall buttresses. Strangely enough, Honfleur does not have its own ‘Notre-Dame’, but here that medieval grandeur gives way to understated, rustic elegance.

Église St. Catherine is nothing less than France eldest wooden church still surviving. It was built in the 15th century by shipbuilders after the Hundred Years’ War, and the use of oak, without nails to support the main structure, and its intactness is exactly what makes it a striking monument.

It is also free to visit. I’m not sure who needs to know this, but all religious monuments in France are.

The old town itself is as charming as can be, with cobbled alleys flanked by sloping half-timbered buildings, vanageswhere you can buy locally Norman cheese and souvenir shops. They all seem to be feeding Rue de la Villeliterally ‘City Street’, that means real French village feeling.

I should add that I’m not one for collecting magnets myself, but whenever I’m in Honfleur I just need to stock up Calvados de Sophiea regional, hard-hitting apple brandy that is sharper than any other brand you know.

Hearty Nomand food

Biensurit’s not a French weekend getaway without a great tour of the local area brasserie scene.

For me, Normandy is synonymous with oysters and… Scallops Saint-Jacquesand there’s nowhere better to enjoy the region’s fresh seafood than Le Bistro du Porta beloved local classic with an ever-changing menu, largely based on seasonal catches.

For that classic, comfort French food after a day of sightseeing, with a foie gras fait maison to start, and frog legs accompanied by fries, Brasserie de L’église is my favorite dining spot, right on Sint-Katelijneplein, just a few steps from the large wooden church.

Honfleur may be firmly planted in Northern Europe, directly opposite England, but don’t underestimate how sweltering it can get in summer, and when the Normandy sun is at its most brutal self, the only thing that can save you is a local farm. glaze.

Glaces de la Ferme du Bois Louvet is literal ice cream heaven: all natural, seasonal ingredients and a wide variety of creative flavors to choose from. Any advice? Buy a mix of anything calvados-spicy flavor they have to offer, and their signature salted butter caramel.

They really made the ART artisanal.

What to see in Honfleur this year

For the museum visitors like me, you don’t want to miss it Maisons Satiea museum entirely dedicated to the city’s Impressionist heritage. There is plenty to find out about Eugène Boudin, but also about unsung artists you may have never heard of.

You will find many more on the quay cozy cafes with terraces on the water and beautiful fishing boats. Just be careful of the seagulls flying overhead, especially if you take your time enjoying your buttered croissant.

In the summer months is one of my favorite things to do is ride on the Grand Rouethe 45 meter high Ferris wheel that is located near the basin area.

It’s no London Eye, but you get a great panorama over Honfleur’s medieval cityscape, and in the distance, on a clear day, even the monument Pont de Normandya cable-stayed bridge over the Seine estuary, connecting the industrial center of Le Havre with Honfleur.

It only costs €5 (about $6) to continue, and it does a view you will never forget.

How to get to Honfleur from Paris?

I have never used public transport to travel to Honfleur from Paris.

As I mentioned earlier, I am usually the guest of my in-laws in neighboring Deauville, and while I agree that having a car is more convenient for exploring not only Honfleur, but also wider Normandy, Doing Know that using trains and buses is far from the Homeric journey some make it out to be.

Considering the distances, it can be a bit trickier to plan a visit to Honfleur as a day trip to Paris, and anyway I strongly recommend you spend the night and don’t just go through it.

On a long weekend, in Deauville or Honfleur, you can even travel further to Étretat to see the world-famous white cliffs, or the Plages de Débarquementthe beaches where the Allies landed during the Second World War on their way to liberate France.

If you use public transport, here’s how to plan your short stay in Honfleur:

• Take an SNCF train from Paris Saint-Lazare → Deauville (2 hours, every 1–2 hours)
• Bus line 20 from Gare de Deauville → Honfleur (30–40 minutes with Normandie Mobilité)

Tickets normally cost €20 to €40 one-way ($22 to $44), with busses adding another $4 to $8.

Vinicius Costa

Vini, our senior head writer at Travel Off Path, has over 60 countries to his name (and is currently weaving stories from Paris!), and a knack for turning off-the-beaten-path experiences into informative stories that will have you packing your bags.