Honfleur is a delightful old fishing village situated at the mouth of the Seine where it flows into the English Channel. There is an antique carousel at the entrance to the harbor where one of the protective gate houses once stood. The old harbor is surrounded by sidewalk cafes and narrow houses 6 or 7 stories high. Apparently when these houses were constructed, homes were taxed solely on their width. Several picturesque streets of houses meander up the hill away from the harbor. Honfleur is the home of Eugene Boudin, one of the first in a long line of French impressionists and the painter who first taught the teen-aged Claude Monet about painting outside in natural light--a novelty at the time. Honfleur was also the disembarkation site for Samuel Champlain, the French explorer who discovered the Hudson River in the new world and founded Quebec. Honfleur is noted for its seafood, and we have joined the list of tourists who have affirmed that reputation! Bon appetit!
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