Honfleur was a major defensive port in the 17th century and the starting point of many expeditions to the New World. The town has blossomed into a delightful seaside harbour and city of painters. The former smugglers harbour of Vieux Bassin is the most frequently painted scene in Honfleur.
St. Catherines Church built in the 15th century by shipwrights has an oak ceiling that looks like the hull of a boat.