A particular favourite of the Impressionist painters, Honfleur is a beautiful port town with timber and stone mansions lining the narrow streets which meander towards the water on the Seine estuary. You’ll find the town at its busiest during the summer months, when families congregate on the beaches and seafood eateries offer tables which spill out onto the street. Brilliant for couples, families or groups, our list of the best places to stay in Honfleur includes cosy B&Bs in the city centre, as well as superb country hotels for a tranquil rural escape.
History buffs will adore strolling around L'Enclos, the oldest part of town, and admire the marine museum, salt halls and various merchants’ houses. Visit 15th-century Saint Catherine’s Church, explore the Musée Eugène Boudin and see the Satie House & Museum for a sense of the area’s past. There are some very pretty walks within Honfleur — including around the Le Vieux Bassin, where painted fishing boasts bob in the water — as well as up Panorama Mont-Joli and the Garden des Personnalités. The Naturospace Butterfly House will be a sure-fire hit with keen naturalists of all ages, and there's plenty to see and do around the beaches or on the water.
Don’t miss seeing the fishing boasts return to port, laden with their catch in the mornings and evenings. The seafood in Normandy’s coastal towns is fabulous, and many of the best places to stay in Honfleur have wonderful restaurants specialising in fresh regional produce. Foodies will be spoilt for choice!
