Quai Sainte-Catherine

As you follow the Vieux Bassin, you’ll find yourself on Quai Sainte-Catherine, probably the most iconic spot in all of Honfleur. Right in front of you rise those tall, narrow houses with their slate-covered facades mirrored in the water. Some even predate the basin itself, carried over here when the town tore down its old ramparts in the seventeenth century. Take a look at their surprising shape: sometimes barely four meters wide, yet stacked four or five stories high, like sheer cliffs of slate. And here’s a quirky detail: because of the slope, what’s the ground floor facing the quay turns into… the third floor at the back, opening onto the street behind. Inside, that means odd little staircases and rooms with a maze-like feel. Today it’s the terraces, galleries, and restaurants that bring the quay to life. Stroll along, glance up at those protected houses, and let yourself soak in the one-of-a-kind atmosphere of Quai Sainte-Catherine.