The 10 things to do in Le Havre

Are you going to visit Le Havre? Find our selection of incontournable to do and to see in this port city with discreet charm.

Under its industrial port allure, Le Havre has a unique architecture. Between the high city and the low city, surprises await the walkers at the turn of the streets. These are testimony to a tumultuous history, punctuated with military assaults.

Today, this sub-prefecture of Seine-Maritime is part of the UNESCO listed heritage. It is also a popular destination for tourists, looking for a little Norman sweetness.

From the city centre to the beach, Wanderlix takes you to visit Le Havre for a weekend at the edge of the Channel!

1. The port

Embark on a ship to visit Le Havre on the sea! Guided by the captain, you will discover the lock François 1er, which was the largest in the world until 1989. You will also see the oil and tide pools. This iodized walk is a good entry to discover the city. You will also have a unique view on the landscape.

Fishing lover? Beginner(e) or expert, you can enjoy your stay to exercise and bring some specimens typical of the Norman coasts to the ground!

2. The Musée d’Art Moderne André Malraux

What to do in Le Havre when you love Art? The choice is wide but your first step will certainly be the MuMa. Located near the port, it welcomes a rich collection of paintings and sculptures.

Impressionism is widely represented, making this museum the second most important collection in France, after the Musée d’Orsay in Paris. The fund owes much to the various bequests that have fed it. The museum was able to acquire works by Monet, Gauguin or Pissaro. Rebuilt after World War II, it is open from Tuesday to Sunday and is free for all on the first Saturday of each month.

3. The Perret district

In 1944, the city was shaved by successive bombings. Its reconstruction after the war is one of the first to be launched by the state. This one then entrusts the file to the architect Auguste Perret , which imagines a new city center with wide spaces, such as Avenue Foch and Porte Océane.

Visit Le Havre is an opportunity to admire this exceptional urban set, which is now on the UNESCO Heritage List. To complete your walk, don’t hesitate to push the door of the Perret Witness Appartement, rue de Paris. Fully furnished and decorated in the taste of the 1950s, it served as a model for the realization of new housing and allows to learn more about the reconstruction of the city.

4. The forest of Montgeon

If you are looking for what to do in Le Havre with children, here is a good idea of sports activity! This large park of two hundred and seventy hectares is an ancient prehistoric site. It is equipped with several football pitches, a cycle track and playgrounds. A water plan allows to practice nautical activities, such as pedal boat.

To promote access to all walkers, trails are arranged for people with reduced mobility. You can also go there for a simple walk, as well as for a picnic. A good way to taste a moment of calm in green, alone or in family.

5. The Church of Saint Joseph

Under his headlight, it is a church! All visitors wondering that doing in Le Havre can not miss this impressive monument. The Church of St. Joseph, dedicated to the victims of the Second World War, became emblematic of the city.

Made of concrete, it houses more than twelve thousand stained glass windows, work of the glassmaker Marguerite Huré. These offer dazzling light games at the expense of the weather. Visiting Le Havre would not be complete without the discovery of this church to the unique atmosphere.

6. The Suspendus Gardens

What to do in Le Havre in love, if it’s a walk in the Suspendus Gardens? These atypical gardens are located in an old fort of the nineteenth century.

There you will find thematic developments that pay tribute to the four corners of the globe. The Japanese garden in particular is not to be missed. With its pools and typical vegetation, it invites relaxation and meditation. You will also see a large collection of exotic and aromatic plants with delicate fragrances. Last detail, and not least, these gardens offer you a breathtaking view of the city that stretches to your feet.

7. The beach of downtown

Few cities can boast of a beach in the city centre! However, it was the case of Le Havre, who obtained the status of a seaside resort in 1999. Two kilometers of sand and pebble await you just five hundred meters from the historic centre.

For sports/sports, kitsurfing, canoeing and beach volleyball are on the programme. What to offer you a few moments of relaxation to the beautiful days. And if you ask that you do in Le Havre when it rains and the storm threatens, go take a careful look at the dikes: the wave show is impressive!

8. The Docks

Auguste Perret is not the only architect to have scored Le Havre from his print. The Les Bains des Docks swimming pool was designed by Jean Nouvel, also at the origin of the Quai Branly Museum Paris. In addition to admiring the building, you will have the pleasure of accessing several swimming pools, one outside. A sauna, a hammam, a balneo space and a playful space for children complement the offer. Visiting Le Havre is to join the useful and pleasant!

9. Air activities

Is that a big jump? Amateurs and lovers of strong sensations, Le Havre has more than one round in his bag in terms of adrenaline. Renowned for its aerial activities, the city proposes to whom it will want reversing experiences! Helicopter baptism, parachute jump, ULM and even flight initiation: there are for all tastes. Most of you take you to the cliffs of Etretat and invite you to visit Le Havre and its region views from the sky.

10. A boat ride

If you are on the coast, it is a step that you should not miss under any pretext: walking by boat. On the Seine or in the Atlantic Ocean, many walks are possible.

For that, it is enough rent a boat in Le Havre then choose a destination. Etretat , Rouen Honfleur, Deauville Cabourg... The hardest thing is to make a choice!

How to go to Le Havre?

By plane

The city of Le Havre is about 2h30 from Paris-Orly and Paris-Charles de Gaulle airports . You can also land to Le Havre-Octeville Airport , located northwest of the city. It hosts commercial flights, both national and European.

It is also possible to reach Le Havre from other airports in the Norman region: Caen-Carpiquet, Deauville-Saint-Gatien and Rouen-Vallée de Seine. Do not hesitate to go through an online comparison, like our partner Ulysses . You will find your tickets at the best price to visit Le Havre.

By train or bus

Near the city centre, the Havre train station is at the terminus from Paris Saint-Lazare . Trains go there every day from Marseille, Rouen or Lyon. It is also a regional station, including links to Rouen, Yvetot and Fécamp.

It is possible to reach Le Havre by bus since Honfleur, Caen or Paris . Once in town, you can use the public transport service set up by the Havre metropolis. The LiA network offers fifteen bus lines, as well as two tram lines and even a funicular linking the high city and the low city!

By car

• From Paris: count 2h30 via the A13 motorways, then A131.
• From Rouen or Rennes: take the A29 motorway.

By boat

The port of Le Havre also allows you to reach the city for a few days. There are regular connections with Portsmouth, England, and Rotterdam, the Netherlands. And why not go down the Seine from Paris during a cruise?

Where to stay in Le Havre?

If you plan to visit Le Havre, there are several accommodation options available to you. You can rent a furnished apartment to an individual, type Airbnb , from 45€ at night. In the heart of downtown or near the beach, they will allow you to discover Le Havre as the premises.

If you prefer to rent a hotel room, know that prices start around 35€ , and go up to 90€ at night for three-star hotels. To find the best offers according to the seasons do not hesitate to jaunt the rates on a Compare hotels .

Finally, more economical but also further away, you can play the map of the campsite in one of the campsites close to Le Havre, in Honfleur, for example. Count about 50€ , for the location, parking of your car and electricity for one night.

You now know what to do in Le Havre during your next stay!