What are the best campsites for visiting Honfleur?
2-star campsite in Honfleur: Camping du Phare
Located just a five-minute walk from the Vieux Bassin, Camping du Phare ** is the perfect campsite for exploring Honfleur and its many attractions. Set in lush green surroundings, it accommodates tents, caravans and motorhomes, with 99 pitches and disabled access. Butin Beach is also less than a kilometre away, perfect for a spot of relaxation by the sea. The campsite is open from April to October.
4-star campsite near Honfleur in Normandy
Located in Villerville, in Calvados, Camping Le Château d’Arvid **** is ideally situated 2.5 km from the beaches and just 12 km from Honfleur. This family-friendly campsite offers a lovely water park with heated pools, an indoor pool, slides and water play areas for children. On site, holidaymakers can also enjoy play areas, a multi-sports campground, a mini-golf course and a restaurant. The campsite is open from April to September.
4-star campsite near Honfleur in Calvados
Located in Touques, just 16 km from Honfleur and Deauville, Camping Les Haras de Deauville **** is a lovely base from which to explore the Côte Fleurie. It offers fully equipped mobile homes as well as a water park with heated swimming pools, a paddling pool and water slides. The campsite is open from April to September.
5-star campsite near Honfleur, close to the seaside
Situated less than 4 km from the centre of Honfleur, Camping La Briquerie ***** enjoys a peaceful setting between the sea and the countryside. This family-friendly campsite offers comfortable pitches as well as a water park with indoor swimming pools, a paddling pool and a heated pool. A restaurant and various facilities are also available on site. The campsite is open from April to September.
To extend your stay and discover all the campsites in Calvados, click here.
What are the must-see highlights in Honfleur?
A family stroll through the heart of old Honfleur
To explore Honfleur, there’s nothing quite like starting your walk around the Vieux Bassin, the town’s true historic heart. Surrounded by bustling quays and colourful boats, it offers a charming setting that’s particularly lovely to explore with the family. Children will enjoy watching the boats whilst parents can soak up the peaceful atmosphere of the harbour and the many terraces that surround it.
The walk continues along Quai Sainte-Catherine, recognisable by its striking tall, narrow houses with their colourful façades, packed closely together. This architectural ensemble, now one of Honfleur’s most iconic sights, gives the neighbourhood a unique atmosphere. As you stroll through the neighbouring streets, you’ll also discover small shops, galleries and pretty squares where it’s lovely to linger.
Continuing round the harbour, you’ll eventually reach the Lieutenance, a former fortified gate that once marked the entrance to the town. Overlooking the harbour, it makes for a lovely finishing point to this first walk. This easy and enjoyable stroll allows you to discover the main charms of Calvados and Honfleur’s historic centre, whilst enjoying an outing suitable for the whole family.
Discovering the churches of Sainte-Catherine and Saint-Léonard
Continue your exploration of Honfleur by taking the time to explore two of the town’s remarkable religious buildings. In the heart of the historic quarter, the Church of Sainte-Catherine immediately catches the eye with its architecture built entirely of wood, making it the largest wooden church in France. With its two naves, its roof structure reminiscent of that of ships, and its separate bell tower, it bears witness to the craftsmanship of the shipwrights who helped build it. The interior, which is warm and rich in detail, is also well worth a visit.
As you continue your walk westwards through the old town, you’ll come across Saint-Léonard Church, recognisable by its imposing façade and bell tower, which dominates the neighbourhood. Rebuilt over the centuries, it features a unique architectural style blending Gothic and Renaissance influences. Its interior also holds some lovely surprises, with its vaulted ceilings and decorative features. These two churches, very different from one another, offer a glimpse into another facet of Honfleur’s heritage whilst making for a pleasant family stroll through the streets of the historic centre.
In the footsteps of Eugène Boudin and Erik Satie
Honfleur can also be explored through the artists who have shaped its history. The Eugène Boudin Museum, founded in 1868, pays tribute to the famous painter who was born in Le Havre but had a deep attachment to Honfleur and its landscapes. Its collections allow visitors to discover works dedicated to Normandy, its ports and its famous skies, whilst immersing themselves in the region’s artistic world. Just a short walk away, the Maisons Satie invite visitors to step into a completely different world as they enter the birthplace of the composer and pianist Erik Satie. Through an original and engaging exhibition combining music, images and installations, visitors of all ages can discover the remarkable personality of this native of Honfleur. The Maisons Satie have also been listed as Historic Monuments since 1992, adding a further heritage dimension to this cultural visit.
To round off this exploration, the Maritime Museum traces Honfleur’s maritime history through model ships, artefacts and accounts relating to life at the port. Housed in Saint-Étienne Church, the Museum of Ethnography and Regional Folk Art offers a glimpse into everyday life and Normandy’s traditions, set within a collection of old houses with a unique charm.image
The Salt Granaries, a testament to the maritime past
No visit to Honfleur is complete without admiring the two imposing Salt Granaries, built in 1670 on Colbert’s initiative to store salt intended, in particular, for cod-fishing expeditions. Built of stone and featuring remarkable oak roof structures inspired by shipbuilding techniques, they could hold up to 10,000 tonnes of salt and today stand as a valuable testament to the town’s maritime history. Listed as Historic Monuments, they now host exhibitions, performances and cultural events. Please note: access to the interior is only available as part of guided tours organised on an ad hoc basis; it is therefore advisable to check with the Tourist Office or Honfleur Town Council before your visit.
Honfleur’s gardens: a green retreat
Honfleur can also be explored by taking the time to stroll through its gardens, true havens of greenery nestled between the town and the estuary. The Jardin des Personnalités, spread over 10 hectares on the banks of the Seine, offers a unique stroll amongst ‘garden boats’ featuring busts of figures who have shaped Honfleur’s history, such as Eugène Boudin, Claude Monet, Erik Satie and Samuel de Champlain. Both peaceful, fun and educational, this stroll offers a different way to explore the town whilst enjoying the view of the estuary and the boats passing by. It’s a particularly pleasant spot for families: children can wander along the paths, have fun trying to recognise the figures and discover Honfleur’s history in an entertaining way. The garden is free to enter and open every day from 8 am to 7 pm.
Honfleur: where the joys of the sea meet the flavours of Normandy
Honfleur is also ideal for a more relaxed exploration, combining outdoor activities, cultural events and culinary delights. At the entrance to the town, Butin Beach offers a pleasant spot to relax, take a stroll or enjoy water sports such as sand yachting; it has free car parking, toilets, foot showers and a children’s play area, with supervised swimming in July and August from 10.30 am to 7 pm. In August, music lovers can also enjoy the Jazz au Grenier festival, whilst the markets offer a taste of the local atmosphere: a traditional market on Saturday mornings, an organic market on Wednesday mornings, a night market on Wednesday evenings in July and August, and a fish market from Thursday to Sunday mornings, depending on the catch. Finally, you simply cannot leave Honfleur without sampling the flavours of Normandy: cider, scallops, fish and seafood, as well as the three iconic AOC cheeses – Pont-l’Évêque, Livarot and Camembert – are all specialities to be discovered at the market stalls and in the town’s restaurants.