Campsites in Honfleur for a historical hol in Normandy
If you’ve chosen northern France to be your neck of the woods on an upcoming trip, these campsites in Honfleur should be on your hit list.
This town at the mouth of the Seine is a fab spot to stay, not just because of its proximity to Le Havre, one of the northern ports linking up France and Britain, but because it has a historical centre that's easy on the eye and a nifty position for checking out the D-Day landing beaches.
If you’re taking the ferry, settle in close by at a Honfleur campsite – whether you want a motorhome pitch or would rather hire a static caravan – then set off to the town for some stellar sightseeing.
Campsites in Honfleur: from no-frills tent pitches to gorgeous glamping units
If your heart’s set on camping in Honfleur, you’ll need to stay a touch out of the old town in the surroundings – this settlement of just 8,000 people is a compact place, so there's more room on its outskirts for spreading out. Pitch your tent at a park by the beaches along the coast or head into the hinterlands to bed down by the forests and swamps of the Boucles de la Seine Natural Regional Park.
Once you’ve landed on a location, start pondering the type of accommodation to go for. If you’re planning on sleeping in a campervan or touring caravan, you’ll need a pitch large enough to fit your home on wheels (as well as perhaps an awning and gazebo).
Or maybe you’d rather roll out of the car and into a real bed in a lodge or cabin? There are also tents to rent, including some terrific tipis, in spectacular scenery such as by the Orne river.
When towing the tiddlers along on a trip to a campsite in Honfleur, meanwhile, family-friendly amenities like swimming pools and play areas are must-haves – especially if you have energetic enfants.
Not aiming to sit at the cobbled restaurant terraces of Honfleur's harbour for every meal? Then it’s worth whittling down the options on this page until you find a camp with a kitchen. Just be sure to dine out on local mussels and fish soup at least once during your stay if the idea of sampling fresh seafood makes you salivate.
Camping in Honfleur: urban sights and coastal attractions
Hotfoot it to Honfleur’s townhouse-lined harbour to see the highlight of this snazzy settlement – according to artists like Claude Monet and Eugène Boudin, anyway – then seek out yet more handsome homes in the historic quarter.
After admiring buildings like the vaulted timber St Catherine’s Church, meander to the Maritime Museum and get the context behind what you’ve seen: the town is steeped in history, having been a hub for trade with North America for centuries, and this establishment hones in on its golden years in the 1600s and 1700s.
Further out, the beaches are a brilliant bet for memorable day trips, with one of the finest of the lot being the Plage du Butin, about a kilometre from town. Wander here for dips in the English Channel via the civic gardens and make sure to clamber up the hill to the Notre-Dame de Grâce chapel and take in the excellent estuary vistas.
Peer at the town from the water as well by booking a boat trip from the harbour; you’ll pass the 2.1-kilometre-long Pont de Normandie bridge, another local landmark, while on your hol camping in Honfleur.
If you’re arriving in or leaving France from another port on the northern coast, take a look at the campsites around Calais.
