While so many of their British counterparts have gone into decline, most of the 19th-century resorts around the mouth of the Seine have continued to flourish (only Le Havre, which took a heavy battering during the Second World War, has lost its essential charm). The coastline as a whole remains as alluring as the day Monet first set up his easel. Here are the highlights.
Honfleur
The scenic set piece of Honfleur, which overlooks the mouth of the Seine, is the Vieux Bassin, the old harbour that used to be enclosed by the defensive walls. Now it is a picturesque place to moor a yacht or enjoy moules marinères on the quayside. Beyond are backstreets lined by ancient timber houses and, in the marketplace, a highly unusual church, built in the 15th century after the English occupiers were kicked out.
The local craftsmen were shipwrights and had no stone, so they built the roof of timber in the shape of two upturned ships’ hulls. Monet and other Impressionists often painted here, staying in the Ferme St Siméon. Eugène Boudin was born here and this summer the local museum, which is named after him, is celebrating the bicentenary of his birth in 1824 with a special exhibition of his works, with others by his contemporaries including Courbet and Monet (musees-honfleur.fr).
Source link : https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/europe/france/normandy/normandy-french-seaside-inspired-impressionists-monet/
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Publish date : 2024-06-09 05:00:00
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