Paris1972-Versailles2003

Le Havre is worth a visit and how can folks be wrong. It is a more modern city thanks to hosting bombs in WWII but it has a nice layout with beautiful buildings. Great shopping and food to boot, we enjoy our trips there, twice and looking forward to be back ,eventually Let me tell you about the curiosities of Le Havre !! . Hope you enjoy the post as I

For reference, Le Havre is in the department de Seine-Maritime 76 of the region of Normandie right in the mouth of the Seine river, and of course in my belle France. There are older pics not in my blog as they should be, me think,

The Bassin du Commerce, also known as the floating dock, dates from 1792. It is located inside the rebuilt city center of Le Havre. It is bordered to the north by the George V quay (Liberty quay at the time of its excavation) and to the south by the Guillaume Le Testu and Lamblardie quays.

The Pont sur le Grand Canal du Havre or the Bridge over the Grand Canal of Le Havre is a 1,410 meters long bridge located in the town of Rogerville, near Le Havre, crossed by the road D929 allowing the continuity of the French A29 highway/motorway , It was completed in 1994, the bridge is located 2 km north of the Pont de Normandie . In addition to its length as above it has 50 meters under arch ,deck thickness: 3.80 meters and main span length: 275 meters, The canal was planned by Vauban, who built the 5 km Harfleur canal between this little port and the main port of Le Havre. It was completed in 1887, with one 180 by 12 meters lock at Tancarville, wider 14meters in the chamber. A second lock was added in the 1980s, longer and wider of 24 meters. The canal is linked to the sea by the Quinette de Rochemont lock, in the harbor, or the huge François 1er ship lock.

 The Saint-François de Paul Church (known as Saint Francis of Assisi) is one of the oldest buildings in city center/ downtown Le Havre and one of the only survivors. It is located in the district of Saint-François, which was rebuilt in a regionalist style, which contrasts with the other quarters rebuilt  by Auguste Perret. It is a 17C Church  of rather Renaissance style. The nave consists of four bays, plus another between nave and chorus. The Renaissance-style choir is of a more modest size. The high altar is a recent altar of neo-classical wood type. The choir has stalls and a small organ. At the bottom, in the apse, the altar with the tabernacle is surmounted by a Calvary. On the wall behind the altar there is a tapestry from the Royal Manufactory of Aubusson, offered in 1924 to the Church; Above, you can see a fresco depicting the coronation of the Virgin Mary.

The Monument aux Morts or War Memorial of the fallen is in the Perret district of the reconstructed city center of Le Havre on the former Place Gambetta (currently Place du Général de Gaulle), between the Bassin du Commerce and Le Volcan (see post) ,This particularly imposing war memorial measures approximately 10x5x5 meters and has in its upper part several commemorative figures, sculptures, etc. which turn their backs on the Bassin du Commerce. Its creation was entrusted to the sculptor Pierre-Marie Poisson in 1922 and completed in 1924 to glorify the soldiers who died during the 1914-18 Great War, but also to celebrate the French victory! It is therefore not simply a War Memorial but more precisely a Victory Monument! Its stone base flares out at ground level and on its surface are engraved and gilded the names of those from Le Havre who died for their homeland during Great War or WWI, then was reworked to add a plaque in tribute to those from Le Havre who died during WWII. The war memorial was one of the only vestiges of this district remaining intact after the terrible bombings of Le Havre in September 1944!

The Le Havre Etretat tourist office on Le Havre:  https://www.lehavre-etretat-tourisme.com/en/discover/the-essentials/discover-le-havre/

The city of Le Havre on its heritage:  https://www.lehavre.fr/ma-ville/decouvrir-le-havre

There you go folks, another dandy by the coast this time in lovely Normandy the land of many memories and courage. And Le Havre is right up there and needs to be visit more me think, Again, hope you enjoy the post on the curiosities of Le Havre as I.

And remember, happy travels, good health ,and many cheers to all !!!