10 Best Things to Do in Le Havre

After the devastation of the Second World War, Le Havre’s city centre needed to be swiftly rebuilt. The monumental task was given to architect Auguste Perret who redesigned the city from the ground up in a bold, modernist style. There is an impressive uniformity in the design, with its measurements all multiples of 6.14. Perret’s striking Église Saint-Joseph is a cathedral unlike any other.  

Long criticised for its concrete cityscape, in recent years Le Havre has gained UNESCO recognition for exceptional urban planning and innovative use of reinforced concrete. Consider an architectural tour to guide you from the new city hall down wide Avenue Foch, pointing out significant landmarks and giving insight into the city’s dramatic transformation.

La Plage du Havre is 2 km of shoreline a short distance from the city centre. Despite its proximity to the city and the port, the beach is Blue Flag certified for its high standards of water quality and environmental management. A landscaped promenade runs parallel to the largely pebble-covered beach, with a sandy section at one end for swimmers and sunbathers.  

There’s a lively scene in the summer months when beachgoers play volleyball, windsurf and socialise at the beach bars late into the evening. This city beach has plenty of amenities, with showers, playgrounds for children and beach clubs renting sun loungers and umbrellas. You’ll find snacks and drinks in the nearby cafes and restaurants.  

L’Église Saint-Joseph, located in Le Havre’s UNESCO-recognised city centre, is a masterpiece of Brutalist architecture. The cathedral is built on the site of its predecessor, destroyed in the war, and stands as a memorial to the bombing victims and a symbol of the city’s rebirth.  

The sombre concrete silhouette gives way to a serene interior flooded with coloured light filtered through thousands of stained-glass panes. The most stunning feature is the 107-metre steeple, which soars high above the rest of the city. Viewed from the inside, the octagonal tower glows red and blue and tapers as it rises, giving the effect of a tunnel boring deep into the sky. 

Staged in the ruins of a 19th-century hilltop fortress, Les Jardins Suspendus are a cluster of greenhouses and gardens overlooking Le Havre and the Bay of the Seine. There are more than 3,700 plant species throughout the gardens’ 17 hectares, an impressive collection characterised as ‘the whole world in a garden’. 

Themed gardens display specimens from the Southern Hemisphere, East Asia and North America, including rare and endangered species under conservation. Wander through the trellises of the Rose Garden or surround yourself with delicate scents in the greenhouse collection of aromatic plants. Go for a meditative stroll in the idyllic setting and enjoy panoramic views of the city and the sea. 

The Musée d'Art Moderne in Le Havre is best known for its extensive collection of Impressionist paintings. The hazy, pastel scenes of the beloved art movement are displayed in light-filled galleries spanning 3 floors, with windows looking out toward the sea. Although this is a modern art museum, its collection includes pieces from the last 5 centuries.  

A highlight of the collection is its works by Eugene Boudin, an Impressionist painter who lived and worked in the region. Seascapes and beaches were his most-studied landscapes, and his paintings of cows lazing in cloudy pastures often capture visitor hearts. The museum also showcases early works by Monet, plus a few works from Pissarro, Gaugin and Matisse.  

Inaugurated in 1890, the Funiculaire du Havre is one of the oldest funicular railways in France. It carries visitors between Rue Gustave Flaubert in the lower city to the upper residential area of Sainte-Adresse, which offers views over the city and the English Channel.  

Initially powered by steam coaches, the electric cars in use today were installed in 1911 and have undergone renovations following the 1944 bombings and most recently in 2021. The charming railway carries about 400,000 people each year up the steep hill, offering a unique perspective of the city along the way. So, whenever you feel the need to rest your feet, hop on the fun funicular. 

The Forêt de Montgeon is Le Havre’s green lung and a serene retreat from the urban centre. The park covers 270 hectares of forest in the northern part of the city, just 30 minutes by public transport or 15 minutes by car from the centre. 

Walking trails crisscross the park passing through oak and pine forests, past little ponds and over wide, grassy lawns. The Forêt de Montgeon is well-maintained and furnished with a children’s play area, making it a great spot for family outings. 

The Appartement Témoin Perret provides a glimpse into the vision for urban living in Le Havre’s post-war reconstruction period. The meticulously restored apartment is found in a typical building in the city centre, designed by Auguste Perret, the architect tasked with reimagining the levelled city. His values of functionality and simplicity are clearly represented in the space, which is furnished in the mid-century modern style that remains so popular today. 

The apartment is a delight for the eyes, simply and elegantly furnished with plenty of decorative touches with that 1950s flair. The only way to visit is via a French-language guided tour, so dust off your old dictionary or be content with just the visuals.

It’s hard to miss Le Volcan, Le Havre’s major cultural hub, when passing through the new city centre. The iconic building follows the city’s concrete theme but departs from its boxy angles with a curving, organic shape resembling a volcanic cone.  

Inside, an 800-seat auditorium stages music, theatre and dance performances tending toward the avant-garde. Past performances have included a post-modern ballet, a playful theatre piece for young audiences and an inventive staging of the Odyssey. Opera occasionally visits the venue, and its outdoor square doubles as a stage for acrobatic performances. 

Pasino du Havre is a 4-star hotel and casino in central Le Havre. Just opposite the commercial district, the hotel is housed in a building that was formerly a trading centre, with a tall glass-and-concrete facade facing a quiet canal.  

The hotel also houses the Restaurant Le Trèfle, a neon-lit bar serving classic cocktails and a spa furnished with a sauna and heated swimming pool. The Pasino casino is outfitted with lots of slots and 7 game tables, so bring your lucky charms and try out your poker face.