Le Havre

Set off by Ouibus to discover the French port of Le Havre. Almost completely destroyed by allied bombing during the Second World War, Le Havre owes its reconstructed centre to architect Auguste Perret who designed a unique architectural ensemble, classed by Unesco as a world heritage site in 2005. Among the many gems that you can discover in the town centre, the Church of St Joseph and its 110 metre tall octagonal lantern tower is a highlight. Don’t miss the chance to visit “L’appartement témoin” a model apartment decorated in fifties style to the plans and designs of Auguste Perret at the time of Le Havre’s reconstruction. Art lovers will enjoy the exceptional collection of impressionist works in the MuMa (André Malraux Museum of Modern Art) which includes paintings by Courbet, Monet, Pissarro, Sisley, Boudin and Renoir. A model port city if ever there was one, with the addition of its Port 2000, Le Havre is France’s largest and busiest working port. Some 2.2 million containers are transported through the port each year. Returning to the town, it’s time to taste some local specialities. Sole Normande or coquilles Saint-Jacques (scallops), followed by the delicious apple tarte normande. At Christmas time, animal shaped pastries called aguignettes appear in the pastry shops, and we mustn’t forget the local star of the show, the deliciously gooey camembert. In fine weather, the many restaurants and cafes along the seafront are the perfect place to stop for a coffee and enjoy the sunshine. Blow the cobwebs away with a walk on the beach and perhaps a bracing dip in the sea for the bravest among you, before boarding the cosy and comfortable Ouibus for the journey home.