Tag: Le Havre

Setting sail on a Northern European cruise to Le Havre, France, transports travelers to a city that is both a modern marvel and a testament to resilience. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its post-war architecture, Le Havre is a striking blend of bold modernism and rich maritime heritage. As the gateway to Normandy, this bustling port city not only offers visitors a chance to explore the impressionist landscapes of Étretat, the historic allure of Honfleur, and the poignant memories of the D-Day beaches but also the unmatched opportunity for an excursion to the dazzling capital, Paris. Just a short journey away, Paris beckons with its iconic Eiffel Tower, world-renowned museums, and romantic Seine River cruises. Within Le Havre itself, the avant-garde design of St. Joseph’s Church stands juxtaposed against the vibrant scenes of the daily market and harbor. A cruise to Le Havre delivers a rich tapestry of experiences, from the maritime charm of Normandy to the timeless allure of the City of Lights.

Cruises to Le Havre, France

Le Havre, FranceConsidering it was bombarded 146 times during WW2, you might think there’d be little left to see in Le Havre – France’s second-largest port (after Marseille). The rebuilt city, with its uncompromising recourse to reinforced concrete and open spaces, is admittedly short on old-school charm.

A Unesco World Heritage Site since 2005, Le Havre is a love letter to modernism, evoking, more than any other French city, France’s postwar energy and optimism. The centre was completely rebuilt by the Belgian architect Auguste Perret, whose bright, airy modernist vision remains, miraculously, largely intact. The most striking example of Perret’s architecture is the concrete Eglise St Joseph, shaped like a lighthouse, with 12,768 pieces of coloured glass inside the 107m high octagonal lantern tower where the colours reflected differ throughout the day due to the placement of the sun. Built to commemorate the victims of the Allied bombings in 1944, it is an architectural masterpiece of the 20th century and is well worth visiting. The 16th century cathedral is one of the few buildings left of that era that survived the bombing although it did suffer damage. At the Appartement Témoin, a show apartment from the 1950s, you can discover what life was like in the 50s at the birth of consumerism and mass-production.

Numerous museums and galleries provide cultural interest, and in summer, there are several beaches for the sun-seekers.

  • Malraux Art Museum
  • Museum of Natural History
  • he Corinne le Monnier Gallery
  • Saint Joseph’s Church
  • Japanese Garden
  • Day trips in rural Normandy

Explore cruises to Le Havre

7-day cruise to Hamburg, Bruges, Rotterdam & Le Havre with MSC Cruises

P&O Iona, Northern Europe from Southampton, December 7, 2024

7-day cruise to Hamburg, Rotterdam, Bruges and Le Havre with P&O Cruises Cruising from: Southampton, UK; Departure Date: December 7, 2024; Duration: 7-day cruise; Cruise Line: P&O Cruises; Cruise Ship: P&O Iona; Ports of Call: Southampton, Hamburg, Rotterdam, Zeebrugge (Bruges), Le[…]

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7-day cruise to Hamburg, Bruges, Rotterdam & Le Havre with MSC Cruises

P&O Iona, Northern Europe from Southampton, November 2, 2024

7-day cruise to Hamburg, Rotterdam, Bruges and Le Havre with P&O Cruises Cruising from: Southampton, UK; Departure Date: November 2, 2024; Duration: 7-day cruise; Cruise Line: P&O Cruises; Cruise Ship: P&O Iona; Ports of Call: Southampton, Hamburg, Rotterdam, Zeebrugge (Bruges), Le[…]

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7-day Northern Europe Cities cruise with AIDA

MSC Euribia, Northern Europe from Hamburg, October 20, 2024

7-day cruise to Rotterdam, Zeebrugge, Le Havre and Southampton with MSC Cruises Cruising from: Hamburg, Germany; Departure Date: October 20, 2024; Duration: 7-day cruise; Cruise Line: MSC Cruises; Cruise Ship: MSC Euribia; Ports of Call: Hamburg, Rotterdam, Zeebrugge, Le Havre, Southampton, Hamburg;[…]

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7-day cruise to Hamburg, Bruges, Rotterdam & Le Havre with MSC Cruises

MSC Euribia, Northern Europe from Southampton, October 18, 2024

7-day cruise to Hamburg, Rotterdam, Bruges and Le Havre with MSC Cruises Cruising from: Southampton, UK; Departure Date: October 18, 2024; Duration: 7-day cruise; Cruise Line: MSC Cruises; Cruise Ship: MSC Euribia; Ports of Call: Southampton, Hamburg, Rotterdam, Zeebrugge (Bruges), Le[…]

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7-day Northern Europe Cities cruise with AIDA

MSC Euribia, Northern Europe from Hamburg, October 13, 2024

7-day cruise to Rotterdam, Zeebrugge, Le Havre and Southampton with MSC Cruises Cruising from: Hamburg, Germany; Departure Date: October 13, 2024; Duration: 7-day cruise; Cruise Line: MSC Cruises; Cruise Ship: MSC Euribia; Ports of Call: Hamburg, Rotterdam, Zeebrugge, Le Havre, Southampton, Hamburg;[…]

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7-day Northern Europe Cities cruise with AIDA

AIDAprima, Northern Europe from Hamburg, October 12, 2024

7-day cruise to Rotterdam, Zeebrugge, Le Havre and Southampton with AIDA Cruises Cruising from: Hamburg, Germany; Departure Date: October 12, 2024; Duration: 7-day cruise; Cruise Line: AIDA Cruises; Cruise Ship: AIDAprima; Ports of Call: Hamburg, Rotterdam, Zeebrugge, Le Havre, Southampton, Hamburg;[…]

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7-day cruise to Hamburg, Bruges, Rotterdam & Le Havre with MSC Cruises

MSC Euribia, Northern Europe from Southampton, October 11, 2024

7-day cruise to Hamburg, Rotterdam, Bruges and Le Havre with MSC Cruises Cruising from: Southampton, UK; Departure Date: October 11, 2024; Duration: 7-day cruise; Cruise Line: MSC Cruises; Cruise Ship: MSC Euribia; Ports of Call: Southampton, Hamburg, Rotterdam, Zeebrugge (Bruges), Le[…]

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7-day Northern Europe Cities cruise with AIDA

MSC Euribia, Northern Europe from Hamburg, October 6, 2024

7-day cruise to Rotterdam, Zeebrugge, Le Havre and Southampton with MSC Cruises Cruising from: Hamburg, Germany; Departure Date: October 6, 2024; Duration: 7-day cruise; Cruise Line: MSC Cruises; Cruise Ship: MSC Euribia; Ports of Call: Hamburg, Rotterdam, Zeebrugge, Le Havre, Southampton, Hamburg;[…]

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7-day Northern Europe Cities cruise with AIDA

AIDAprima, Northern Europe from Hamburg, September 28, 2024

7-day cruise to Rotterdam, Zeebrugge, Le Havre and Southampton with AIDA Cruises Cruising from: Hamburg, Germany; Departure Date: September 28, 2024; Duration: 7-day cruise; Cruise Line: AIDA Cruises; Cruise Ship: AIDAprima; Ports of Call: Hamburg, Rotterdam, Zeebrugge, Le Havre, Southampton, Hamburg;[…]

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