- Maximum length
- 85 ft
- VHF channel
- 9
- Maximum draught
- 9 ft
Lock-gated harbour at the mouth of the Seine estuary in Calvados, with the Vieux Bassin and Bassin de l'Est hosting around 50 visitor berths.
Guide
Approach and anchoring
Entry through the Honfleur sea lock between the two outer jetties, working HW minus 2 to HW plus 3 on Le Havre; it comes in on the hour, leaves on the half hour, and runs free-flow around HW minus 2. The turn in from the fast Seine can be demanding, so line up early and call the lock on VHF 17 or the office on VHF 9. Strong tidal streams in the estuary, buoyed channel from the Ratier north buoy, keep clear of commercial traffic to Rouen. The bascule bridge into the Vieux Bassin lifts only at set times in office hours, so many yachts wait on the coded outer visitor pontoon, where rafting is likely. Max draught 3 m in the basins.
Practical
Around 50 visitor places split between the Vieux Bassin in the town centre, now laid out with modern visitor fingers, and the outer pontoon on the avant-port. Space in the Vieux Bassin can be tight and has been limited by building works, so contact the office ahead. Water and electricity at the berths. Fuel is no longer available here. Showers and toilets are reached by code up in the public car park, basic but clean and busy in the morning, with only a couple of showers. A Carrefour a short walk south has laundry machines in its car park. Berthing runs about 34 to 45 euros a night for a 10 to 12 m yacht. All shops, market and restaurants within 100 m of the Vieux Bassin.
Ashore
Saturday market on Place Sainte-Catherine, 150 m from the Vieux Bassin. Musée Eugène-Boudin at 300 m, with works by Boudin, Monet and Dubourg. Église Sainte-Catherine, the largest timber-built church in France, at 200 m. Pont de Normandie viewpoint at 3 km. Naturospace, a warm house of free-flying butterflies and birds, sits near the seafront. L'Art du Bistro is a well-regarded table among the harbourside restaurants.
History
Samuel de Champlain sailed from Honfleur in 1608 to found Quebec. The town was a major port for voyages to Canada and West Africa from the 16th to 18th centuries. Eugène Boudin was born here in 1824 and taught the young Claude Monet to paint outdoors on the estuary beaches.
Story
The Église Sainte-Catherine was built by ship carpenters in the 15th century using shipbuilding techniques, with a separate bell tower to protect the nave from lightning.
Key facts
- Type
- Harbour
- Coordinates
- 49.42030, 0.23327 (49°25.22'N 0°14.00'E)
- Town
- Honfleur
- Country
- France
- Maximum draught
- 9 ft
- Maximum length
- 85 ft
- VHF channel
- 9
- Phone
- +33650894051
- Boaters' rating
- 4.5/5
- Updated
- October 15, 2026
Getting there
Honfleur lies at 49°25.22'N 0°14.00'E, that is 49.42030, 0.23327 in decimal degrees. Call the harbour on VHF channel 9 before entering.
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Write a reviewFrequently asked questions
What boat length does Honfleur accept?
Honfleur accepts boats up to 85 ft.
Which VHF channel for Honfleur?
Honfleur answers on VHF channel 9.
How do boaters rate Honfleur?
Honfleur is rated 4.5/5 by boaters on BoatMap.
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