Normandy, Brittany & the Best of the North_ With Paris (Fodor's) - Fodor's [19]
SPORTS AND THE OUTDOORS IN ÉTRETAT
Don’t miss the chance to play at Golf d’Étretat (Rte. du Havre | 76790 | 02–35–27–04–89), where the breathtaking 6,580-yard, par-72 course drapes across the cliff tops of the Falaise d’Aval; it’s closed Tuesday.
LE HAVRE
28 km (18 mi) southwest of Étretat via D940, 88 km (55 mi) west of Rouen, 200 km (125 mi) northwest of Paris.
Visitor Information
Le Havre Tourist Office (186 bd. Clemenceau | 76600 | 02–32–74–04–04 | www.ville-lehavre.fr).
EXPLORING LE HAVRE
Le Havre, France’s second-largest port (after Marseille), was bombarded 146 times during World War II. You may find the rebuilt city, with its uncompromising recourse to reinforced concrete and open spaces, bleak and uninviting; on the other hand, you may admire Auguste Perret’s rational planning and audacious modern architecture, which earned the city UNESCO World Heritage status. The hilly suburb of Sainte-Adresse, just west of town, is resplendent with Belle Époque villas and an old fortress. It’s also worth a visit for its beach, often painted by Raoul Dufy, and for its fine views of the sea and port, immortalized in a famous Monet masterpiece.
The Musée Malraux, the city art museum, is an innovative 1960s glass-and-metal structure surrounded by a moat, and includes an attractive sea-view café. Two local artists who gorgeously immortalized the Normandy coast are showcased here—Raoul Dufy (1877–1953), through a remarkable collection of his brightly colored oils, watercolors, and sketches; and Eugène Boudin (1824–98), a forerunner of Impressionism, whose compelling beach scenes and landscapes tellingly evoke the Normandy sea and skyline. | 2 bd. Clemenceau | 76600 | 02–35–19–62–62 | €5 | Wed.–Mon. 11–6.
The other outstanding building in Le Havre, and one of the most impressive 20th-century churches in France, is the Église St-Joseph, built to the plans of Auguste Perret in the 1950s. The 350-foot tower powers into the sky like a fat rocket. The interior is just as thrilling. No frills here: the 270-foot octagonal lantern soars above the crossing, filled almost to the top with abstract stained glass that hurls colored light over the bare concrete walls. | Bd. François-Ier | 76000 | 02–35–42–20–03.
WHERE TO EAT AND STAY IN LE HAVRE
L’Orchidée.
$$$ | SEAFOOD | With the port and fish market within netting distance, seafood is guaranteed to be fresh here. It’s a no-frills place—the visual appeal is on your plate, in the pinks and greens of the smoked salmon and avocado sauce that accompany the chef’s homemade fish terrine. Although chef Stéphane Lamotte specializes in fresh fish, notably sea bass, turbot, and sole fricassee with leeks, L’Orchidée has its share of meat dishes—the breast of duck with three-pepper sauce is usually a winner. | 41 rue du Général-Faidherbe | 76600 | 02–35–21–32–42 | www.restaurant-orchidee.com | AE, MC, V | Closed Mon., No dinner Sun., no lunch Sat.
Best Western Art Hotel.
$–$$ | A structure designed by the famed architect Auguste Perret (d. 1954)—whose mastery of the art of reinforced concrete lent so much élan to the rebuilding of war-devasted Le Havre—this hotel is handily located by the soothing waters of the Bassin de Commerce. Renovated in 2005, the light, airy rooms have contemporary furniture; the best, such as No. 63, which has a balcony, have views of the port. The bar, a sleek and soigné sanctum in teak woods and designer fabrics, is inviting. As at all hotels in Le Havre, the prices are high for the size of the rooms. Pros: modernist panache; functional; central. Cons: no restaurant; few rooms with balcony. | 147 rue Louis-Brindeau | 76600 | 02–35–22–69–44 | www.bestwestern.fr