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Le Havre Travel Guide, France

When you want the perfect getaway to northern France, then Le Havre is the place to be in. The name Le Havre is actually used to refer to a port. This city was initially called as Franciscopolis as a way to give tribute to King Francis I. It was the king who took the right steps in order to construct the port city people now called Le Havre. This city port north of France is also known for its other names, for example this is also called as the ‘Porte Oceane’ which literally means as the Door to the Ocean.

Le Havre’s Important Functions

Using the port of Le Havre as the starting point of travel, travelers can access the northern cities of France. Some of the cities that are accessible from the port of Le Havre include Paris, Etrerat, Fecamp and the Normandy region.

The city is also known as a sub-prefecture and considered as the largest in France.

This port city is also referred to as the administrative center of the district that borders the commune of Sainte-Adresse. The port city of Le Havre is no ordinary port. This is considered as the busiest and the largest port.

In terms of architecture and sites to see, the city of Le Havre is well-known. But the city suffered under the Second World War and the cityscape and much of the architecture of the area were destroyed. But not all the buildings and architecture in the area were wiped out. Some have remained and continued to be strong draws for the city. This even led the UNESCO to identify Le Havre as a World Heritage Site, thanks to the post war and contemporary architecture exhibited by most of its churches.

Most-Visited Churches

The Cathedral in Le Havre is often visited since this was the first stone building that was laid in 1536. The Cathedral is also the seat of the Bishop.

The Church of Saint Joseph is another notable landmark in the city of Le Havre. The bell tower of the church that rises to a height of 106 meters is one of the tallest in the country. This church in the port city was designed by Auguste Perret.

Other churches in the area include the Churches of St. Michael, St. Vincent, St. Francois, St. Anne and St. Marie.

For those who love culture, the city of Le Havre offers them great sights and information. The Musee de Beaux-Arts Andre Malraux is one important museum in the area. This museum stores the collection of arts spanning the products of the past five centuries. The impressionist paintings in the museum are considered to be as the second most extensive in the country. Some of the paintings here are that of Claude Monet and those other artists that have worked and lived in the Normandy area. Other artists’ works can be seen here like the works of Gustave Courbet, Edgar Degas and Edouard Manet.