Le Havre, Port city in Normandy, France.
Le Havre is a port city in Normandy at the mouth of the Seine, where the river meets the English Channel. The city center consists of a grid of wide boulevards arranged at right angles and lined with tall residential buildings made of light concrete, constructed in the decades following World War Two.
François I founded the city in 1517 as a new harbor called Franciscopolis, replacing the older ports of Honfleur and Harfleur, which were silting up at the time. Heavy bombing in September 1944 during World War Two destroyed nearly all of the city center, requiring complete reconstruction afterwards.
Le Havre takes its name from an old Norman word for harbor, reflecting the maritime identity that has shaped daily life here for centuries. Residents gather along the wide quays at the harbor basin for walks, while public squares host regular markets selling fresh fish and local produce.
The city is easy to explore on foot, as the center is compact and streets are mostly flat, making it more accessible for visitors with limited mobility. The seaside promenade offers open views across the English Channel in clear weather and is suitable for extended walks.
Auguste Perret used locally made concrete mixed with pebbles from the region to give the buildings their characteristic pale color, which shifts throughout the day. UNESCO recognized this reconstruction project as World Heritage in 2005 because it represented a new approach to postwar urban planning.
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