LE HAVRE -DON’T MISS THIS HIDDEN GEM
Does your cruise itinerary include Le Havre? If so, you may be wondering whether there is anything interesting in town or if an expensive cruise excursion is your only option.
During my recent cruise I did stay in Le Havre and was so surprised! My expectations were quite low but I had a wonderful day, one of the best of the entire cruise! Read on to find out what I did so you can decide if Le Havre is worth spending your day in!
Should you book a Shore excursion or spend the day in Le Havre?
When I booked my cruise and saw Le Havre on the itinerary, I was excited as I have been wanting to take an excursion to Mont Saint Michel ever since I visited its cousin, St. Michael’s Mount in Cornwall. But to my surprise and disappointment, the cruise line did not offer a tour there and it was just too far to make it feasible as an independent excursion.
There are however other popular tours that are generally offered from Le Havre, namely Paris and the Beaches of Normandy. While these are great bucket-list items for many travelers, they do require a long bus trip (and are expensive).
Given that I don’t live THAT far from Paris/France going there for just a couple of hours didn’t appeal and the WWII sites didn’t rouse my interest either. On a previous trip we visited Honfleur which is indeed a charming small town. But on this trip I was rather stumped until I came up with a plan to visit Rouen on my own. But just like in Cadiz and Valencia my original plan didn’t work out and I ended up staying in town.
To my huge surprise, I absolutely loved my day in Le Havre! It ended up being a highlight on my trip, maybe because I didn’t have high expectations.
Does that mean that you should also stay in town instead of booking a tour to Paris or Normandy? Not necessarily. If this is a bucket-list trip for you and your only chance to see these famous destinations, Le Havre can’t compare.
But if you don’t want to spend a huge amount of money, don’t fancy spending hours in the bus, or just want a more relaxing day, Le Havre has plenty to keep you occupied for the day.
My plans for Le Havre
Like I said, my plan was to take the train to Rouen for the day. However, I got a late start and after realizing that the train ticket to Rouen would be fairly expensive, I decided to give Le Havre a chance.
And I am very glad I did!
Getting to Le Havre from the cruise ship
As I walked off the ship, I saw that they were selling shuttle bus tickets in the terminal. After regretting not buying a similar ticket the day before in Zeebrugge, I went ahead and purchased one.
For €7 you got to ride a bus from right outside the ship into town (or further to a shopping center) and back as well as use all public transit in town for the day. Even though I only used the ticket to get from and to the ship, it was a pretty good deal. I recommend you get this day ticket if you plan on spending time in Le Havre.
I just missed getting on one shuttle so did have to wait about 20 to 30 minutes. The ride into town took another minutes and dropped us off at Place Auguste Perret in the center of town.
Tip 1: Buy the shuttle ticket/day pass if you plan to spend your day in town
War Memorial – Reminders of WWII are everywhere in Le Havre
Stroll through Le Havre
Downtown Area
After getting off the shuttle bus I decided to just walk around a bit and explore. When I bought the shuttle ticket I also got a tourist map of town so had a basic idea of where to go.
I strolled along the main street and saw various interesting buildings and monuments. Le Havre’s architecture may not be for everyone but it is quite interesting!
The Cathedrale of Notre-Dame was the first church I visited in Le Havre
One thing I appreciated about Le Havre was that it was set up really well for tourists BUT was not over-crowded. Many beautiful cities like Lisbon and Barcelona really suffer due to the high influx of tourists.
Even with a cruise ship in town, Le Havre had just a sprinkle of visitors – probably because most ventured farther afield.
My first “stop” on the walk was the Cathedrale of Notre-Dame, about 10 minutes from the shuttle stop. While the Cathedral was fairly typical as far as churches go, it did have a serene atmosphere and a definite spirit of resilience.
In general, Le Havre was just much nicer than I expected. For some reason I thought it would be dirty, grimey, boring, and depressed. Nothing could have been further from the truth. It looked sparkly clean and quite affluent (the sunshine probably helped)!
Look around to discover surprising details
While not traditionally beautiful, there were a lot of unique and interesting details to be discovered, like the people on this house or the container arch at the port.
Le Havre’s role as a port city has shaped the town
Le Havre’s Seafront
After about 20 minutes I arrived at the seafront. Now, on a dreary and rainy day this would probably not have been a highlight but during my visit the sun was shining and there was a fresh sea breeze.
There were plenty of benches to sit and read or enjoy the beautiful day. I know that may not sound the most exciting, but I enjoyed this so much and was glad I wasn’t stuck on a three hour bus ride instead.
Museum Malraux has the second biggest collection of Impressionist paintings in France!
On the way I passed by the Museum of Modern Art. As the weather was so nice I did not go in but if you are in Le Havre on a less pleasant day (or if you are an art lover), the museum would be a great activity. It is especially known for its Impressionist paintings!
Plenty of benches make it easy to relax
Around that time I was getting a bit desperate for a bathroom. Luckily, several public restrooms were marked on the map I had gotten earlier.
Tip 2: Don’t be afraid of the automated public restrooms
Still, the map was a bit confusing so I will include here how to find one (because if you have read more of my posts you will know I am all about restrooms).
Le Havre has a number of automated public bathrooms (marked on the tourist map). They are a bit intimidating but work just fine.
I was a bit nervous that I might get locked inside but luckily it worked just fine!
On the map it looked like the restroom is inside the Tourist Center. This is not the case (I asked). Instead, you need to cross the street and go a little bit further northwards. When you see a public pool you turn left till you see a playground. The bathroom is located at the other side of the playground (less than 5 minutes from the Tourist Center).
Visit to Les Jardins Suspendus
Getting to the Botanical Garden from Town
I am a fan of gardens so when I saw the Jardins Suspendus marked as a main sight on the map I decided to visit. It was a bit of a climb but absolutely worth it! However, if you are looking for rather less exercise you could also take the bus up the hill.
In this part of the town there were more houses that must have survived the war
On the way I passed what I presume is one of the few houses left standing after the war. I loved the way it looked – Le Havre must have been so pretty before it was destroyed!
Tip 3: Walking from the seaside to Les Jardins Suspendus is not difficult but a bit of a climb. Use the bus if you want to conserve energy.
I didn’t have a very clear idea of how to get to the gardens other than “head up the hill” but it proved to be quite easy. Basically, every corner had a sign post to the Jardins Suspendus with estimated walking duration. Even I didn’t get lost so I am sure you won’t have a problem.
As the weather was so nice I am glad I decided on walking as it gave me a chance to see some interesting buildings as well as good views of the entire town.
Entrance to the botanical garden Les Jardins Suspendus
Les Jardins Suspendus
Let me first say that I loved, loved, loved visiting this botanical garden. Not so much because it was stunning (though it was very pretty) but it just had a wonderful quiet, summery, peaceful vibe. Birds were atwittering, bees ahumming, there was a fresh sea breeze, brilliant sunshine, the smell of fresh cut grass and sweet flowers… you get the picture!
I probably would not recommend a visit in bad weather but on a sunny day it is a very pleasant place to be.
Hedge mazes are some of my most favorite things!
Right at the entrance I found one of my favorite things – a hedge maze. This one was not the most exciting I have ever been in as there wasn’t a central fountain/resting place but it was a fair size and fun to explore.
I am a bit unsure whether there is an entrance fee for visiting the garden. According to the sign at the entrance there is a small fee, but when I went to the ticket building it was closed for lunch for several hours. Not sure if the fee only applies if you want to visit the inside of the greenhouses (which were also closed during lunch break)?
In any case, I just explored the gardens without the green houses and never paid an entrance fee. However, I wouldn’t have minded spending a couple of euros to enjoy the view and the gardens.
Aside of the green houses, you will find a small cafe towards the back entrance and a toilet in the corners of the square.
Basically, the Jardin Suspendus are built within a former fortress so imagine a large rectangle that is surrounded by earthen walls. The greenhouses are in the lower part of the rectangle but you can walk along the outside walls for great views as well as various smaller gardens.
Highlights of the Jardins Suspendus
I am not sure if I saw every corner but here are some of my favorite areas within Le Havre’s Jardin Suspendus:
Ever wanted to feel like a hobbit? Here is your chance!
The Hedge Maze seen from above
There are a number of green houses as well as other plants in the middle of the grounds
My favorite though was the rose garden. It was just a wonderful tranquil spot to sit, read, relax, and enjoy the early summer day!
For most though the highlight will be the view over Le Havre from the top
All in all, I spent about two hours in the gardens and had a wonderful time. If you visit Le Havre in good weather I strongly recommend checking out the Jardin Suspendus!
Church St. Joseph and City Hall
Going down the hill was faster (and easier) than climbing up and soon I was back at the seafront.
So far I had already had a wonderful time but I had no idea that another highlight was waiting for me!
Èglise St. Joseph
Just minutes from the seafront is the church of Saint Joseph. As I hadn’t done any research on Le Havre (remember, I had no plans to stay in town) I had never heard of this church. But once in town it is hard to miss!
Especially from up on the hill the distinctive pencil shape (though I believe it is supposed to resemble a lantern) can be seen far and wide. Actually, I don’t know many cities in which the main church rises so far above all other buildings.
But I was even more suprised once I went inside. I had no expectations about what the church would be like and was absolutely stunned!
Though quite different in style, Saint Joseph reminded me strongly of Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. An impressive soaring ceiling and an abundance of stained glass-windows (my favorite!)!
Instead of the stone, parable shapes, and natural waves in Gaudi’s church in Barcelona, you will find wood and squares here but the colorful light streaming through the many windows was quite similar.
And Saint Joseph has several advantages compared to Sagrada Familia: there is no entrance fee and no need to make a reservation – you can just walk in. If you are looking for a serene space for some meditation or prayer this church is definitely a better bet. There was only a sprinkling of tourists and it felt like a church and not a tourist attraction!
City Hall
All in all, Saint Joseph was a highlight of my cruise – partly because it was completely unexpected, but partly because it is an impressive church!
After a short stay in the church I started to make my way back to the shuttle pick-up in the center of town. However, I still wanted to check out the City Hall.
On the way there I passed by a shopping area. It looked pleasant and inviting but time was getting short so I decided against spending any time there.
Le Havre’s City Hall is designed in the distinctive style and uniform beige color typical of the city. While not exactly pretty, it did have its own flair and the large park in front of the building was pretty and inviting.
In the square there was a cool fountain as well as places to sit. Unfortunately, by that time I was getting quite thirsty and tired so decided to call it a day. Luckily, it is only a five minute walk from the City Hall to where the bus to the port picked up.
The return to the ship went off without a hitch and I was glad that I had spent the money for the day ticket even though I didn’t use it otherwise.
Conclusion
To my surprise, Le Havre was one of my favorite stops on this cruise. I had a wonderful time in town, partly due to the good weather and partly due to my low expectations. However, Le Havre definitely has enough of interest to spend a day – with cool city architecture, a pleasant seafront, a wonderful botanical garden, and some stunning churches.
So if you find yourself “stuck” in Le Havre – don’t worry! The town has great charm and you too can have a wonderful and relaxing day there!
