Le Havre, France

SOME OF OUR LUNCH ON DISPLAY.  DIET STARTS ON JUNE 8TH.

A fraction of the work by Eugene Boudin

Near the port

Don’t know much about Le Havre except it’s France’s second biggest port after Marseille, and that it was pretty much destroyed in WWII.  The city was rebuilt in the 1940s by Auguste Perret, in a somewhat austere manner, and is the first European urban complex from the 20th century to be listed as a world heritage site.

Robin and Dad went off to visit the Normandy beaches, and Cam and I went straight into town for coffee.  This was preceded by a lot of salivating in the central market before finding the busiest cafe (Le Sublim) and ordering cafe au lait avec baby croissant for dunking.

One good cafe deserves a bad one and so next stop was McDonalds.  Ok, this was so Cam could use the free internet, and I could have french fries.  Geddit? When in France, right?

By the time we’d finished there, and drooled our way round a chocolatier, it was time for lunch.  Are you sensing a common theme to our day? We decided to try Le Bistrot des Halles right outside the central market.  Snails, duck terrine, steak tartare, skate wing, and all the stuff that goes with it, together with a pale pink rose.  It was a very leisurely lunch on a warm Saturday afternoon.

Last stop for the day was the very excellent MUMA (Malraux Museum).  What a find.  Le Havre was the birthplace of Impressionism and has the largest Impressionist collection outside Paris.  And not only was entry free, but the audio guide was free too.  It was truly outstanding.  The sort of exhibition that would probably cost $30 to see at home.  I loved it.  In particular, the clever display of work by Eugene Boudin.  Over one hundred paintings in the same frames, all hung along the same wall, all in similar tones and themes.  And, not to wax lyrical, but how did Renoir achieve that glowing luminosity of skin, unique to the people in his paintings.

It’s 6pm now.  Dad and Robin not back yet.  They will be tired and emotionally drained I think.  We arrive Dover early tomorrow and drive to London.  Another big day.  

Before I go, Dad had wanted me to pass on that he won the jackpot in Bingo yesterday.  US$1200!  And Robin won $65.  And I won nothing (but I’m still up around $500 from previous games).  Of course, we celebrated with champagne.  And we were also were given champagne at dinner after Cam found a staple in his bread roll.

Happy Days!