Today we travelled by bus from the Charles de Gaulle airport to Le Havre and then on to Honfleur. Our journey was very pleasant passing through the French countryside to reach the coast.

Honfleur is a city located in the northern Normandy region of France. It’s on the estuary where the Seine river meets the English Channel. The Vieux-Bassin (old harbor) is lined with colourful 16th- to 18th-century townhouses and has been a subject for artists including Claude Monet and his mentor Eugène Boudin. The small B&B where we are staying is around the corner from St. Catherine’s Church, a vaulted timber church erected by the shipbuilders in the 15th century.

It was from the Honfleur port that Samuel de Champlain, one of the most famous explorers, left from to found the Canadian city of Quebec.

Once we dropped our luggage off we set out to explore the city. We walked the cobblestoned streets passed the various art stores, chocolatiers and restaurants and then followed the Promenade du Mer all the way to the Plage de Butin. From the promenade we had some nice views of the Pont de Normandie.

This vast bridge spans the Seine between Honfleur and Le Havre, and was designed by Michel Virlogeux. It opened in 1995, when it was the longest cable-stayed bridge in the world, at just over 7,000 feet. Although built as a toll bridge for vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists can cross for free and enjoy incredible panoramic views of the Seine estuary.

On our way back from the beach we walked through Les Jardin des Personnalities which consists of many mini gardens each named for and containing a stone bust of historical and cultural people of Honfleur. The park is spread over 10 hectares.

At the end of our walk we visited a small cafe along the water to enjoy a drink and waffle with chocolate.