2024 Viking World Journey

It’s a beautiful sunny morning with a chance of rain later today.
Honfleur is a city in the department of Calvados, in northern France's Normandy region. It's on the estuary where the Seine river meets the English Channel. The Vieux-Bassin (old harbor), lined with 16th- to 18th-century townhouses, has been a subject for artists including Claude Monet and native son Eugène Boudin. Nearby is 15th-century St. Catherine's Church, a vaulted timber structure erected by shipbuilders.
We did not have an excursion and followed a Heritage walking tour map exploring on our own.
Our first stop was St Léonard’ Church.
Leonard, a young man of the court of Clovis and patron saint of prisoners.
The ancient church of Saint-Léonard existed at the location of it in 1186. Located in the heart of the suburb of the same name, destroyed during the Hundred Years War, it was rebuilt in the late fifteenth century and early sixteenth century.
The main portal is considered one of the finest expressions of Gothic.
The large octagonal tower date of 1760. It is decorated in its upper part with elegant bas-reliefs depicting musical instruments.
We continued on with a visit to St Catherine’s Catholic Church.
Saint Catherine's Catholic church was built to replace a stone church that was destroyed during the Hundred Years War. It is the largest church in France built from wood by shipwrights.
It is dedicated to Saint Catherine of Alexandria as can be seen from a wooden sculpture above the porch of the bell tower which is separated by two aisles.
The first nave, the oldest part of the building, dates from the second half of the 15th century. It is built on the model of a market hall with the appearance of a reversed boat hull.
In the 16th century, a second nave was added. Its vault is consistent with modest Gothic churches. The church was covered with chestnut wooden shingles that constitute the siding.
At the bottom of the main nave is a beautiful organ whose carved oak case is done in the 18th century style.
The timber church of Sainte-Catherine, which looks like a ship upside down, was constructed in the 15th century by shipbuilders. It is separated from its wooden belfry.
Two very unique Churches.
We continued our walk up to the Lieutenance a museum and it was closed today.
We did some shopping where we found ourselves in the picturesque harbor. Had a traditional lunch of ham and cheese on baguette along with frites (French fries) Follow that with a cold beer and we had an amazing day.
Dinner tonight was at Manfredi’s. We don’t sail until 9 and our clocks go back an hour so an extra hours sleep.Lue lisää