I won a raffle prize for a mini-break to Brittany (you couldn’t make this up), which came with free return ferry tickets from Portsmouth to Le Havre. Three days in Normandy wasn’t long, but basing ourselves in Honfleur turned out to be perfect for exploring the region.
Honfleur is small enough to get to know in a day, yet positioned brilliantly for trips along the coast and inland. Here’s what we did, what worked, and what I’d recommend if you’re planning a weekend in the area.
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Our 3-Day Honfleur Itinerary
Day 1: Étretat’s Cliffs
After an overnight crossing from Portsmouth to Le Havre, we drove 30 minutes to Etretat.
The Arches
The chalk cliffs at Étretat have been carved into three natural arches by the sea. Monet, Boudin and Matisse all painted them, which gives you an idea of how striking they are.
The two main arches – Falaise d’Aval and Falaise d’Amont – bookend the pebble beach. You can see them from sea level, but climbing up gives you better views and perspective.
We walked up Falaise d’Aval first. There’s a path from the end of the boardwalk that runs along the beach. It’s steep but manageable, and from the top, you can see the third arch that’s hidden from the beach.
At low tide, you can apparently walk through the arches, though we didn’t try this. If you do, check the tide times first.
Falaise d’Amont
At the other end of the beach, steep steps lead up Falaise d’Amont. There’s also a road train if you don’t fancy the climb.
From the top, there are panoramic views back across to the arches. The grey stone Chapelle Notre Dame de la Garde sits up here, along with a monument to Nungesser and Coli, two French pilots who attempted the first non-stop Paris to New York flight in 1927.
Jardins d’Étretat
The Etretat Gardens on Falaise D’Amont are astounding. Inspired by the gardens of Claude Monet, they comprise seven separate gardens which combine landscape design, contemporary art and sound to offer an immersive experience.
Try to resist hugging a tree.
Honfleur
From Étretat, it’s an hour west to Honfleur, where we stayed for the next three nights at Mansion Victorine.
I’d had high expectations for Honfleur, and it lived up to them. The Vieux Bassin (old harbour) is one of France’s prettiest harbours, flanked by tall, narrow timber-framed buildings with slate roofs. Fishing boats have mostly been replaced by yachts, but the harbour hasn’t lost its character.
Away from the harbour, narrow cobbled streets wind through the old town. Most are lined with half-timbered buildings, antique shops and galleries.
The Église Sainte Catherine is France’s largest wooden church. Built by a local shipbuilder as a temporary replacement for the previous church destroyed in the Hundred Years’ War, it has a ceiling that looks like two upside-down ships’ hulls.
The Saturday market runs from 9 am to 12.30 pm. Get there early – it’s popular and gets packed quickly.
Day 2: Deauville, Villerville & A Boat Trip
Deauville
Deauville is 30 minutes from Honfleur and has been a fashionable resort since the 19th century. It’s known for horse racing, the Grand Casino and the American Film Festival, held each September.
But what everyone comes for is the beach, two kilometres of fine sand, backed by the famous boardwalk – Les Planches. This wooden promenade stretches for nearly half a mile, lined with beach huts bearing the names of film industry luminaries.
The multicoloured parasols planted in neat rows along the beach are very Instagrammable, if you care about that sort of thing. Even if you don’t, it’s a pleasant place to walk.
Villerville
We drove 15 minutes back towards Honfleur to Villerville, which turned out to be a real find.
Built on the cliff between Deauville and Honfleur, Villerville has kept its village character despite being a seaside resort. The narrow streets have a few good shops and restaurants, and it’s much quieter than Deauville.
Black-and-white signs scattered through the village depict scenes from the 1962 film A Monkey in Winter, which was shot here with Jean Gabin and Jean-Paul Belmondo.
We had an excellent lunch at one of the restaurants here, sitting at one of the tables spilling onto the cobbles
Boat Trip to Normandy Bridge
Back in Honfleur, boats leave regularly from the quayside for a 90-minute round trip to the mouth of the Seine estuary at Le Havre.
The highlight is passing under the Pont de Normandie. This cable-stayed bridge was completed in 1995 and spans more than 2km across the Seine. It’s the second-largest bridge of its type in the world and genuinely impressive from below.
The trip itself is relaxing rather than thrilling, but if you’ve been driving around all day, it makes for a nice change of pace.
Day 3: The D-Day Beaches
Omaha Beach is about 90 minutes west of Honfleur. On the sunny August afternoon we visited, the disconnect between the beautiful beach and what happened there in June 1944 was jarring.
The D-Day landings were split across five beaches along 60 miles of the Normandy coast: Utah and Omaha (American), Gold, Juno and Sword (British and Canadian). More than 132,000 troops landed on 6 June 1944, preceded by 18,000 paratroopers dropped inland overnight.
The Allies didn’t immediately capture their objectives like Caen and Bayeux, but the landings were the turning point in liberating Nazi-occupied northwestern Europe.
Arromanches (Gold Beach)
We stopped in Arromanches for lunch. The remains of Mulberry Harbour – the artificial port built by the Allies – are still visible in the water offshore.
Normandy American Cemetery (Omaha Beach)
We spent the rest of the afternoon at the American Cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach.
It covers 172 acres and contains over 9,000 graves – the largest American war cemetery in Normandy. The graves are marked by white marble crosses and Stars of David, set in landscaped grounds edged with Corsican pines.
People had left flowers on some graves, and stones on the Jewish ones, according to tradition. It’s an intensely moving place. We stayed much longer than planned.
We left at 6 pm and drove back to Le Havre, with time for one last French dinner before the overnight ferry to Portsmouth.
Other Normandy Day Trips from Honfleur
Whilst I can only vouch for the places above, several other destinations work well as day trips from Honfleur if you have more time:
Bayeux (90km, 1hr 15mins) is famous for the tapestry depicting the Norman Conquest. The medieval town is well preserved and makes a good base if you want to explore the D-Day beaches more thoroughly.
Rouen (80km, 1hr) is where Joan of Arc was executed. The Gothic cathedral was painted repeatedly by Monet, and the medieval quarter has remarkably preserved half-timbered buildings.
Giverny (85km, 1hr 20mins) is where Monet lived for 43 years. His house and gardens are open from April to October. The water lily pond and Japanese bridge are exactly as he painted them.
These are all within 90 minutes of Honfleur and are commonly recommended. I haven’t visited them myself from this base, but they’re the logical additions if you’re spending longer in the area.
Planning Your Weekend in Honfleur
When to visit
We went in August and had good weather, though it gets busy during school holidays. May, June, September and October would be ideal, with better weather than winter but fewer crowds.
If you want to visit Giverny, go between April and October when the gardens are open. Late spring is peak bloom time, but also peak tourist season.
How long to stay
Three days worked well for us: one day in Honfleur itself, two for trips out. You could easily spend a week if you wanted to cover everything on this list, plus the places I haven’t been to yet.
Several destinations pair well: Étretat and Deauville make a good combined trip. The D-Day beaches and Bayeux work together. Giverny probably needs a half-day to itself.
Getting there and getting around
Brittany Ferries sail from Portsmouth to Le Havre / Caen. Prices vary according to season and cabin type.
Having a car makes everything much easier. The roads are good and Normandy is straightforward to drive around. Most places have convenient car parks near the main sights.
There are buses between Le Havre and Honfleur (numbers 111 and 123, roughly 40 minutes), but services are infrequent. For exploring beyond Honfleur, you really need a car.
Where to stay
Honfleur isn’t a big town, and most of its accommodation is apartments.
Note that most apartments and hotels in Honfleur do not have their own car park. However, there are free car parks within a ten-minute walk of the centre of town, at the Naturospace Butterfly House on Boulevard Charles V.
We stayed at Mansion Victorine, a two-bedroom apartment right in the centre overlooking Église Sainte Catherine. Highly recommended.
If this doesn’t meet your needs, take a look at these alternatives:
La Maison Du Parc – exceptional reviews and within easy walking distance of Honfleur’s main sights.
ibis budget Honfleur Centre – centrally-located property at wallet-friendly prices
About Bridget
Bridget Coleman has been a passionate traveller for more than 30 years. She has visited 70+ countries, most as a solo traveller.
Articles on this site reflect her first-hand experiences.
To get in touch, email her at hello@theflashpacker.net or follow her on social media.