Friday 4 October

A transfer day today where we had a leisurely start then a pleasant drive under a clear blue sky.

Honfleur is just over an hour’s drive from Rouen through the now typical for us Normandy countryside. Just before we arrived at Honfleur we were delighted with some awesome views of the Pont de Normandie bridge on route. It is the longest stay cable bridge in the western world. Our plan is to walk the 2.5km bridge in the next few days.

We found our B&B easily, checked in and set off to find a light lunch. We found a little place that was slightly upmarket but not too expensive and had a salmon terrine with rich seafood stock, and a pesto pasta dish, followed by two patisserie selections. We continued down the cobbled streets and discovered the old church with a ceiling like a boat, and then the famous inner basin where we were rewarded with some small reflections.

Honfleur is very charming and we are looking forward to a slower pace here and some more local discoveries. It is surrounded by a hill on one side, and a flat reserve before the Seine on the other. Once a major port for protecting the inlet to Paris via the Seine it is now a tourist hub. Across the river Le Harve has a gigantic port and is a modern city.

Honfleur is the home of Boudin, the father of Impressionism and mentor of Monet – both delighting in the unique light that Honfleur has – especially in the basin. It did not get bombed in the war and has some small nicely preserved medieval streets and numerous art shops and eateries. The art is fabulous, and it is a good thing we have zero room in our suitcases.

Again, we just casually wandered and enjoyed the atmosphere of the town. By dinner the temperature had dropped dramatically, expecting only 4 degrees overnight. We had trouble getting a table at first for dinner, however got one in a covered outdoor area which was not the most pleasant.

Dinner was ok – a 3 course meal for 27.90euro each. Ample portions but quality a bit meh. Best thing was probably the herring salad entree which I relished like a Scandinavian caterpillar. Vern had a charcuterie platter, and then a small steak, and my main was a white fish with tarragon cream sauce which I felt was frozen fish – a big no no for this area expectation. Dessert was creme brûlée and a house made apple custard flan.

Reflections on Rouen and the accommodation as previously mentioned – a big yes to spending a couple of days in Rouen, and using as a base to see say Étretat and Giverny. Vernon (town) was interesting and also has Impressionism jewels being close to Giverny. We would stay budget allowing at the Mercure on edge of town again, vs. Le Phoenix out of town. Convenience of things at your doorstep – there was nowhere to eat without driving in the suburb, so you had to hop in your car anyway. Where the Mercure is situated, it was all within very easy walking distance and the car access excellent.

Budget is the key, as Le Phoenix was just about half the price. Further on that point, whilst Le Phoenix was highly rated, clean, relatively comfortable and spacious, the hosts gracious, they were in fact a bit tight. They were unnecessarily so in my option – one butter cube in Normandy? And therefore it took a little shine off things.

Our current accommodation is a splurge at 180euro a night, and recommended by Rick Steves, and we got free parking having his books. La Cour Ste.Catherine is run by a mother and daughter and is decorated in shabby chic French style, in a tastefully renovated 17th century former nuns accommodation.

There is an enchanting garden courtyard with decorative rabbits and birds creating a magical oasis to relax in. The building we are in houses a former fruit press, and our room is massive by French standards, with separate bathroom, claw foot bath, modern shower, a four poster bed and separate lounge area. It is positioned in the historic centre and an easy 10 minute walk down a gently sloped cobbled street into the heart of town.

We look forward to seeing if we get more butter at breakfast tomorrow.