Harbouring hopes at The Harbour

Le Havre is the port closest to Paris, sitting on the English Channel – at the estuary of the river Seine –where France has long faced England across the water. That alone makes me curious. This was once a gateway for commerce, but also shaped by centuries of rivalry. Somewhere along this coast, William the Conqueror crossed the Channel on his way to claim the English throne. Centuries later, the Normandy beaches would see D-Day.

And yet, today, it is simply our port of call. The 21/2 hour journey to Paris, a city in which we spent a few days many years ago, is a definite “No”. We could wander through picturesque Honfleur, but somehow Le Havre itself is drawing me in. From the ship, the city looks unexpectedly modern, its architecture hinting at a past.

I’m eager to step ashore and see what lies beyond the waterfront. Perhaps there is more to Le Havre than first meets the eye—and perhaps that is exactly what makes it worth exploring. Maybe Le Havre will surprise us.

I

Not so simple

There are paid shuttles into the city, but we decide to walk—only about two kilometres, or 20–30 minutes. Easy? Apparently not. Almost immediately, we realize we have absolutely no clue.

Surrounded by acres of enormous wind-turbine blades, neatly lined up, the port is like a maze designed to discourage tourists. We follow the fences until we reach a swing bridge. The light is red. We wait. And wait. Nothing. Not our lucky day.

We backtrack, find another bridge and a crosswalk, and finally make our way through the working port and industrial docks. It’s a long, lonely walk—not the scenic grand entrance to Le Havre we had imagined!

A basin dug out of a bay

Still, we keep going, wondering when we would finally reach the city. At last, we come upon a beautiful stone bridge spanning the Bassin du Roi, Le Havre’s oldest wet dock, commissioned by King Francis I in the15 hundreds. The basin was actually dug out of the existing bay! The tide is low and so the sides are exposed. The colourful boats appear stranded in the middle.The stairs leading to the boats below are quite tall. There is no human movement at all. 

Near the beginning of the bridge, perched high on a building, is an unusual bronze sculpture of a girl which serves as a weather vane. But a closer look at the details suggests that she is a creature of the sea happily providing a refuge for marine life. Perhaps she represents the close relationship of the city with the sea. We are finally getting somewhere.

Are we going to have the city all to ourselves?

We walk along a row of empty stalls stacked with crates. Some have stoves and ovens. I can almost imagine crowds gathering here for sea food. But where are the crowds?

Across the channel we walk along closed store fronts and then we turn into a residential area. 

Stark and solemn

We have wandered towards Notre Dame Cathedral and the older part of Le Havre. This cathedral sits in the heart of the city. We are in one of the oldest thoroughfares of the city. The cathedral was built in the 16th century but of the original only the bell tower remains. It and many of the older buildings in the neighbourhood were severely damaged in WW2. Hence what we see around us are modern concrete buildings replicating some older features. The streets, in a grid layout, are broad as are the squares. The church itself was restored. Only a couple of people are up and about walking their dogs.

The city is stirring

Since we are already in the heart of the city we decide to find the town hall. We instinctively slow into an amble when we turn into a broad treelined avenue bordered by stark, modern residential apartment blocks. A lot more people are walking about either leisurely or business-like. A building hidden behind bushes draws my attention. It seems like a community centre and I take pictures from the little opening in the bushes lining the fence. We are looking at a public nursery school reconstructed post WW2 with the unique architecture of the city.  

Perked up:A vibrant atmosphere

As the sun climbs higher, the pace of the town changes. Almost before we realize it, we are swept up in a wonderful whirl of colour, noise and activity. It’s market day, and somehow we have wandered right into the middle of the weekend bustle.

We have stepped into Les Halles Centrales, the covered market hall, with the surrounding streets alive with stalls. Everywhere we look there is something to catch our eye—local arts and crafts, colourful clothing, jewellery, woven baskets and all sorts of treasures.

Inside the hall, butchers, greengrocers, wine merchants, cheesemongers, fishmongers and pastry stalls compete for our attention, filling the air with enticing sights and aromas. Outside, the cafés are packed and abuzz with conversation.

We pause for a moment simply to absorb it all. What a delightful surprise to stumble into such a lively, colourful slice of local life!

A welcome respite

Not too far away are St. Joseph's Church and City Hall. Knowing the church is closer to the port, we decide to continue walking toward City Hall, or Place de l’Hôtel de Ville. The original city hall was destroyed by British bombardment during the Second World War, and what stands before us today is its modern reconstruction.

The square in front is unexpectedly inviting, with tiered fountains, shady trees and neatly manicured gardens. After the slowly building excitement of the morning we are glad for a quiet place to catch our breath, take in our surroundings, and simply enjoy being here.

More wandering: is there a story?

A walk through the remarkably quiet neighbourhood leads us toward the old market square, where we come across a light-stone building that appears to have retained much of its pre-war architecture. This is the city’s Natural History Museum that stands out among the modern buildings around it. Standing nearby is a rather curious statue, adding an unexpected touch of character to the scene. He is Mister Gull. There must surely be a story to this one.

Cultural and shopping centre

The white structure that has been visible from the different streets now looms up before us. What I had imagined to be the top part of a boot has more beneath it, for the structure sits below street level. Yes, it is shaped like a volcano with smooth white sides. There are not one but two volcano structures. The larger Grand Volcan houses a 1,200-seat theater and a 350-seat cinema. The smaller, Petit Volcan, is now a public Library. Both were designed by a Brazilian architect called Oscar Niemeyer. The two buildings that form the cultural center stand in stark contrast to the post war concrete buildings all around them. Climbing out of the sunken area brings us into rows of eateries and bars preparing to open for the evening crowd. 

Apt war memorial

Our eyes are next drawn to a statue in a large square called Place Général de Gaulle. The square faces a pond lined with seats and benches. If the sun had been more merciful we would have sat there in the company of two others who were sunbathing on the boardwalk! In the middle of the park stands the enormous statue that pays homage to the lives lost in WW1 and WW2 and other major conflicts.. The fountains were not activated the time we were there. 

The pond/basin also has a quirky artistic installation called the ‘Ice berg’.

To be cont'd in Le Havre, France(2): Monuments