Weekend in Honfleur

The Normandy Invasion continues. Last Saturday PBer Carolyn from Seattle joined me on the 8:09 am train from Gare St. Lazare to Trouville (2 hours). Then a 30 minute scenic bus ride. Et voila Honfleur.

Last week it was parasols. This week its boats. No wonder. Honfleur is noted for its beautiful boat basin lined with old houses, the vieux basin.

 

Its the birthplace of French Impressionism along the Seine. Turner, Corot, Jongking and especially Eugene Boudin who befriended Monet and took him 'en plein air' painting for the first time, wrenching him out of the studio into the luminous Norman light.

We stayed at chain hotel Ibis Styles Centre(119€). The walls had silhouettes of artists painting. Even the table was palette-shaped. My kind of place.

There are oodles of pretty shops selling everything caramel au beurre salé: candies, cookies, sauce. Plus Calvados, Cidre, Norman cheeses like Neufchatel and Camembert, the local apple juice is divine and, endless butter cookies. Basically you can eat yourself silly very easily in Honfleur.

Eating lunch and dinner out is remarkable cheap. An ample 3-course meal starts around 14€ with plenty of fresh seafood. I was happy as a clam. 

Reservations are not necessary and many are simple no-fuss mom-and-pop run establishments. Jill Colonna just wrote about visiting the higher end restaurants plus other sites in 10 Reasons to Visit Honfleur, Normandy appeared on Mad about Macarons exactly while I was there.

In no time at all you can escape to old, quiet cobble-stoned streets lined with split-timbered houses. *FYI take sturdy shoes for those cobblestones. 

I highly recommend visiting the Eugene Boudin museum, including a broad collection of local artists of Boudin's time as well as his sketches and paintings. Instant immersion into 19th century Honfleur. Nice scenic views over the town as well.

This week I fell overboard for ❤️ Honfleur. Have you been? 

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xxx💋Carolg et Bear 🐻 back in Paris