France: Day One, June 4

July 12, 2022

Western Europe Wine Quest
Day One, La Havre and Honfleur, France

On the first day of our ten-day wine cruise, the scheduled shore excursion never got started because the bus never arrived. We had been told that lasting effects of the Pandemic could wreak havoc on scheduled events.

Kelly, our intrepid leader (the one with no red hat), took over, organizing an off-the-cuff wandering. First, a ship-sponsored shuttle bus into La Havre, followed by a tram to the downtown bus station. We got bus tickets to the small city of Honfleur. It was about an hour or so before the bus left, so some of us took a cab to the scenic Hanging Gardens in La Havre, a mid-19th-century fortress with manicured gardens.

La Havre

City of La Havre from atop the Hanging Gardens

War Memorial downtown. La Havre was decimated during WWII, suffering terrible civilian casualties.

Big Birds guarding City Hall (Hotel de Ville translates to City Hall)

Big Bird up close

Red Plant at the Gardens

Another view of La Havre

Honfleur

A crowded intra- city bus took us to the picturesque city of Honfleur. Known for its Vieux-Bassin (old harbor), lined with 16th- to 18th-century townhouses, the city was hosting a giant farmers market with booths lining the major streets. An outdoor lunch at an excellent small local restaurant, where no one spoke English, and wandering the streets filled the day.