Honfleur/Rouen

[txladycruiser]

We will be docked one day in Honfleur. We just did Normandy about two years ago so would like to see some of the towns in that area.

 

Should we stay in Honfleur and explore or take a ship excursion to Rouen? At first I thought Rouen but then did a little research on Honfleur and it looks interesting, too.

 

Thanks.

 

 

Karen

[pobulus]

stay in Honfleur the city of this poor MME Bovary ...i ve been last year it's a very nice little town with a lot of thing to see very typical Rouen is a very big city no comparaison between

you even have comments on english every day for 6 euros by per.

you should have a look on the tourisme office of the town

[ilovhywd]

Honfleur is a charming place. Two weeks ago, we spent 2 hours there having a delightful lunch at one of the outdoor cafes on the quayside, watching all the people and the boats, and then we visited the many art galleries in the town. On the Saturday we visited, there was also a street market which slightly detracted from the charm of the town, but it was picked up and gone by 2:30.

 

Unfortunately, I can't say the same for Rouen. We took the train there from LeHavre on a previous trip. Unless you are interested in seeing the cathedral, there wasn't anything remotely interesting in the city.

 

Another very pretty place is Etretat where you can walk out on these spectacular cliffs. Perhaps you could spend the morning at Etretat and the afternoon in Honfleur. If you get together with some of the people on your roll call and hire a minivan, it wouldn't be as expensive as taking a taxi alone. I don't think there's any public transportation between the 2 towns, but maybe someone will post and let us know!

[tartanexile81]

We docked in Le Havre in April and took a taxi to Honfleur. We had a lovely tour of the area above the town including a charming chapel used by former Kings and Queens of France then spent a wonderful 3 hours soaking up the atmosphere round le Vieux bassin. There are lots of great seafood restaurants and historic buildings although it can get very busy. We also liked Rouen which we visted a couple of years ago. It has some beautiful timber-framed buildings but of the two we prefer Honfleur.

 

Agree with ilovhywd that Etretat is also well worth a visit but definitely no direct public transport. You'd have to get bus to le Havre then another one to Etretat. If you wanted to go, you'd really need a taxi. Etretat was very popular with the impressionists including Monet and is a lovely small traditional French seaside resort.

[Cornishpastyman1]

We will be docked one day in Honfleur. We just did Normandy about two years ago so would like to see some of the towns in that area.

 

Should we stay in Honfleur and explore or take a ship excursion to Rouen? At first I thought Rouen but then did a little research on Honfleur and it looks interesting, too.

 

Thanks.

 

 

Karen

Hi Karen

Honfleur is a nice place

and you could have a very nice leisurely day there, with no effort, maybe with a long lunch in the sun at the Old Dock :). It all depends how fierce is your 'wanderlust' and how intensive the rest of your cruise is I suppose.

All the best, Tony

[Cruise Junky]

We spent 5 days in Honfleur in 2010 and absolutely loved it.stay there and enjoy your day

[John Bull]

Since you are scheduled for Honfleur, be aware that the town has no train service & a very limited bus services. Thus Rouen would involve either bus to Le Havre/train from there to Rouen, or private transport.

Honfleur is fine for a laid-back day, its a pretty & tourist-orientated fishing port with plenty of shops, cafes, bars, a bit of a market, quaint streets & buildings. Many cruisers who port in Le Havre take a taxi (or bus if their ship schedule fits) to Honfleur.

If you want to explore a little, consider west along the coast to the twins of Trouville (fishing village) and Deauville (upmarket resort), on opposite sides of the river mouth. Easy bridge, you can wander from one to the other. Get there by taxi or bus http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.busverts.fr%2F

Or hire a car, mebbe explore further west to the D-Day beaches.

 

John Bull :)

[cruiseluv]

This is great info. Our cruise will stop for a whole day in Honfleur and we're currrently booked for a Rouen excursion, mainly to see the Cathedral. Now i'm rethinking it. I like the idea of going to Etretat. How far is it from Honfleur? Any idea of cost for a taxi between Honfleur and Etretat? Thanks for any further info.

[Monterey Girll]

Cruiseluv,

When is your cruise? We are taking a TA cruise August 31, 2012. I can't believe how active the CC board is for this cruise, already! I would be very interested in knowing any more info you get on this area. Our cruising buddies are going to Normandy and the D-Day Beaches ..we have already been there. I am very interested in possibly going to Mont Saint Michel, if I can figure out a way to get there! Was wondering anyone reading this has ever been there??? I have a bum leg and doubt if I can climb the mountain to get to the church. Is the town itself worth going? Having said that, I have read several posts commenting on how much people enjoyed Honfleur.Does anyone have any taxi/van services to recommend to Honfleur??

Thanks, Monterey Girll

[williegirlcat]

Cruiseluv,

When is your cruise? We are taking a TA cruise August 31, 2012. I can't believe how active the CC board is for this cruise, already! I would be very interested in knowing any more info you get on this area. Our cruising buddies are going to Normandy and the D-Day Beaches ..we have already been there. I am very interested in possibly going to Mont Saint Michel, if I can figure out a way to get there! Was wondering anyone reading this has ever been there??? I have a bum leg and doubt if I can climb the mountain to get to the church. Is the town itself worth going? Having said that, I have read several posts commenting on how much people enjoyed Honfleur.Does anyone have any taxi/van services to recommend to Honfleur??

Thanks, Monterey Girll

Hi,

Are you on the Jewel TA? If so, we are also interested in going to Honfleur from LeHavre. We did the Normandy excursion last year and also have been to Rouen. Perhaps we could either get a guide or taxi there.

I also follow the cc roll call for the Jewel, but havenot written on it too much.

Carol