IF YOU THINK PARIS, with its terraced cafes, museums, and the iconic Eiffel Tower, is the real France, it’s time to get off the tourist grid. Go beyond the capital and explore French villages and little towns that boast history, charm, heritage, and savoir vivre to rival any major city in the world. One such gem is Honfleur, a romantic, well-preserved coastal town located on the Seine estuary, in Northern France’s Normandy region. Its misty atmosphere, slate-fronted houses, and the rugged yet enchanting old harbour with bobbing boats have inspired several artists, including Claude Monet, to paint en plein air (outdoors). French poet Charles Baudelaire fancied living here and wrote his summer holiday poem Invitation au in Honfleur. It’s hard not to fall in love with this postcard-perfect town!
