Le Havre has a long standing tradition with luxury cruise liners : the first links between Le Havre and North America were forged over a century ago when European emigrants were leaving from Le Havre to the United States. Later, the largest and most famous floating palaces all departed from Le Havre bound to New- York. Le Havre has been welcoming guests and ships for 2 centuries. Nowadays the port of Le Havre can accommodate any type of cruise ships. Located only 200km motorway drive from the French capital, Le Havre asserts itself as The Gateway to Paris.
In 2009, 50 ocean cruise ships are expected in Le Havre. Almost 100,000 passengers will visit Le Havre, the Normandy area and Paris : Aida Luna, Tahitian Princess, Emerald Princess, Costa Luminosa, Equinox, Vision of the Seas, Independence of the Seas and Eurodam will be on inaugural calls and the mythic Queen Mary 2 will be back in Le Havre.
Le Havre combines the development of transit calls and turnaround operations. The cruise welcome centre offers numerous services (tourist information, internet, car and bicycle rental, shopping, coffee shop). New buildings will be added during the autumn of 2009 to allow turnarounds up to 500 passengers, starting spring 2010.
Le Havre, World Heritage Le Havre town centre, which was rebuilt by Auguste Perret, is the first mid 20th century urban settlement in Europe to be included in the UNESCO World Heritage list. This classification has shed a new light on the city.
Le Havre, birthplace of Impressionist Painting, holds in its fine art museum André Malraux, the most important collection of impressionist masterpieces in France after the Orsay Museum in Paris.
Le Havre is a dynamic tourist destination with the recent opening of major attractions and others due to open soon:
The restored Vauban Docks harbour site, between the port and the city, will become a huge complex with recreational facilities turned towards the environment. Les Bains des Docks, an aquatic & balneotherapy complex designed by famous French architect Jean Nouvel is part of this waterfront development project (inaugurated in 2008). In the same area, les Docks Vauban commercial centre will open in September 2009.
The Hanging Gardens overlooking Le Havre and the Baie de Seine provide an amazing panorama : an invitation to go on a journey on the 5 continents thanks to all the plants and flowers displayed (inaugurated in 2008).
Shore Excursions in Normany and Paris These are some out of many aspects for choosing Le Havre as a port of call, besides well known attractions and shore excursions that Normandy has to offer : Etretat, Fécamp, Rouen, Giverny, Honfleur, Deauville, the landing beaches. Paris, the capital city of France is the most popular day-excursion departing from Le Havre. The Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame, Le Louvres with the famous Mona Lisa Portrait… World famous sites and museums await you there in a day trip. A call in Le Havre is a must on the North Atlantic-itinerary.
Avid Cruiser Posts, Photographs and Videos Featuring Le Havre.
