Saint-Roch Square

Saint-Roch square

The Le Havre audio-guided tour invites you to a break at Saint-Roch square, a pleasant public garden halfway between the beach and the town centre. Now conducive to strolling, this space has known several lives, some of them very grave, evoked here with measure.

A place with an eventful history

In the 16th century, the site was occupied by buildings that housed plague sufferers, during the epidemics that struck the city. Abandoned for more than a century, it served as a cemetery at the end of the 18th century, then hosted an aquarium before becoming a public garden. Bombed in 1944 and again used as a cemetery during the war, it was redeveloped by Auguste Perret to give the people of Le Havre a leafy and peaceful place.

What there is to see

Redeveloped by Perret, Saint-Roch square is today a peaceful garden, shaded by trees and dotted with flowerbeds, where it is pleasant to rest between the beach and the centre. Its grave history, linked to the epidemics and the two wars, is recalled with respect; the place now invites strolling and calm, in a green setting.

Practical information

Saint-Roch square can be seen freely, in the open air, halfway between the beach and the town centre of Le Havre. It is a public garden accessible during opening hours, which may vary by season. It lends itself to a quiet break, during the walk towards the sea.

What is the history of Saint-Roch square ?

In turn a place to house plague sufferers, a cemetery and an aquarium, it was redeveloped into a public garden by Auguste Perret.

What can be done at Saint-Roch square ?

Stroll and rest there, in a peaceful, leafy garden, between the beach and the town centre of Le Havre.