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CRUISING TO NORTHERN FRANCE:
LE HAVRE ATTRACTIONS |
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In this page, we look at some of the attractions and places of interest in central Le Havre. They are all within walking distance (sometimes long walking distance) of each other and of the port.
St. Joseph's ChurchThe center of Le Havre was devastated by Allied bombing leading up to the D-Day invasion in 1944. Following the war, a decision was made not to try and re-build the city as it had been but rather to create a new city center. Belgian architect Auguste Perret designed a modernist city making extensive use to reinforced concrete.
The centerpiece of Perret's city is St. Joseph's Church. Its 107 meter (351 foot) tower is visible throughout the city. The tower is self-supporting and thus essentially hollow. Inside are 12,800 panes of stained glass by Marguerite Hure. |
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Notre-Dame CathedralWhile St. Joseph's is the most spectacular church (indeed, building) in Le Havre, it is not the cathedral. That honor went to Notre Dame when the city was given a bishop in 1974.
Notre Dame dates back to the 1500s when King Francis I founded Le Havre. It has been expanded and added to over the years and is a combination of Gothic and Baroque styles. One of the cathedral's treasures is the grand organ, which was donated by Cardinal de Richelieu. Although damaged during the bombing in 1944, Notre Dame is the oldest building to have survived. |
MuMaThe Musee Malraux is Le Havre's fine arts museum. It is best known for its collection of Impressionist masterpieces, the largest in France outside of Paris. (See separate article).
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The Volcan
Le Havre's performing art center is known as The Volcan because of its resemblance to a volcano. Designed by Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer in 1982, it features a cone-shaped, which houses two theaters, and a saucer-shaped building, which is a library. This popular venue is a French national landmark.
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The Shipowner's MansionThe late 18th century Maison de L'Armateur is a townhouse that gives a glimpse of how a wealthy familyd in 18th and 19th century Le Havre.
Built by architect Paul-Michel Thibault as his holiday home, it was subsequently purchased by the shipowner and trader Pierre-Martin Fouche, who had it embellished with carvings and sculpting. Miraculously, the townhouse survived the 1944 bombing. It was acquired in 1950 and became a municipal museum. The museum presents 18th and 19th century artwork and furniture in a series of restored rooms. An interesting feature of the building is that its five-stories are built around an interior light well. |
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Natural History MuseumLe Harve's Natural History Museum first opened in 1881 in an 18th century building that had been the law courts. Damaged in the 1944 bombing, the museum did not reopen until 1973 after an extensive refurbishment and restoration.
The museum presents exhibits on paleontology, zoology and mineralogy. Part of the collection was gathered by Charles Alexandre Leseur who traveled to Australia in the early 19th century. He brought back some 100,000 specimens and produced some 6,000 drawings and manuscripts. |
Dubocage de Bleville Mansion
The Hotel Dubocage is an art and history museum located in a historic mansion in the St. Francois Quarter.
In the ealy 18th century, Michel Joseph Dubocage de Belville undertook a nine-year journey that took him around Cape Horn, through the Pacific and to China. He returned to Le Havre with a ship laidened with treasure. With his riches, he purchased a 16th century mansion designed by Jerome Bellarmato. He then expanded and embellished it for use as a home and for the trading company he established. Now a museum, the Dubocage has a large collection of chinaware. In addition, there is memorabilia relating to French ships and shipping as well as furniture and other items relating to Dubocage. |
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For more about cruising to Northern France:
NORTHERN FRANCE INDEX PARIS THE D-DAY BEACHES GIVERNY AND ROUEN THE ALABASTER COAST HONFLEUR, DEAUVILLE AND MONT SAINT MICHEL BAYEUX |
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Cruise ports - Northern France - Le Havre - Attractions - page one