24 July 2025
Things to do in Honfleur
The cradle of the Impressionists, Honfleur preserves its artistic heritage thanks to its celebrated art galleries and colourful houses.
Cover photo: The old basin in Honfleur © Honfleur Tourist Office / LezBroz_Calvados_Attractivite
For many years, Honfleur was derided and considered ‘ugly’, but the City of Painters has since taken its revenge, becoming a town rich in art! Discover what to do in Honfleur with the Teritoria itinerary!
E. Boudin Museum
Founded in 1868 by Alexandre Dubourg and Eugène Boudin, both natives of Honfleur, the museum preserves their legacy by showcasing artists who drew inspiration from Normandy, spanning Romanticism, Impressionism, and Fauvism. Its rich collection features works by Norman painters such as Courbet, Boudin, Dubourg, Jongkind, Monet, Dufy, Friesz, Gernez, Hamburg, and Herbo.
The visit is structured around seven themed areas. The Désiré Louveau Room presents an ethnographic collection of costumes, headdresses, lace, and everyday objects from Norman life. Another gallery highlights five contemporary artists who worked in Honfleur: Driès, Gernez, Herbo, Saint-Delis, and Bigot. The Katia Granoff Room brings together 20th-century works by artists connected to the region, including Vallotton, Dufy, Marquet, and members of the Rouen school. Finally, the chapel hosts two temporary exhibitions each year and, outside these periods, features displays from the permanent collection, among them exhibitions dedicated to Erik Satie, the pianist and composer born in Honfleur.
Satie Houses
With an audio-guided tour, step into the world of composer and pianist Erik Satie, born in Honfleur in 1866. A pioneer of his time, Satie once remarked that he was “born very young in a very old world.”
Following the scenographic route, you enter the world of Erik Satie: a world of sound, light, images, scenery and poetic staging… even absurd!
Ethnography Museum
The first ethnography museum in the province is housed in a 16th-century timber building that once served as the prison of the Viscount of Roncheville. It offers a wonderful way to explore the culture and heritage of Normandy, both past and present.
The Honfleur Ethnographic Museum immerses visitors in everyday life of the past, with costumes, objects, traditions, and crafts that bring an authentic and vibrant Normandy. The museum also showcases maritime history, traditional trades, historic housing, and the rural character that shaped Norman identity. It’s the ideal place to discover not only the region’s culture but also the evolution of art in the town.
Florence Marie Artist’s House
To get off the beaten track while discovering Honfleur’s art scene, step into the colourful world of Florence Marie. Nestled in the Sainte-Catherine district, her unusual home is as vibrant as its hostess. La Forge is much more than a house: in this unique space, every detail of daily life becomes a source of inspiration, from Normandy’s landscapes to city scenes and unexpected moments. This project has been alive for nearly 30 years! In each of her creations, artist Florence Marie reveals a fragment of her story. Originally from Le Havre, she has always nurtured a natural gift for painting, which she continues to explore with boundless passion. Today, she is recognised as both a craftswoman and a painter, in Honfleur and across France.
La Forge is not just a closed workshop: the entire building serves as a canvas for creativity. Florence Marie has crafted an authentic artistic dialogue between the walls, glass roofs, hidden corners, and living spaces. A visit to La Forge feels like stepping into a living museum, constantly evolving. In the small chapel in the garden, for instance, her glasswork fills the space with light. Wooden walls, glass ceilings, and paintings of birds and animals create a poetic world imbued with freedom. The garden itself becomes a stage for artistic expression: a giraffe-shaped chimney, a wooden dragon, surprising sculptures, every corner reveals an unexpected discovery. Everything has been carefully designed, crafted, and refined, showcasing rare skill and a complete artistic vision. And the house is ever-changing: renovations, new creations, even fresh coats of paint… a new work is already being prepared to adorn the roof in the near future.
Art is everywhere in Honfleur. From Normandy’s half-timbered façades to contemporary works scattered through the streets, the best way to discover the “City of Painters” is to wander its narrow lanes. And if your stroll leaves you inspired, keep exploring: subscribe to our newsletter to uncover more regional treasures, browse our addresses to extend your experience, or join our loyalty programme, designed to reward your most memorable stays. You can even visit our gift shop to treat yourself, or someone special, to an authentic piece of our region.
By Émilie FALLOT NGUYEN
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