Le HAVRE, FRANCE

Le Havre is a major port city in the Normandy region of northern France and is situated on the right bank of the estuary of the river Seine. The city and port were founded by King Francis I in 1517. Economic development in the early modern period was hampered by religious wars, conflicts with the English, epidemics, and storms. It was from the end of the 18th century that Le Havre started growing and the port took off first with the slave trade then other international trade. Its port is the second largest in France, after that of Marseille, for total traffic, and the largest French container port. In 2005, UNESCO inscribed the central city of Le Havre as a World Heritage Site because of its unique post-WWII reconstruction and architecture. Precipitation is distributed throughout the year, with a maximum in autumn and winter. The months of June and July are marked by some thunderstorms on average 2 days per month. One of the characteristics of the region is the high variability of the temperature, even during the day. The prevailing winds are from the southwest sector for strong winds and north-north-east for breezes, snowstorms occur in winter, especially in January and February. The absolute speed record for wind was recorded at 180 km p/hr (112 miles p/hr). The city received the label "City of Art and History" in 2001, then in 2005 UNESCO inscribed the city of Le Havre as a World Heritage Site We stayed 3 nights in Le Havre before boarding the ship. The ArtHotel
On the exterior of the hotel, all the windows are decorated with art deco style images of men and women looking out the windows.These images are not visible from within the rooms.	When we called the elevator to go to our room, we both stopped and stared when we were greeted by this. That's not the shower in our room, that's the elevator. The desk clerk was quick to reassure us that there's no water.
Of course, every bathroom needs a mirror, even if it's an elevator.	The entrance door to the fifth floor, with an imaginative floor plan painted on it.
Each door has interesting images painted on them. The translation of this one reads: Dear, I went to help the neighbor with her shopping. The children are sleeping in the oven. Kisses. Other doors are decorated with cartoons of a bald headed man with a big nose peeking around the curtains to see who is in the hallway.	Translation of this one:  No Escape this way. Try the Human catflap upper floor.
Of course every place needs a secret passage. Translation: very secret passage.	The room itself was very nice with a beautiful headboard with back lighting.
The actual bathroom with private toilet stall . . .		. . . and the real shower.
Once we settled in the hotel, we decided to take a walk down to the harbour.
Le Vulcan Across from the hotel is a two building complex and is considered the city's premier cultural venue. Le Vulcan (The Volcano) was designed by Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer and opened in 1982. The smaller volcano has a 500-seat hall and 80-seat auditorium and is the one that gives the complex its name.	The large volcano contains a 1200-seat concert hall, a 350-seat cinema and a multimedia library.
Monument aux Morts The monument is a WWII memorial honouring those who died resisting the German advancement.	The plaque on the monument reads: Tribute In memory of the people of Le Havre who resisted, were deported and died for France during the hostilities. 1939-1945
The front view of the monument.	True to its designation as an "Arts City", the city has several interesting art installations around the city, particularly in the area around the port area, such as this one.
To the left of Le Vulcan park is a view of the estuary of the river Seine on the Channel.
Small sail boats on the channel.	Le Havre Notre Dame Cathedral One of the smallest cathedrals in France, Notre Dame is one of the few buildings in the city to have survived the bombardments of the WWII. It's a combination of the different architectural styles of the 16th and 17th centuries. The Gothic-inspired tower is joined by a Baroque-style main facade, while the side facades are in Renaissance and Classical styles.
The ceiling is currently under repair, hence the gauze hanging above.	Above the front entrance are the organ pipes, with the organ Situated on one of the side balconies. Additional repairs are being done to the walls beside the door.
The columns along the sides each have a statue of a saint.	At the end opposite the main entrance is the alter and the choir area.
Another interesting building on the way to the harbour. Peppered on the outside are statues of people, including what looks like a man standing on the right side of the balcony.	At the harbour, is a colourful and imaginative art Installation consisting of painted shipping containers.
Finally, view from our balconey. Our room was facing a tree lined square situated between the channel and the hotel.	The first floor of each of the buildings around the square consists of several restaurants and cafes, where we ate dinners and drank cappucinos.
Another view of the square. On the last full day in Le Havre, we took a short bus tour around the city.
Statue of King Francois I Francois I was King of France from 1515 until his death in 1547. A prodigious patron of the arts, Francois promoted the emergent French Renaissance by attracting many Italian artists to work for him, including Leonardo da Vinci. Francois' reign saw important cultural changes with the growth of central power in France, the spread of humanism and Protestantism, and the beginning of French exploration of the New World.	A tree-lined street
Hotel Dubocage de Bleville The Hotel is a department of the museum of Art and History in Le Havre. The architectural complex consists of two jointed houses built in the 17^th and 18th centuries and a French garden. Currently the museum mostly houses temporary exhibitions in the building.	A view of the channel. Le Havre is the second port of France, after Marseille, and acts as an outport (seaward terminal for deep-draft vessels) of Paris.
The beach on the shore of the channel.	A tree-linned boulevard on one of the main streets of Le Havre.
Almost three quarters of Le Havre's buildings were destroyed during World War II but were subsequently rebuilt, like the one pictured above.
Not sure if this is a hotel or apartment building on Ave. Foch.	The main boulevard with walking areas, trees and edged with parking spaces in the boulevard.
Post war architecture by Auguste Perret which serves as the town hall and houses the Mayor's office.	A view of Le Havre from the main street bordering the ocean front.
The beach front with white change cabanas. On the ocean are three kite surfers taking advantage of the wind conditions	A better picture of a kite surfer with a large freighter in the background.
Along the waterfront are numerous buildings and private homes with interesting architecture, like this building with a tower . . .	. . . and in the Tudor style.
As you move along the ocean front across from the beach, the highway is lined with craggy hillsides, some with structures . . .	. . . and some without.
A narrow road off the highway.	There are also lots of large plants that grow wild in the manicured lawns.
More homes along the highway.
Must be nice to have money considering the size and style as some of the homes, like this one . . .	. . . and this.
Rosemary on the bus.
Heading back to the main area of Le Havre.	St Joseph's Church St. Joseph's Church is a Roman Catholic church built by Suguste Perret between 1951 and 1957/58 as part of the reconstruction that took place after WWII. It acts as a memorial to the five thousand civilians fallen and is dedicated to Saint Joseph, fittingly the patron saint of a happy death, fathers, workers, travelers, and immigrants.
Statue of a nude woman in the boulevard.	And then there's ???
On the final day in Le Havre, we packed our bags and took a cab to the docks. Much to our surprise, the cab was not allowed in the port, so we got out with our bags and joined a long line of other cruisers standing in the rain. It took almost two hours to enter the port and get on the ship. Needless to say, both Rosemary and I ended up with colds. Sigh . . .

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