This colossal building, built in 1958 to replace one flattened by allied bombing in 1944, was designed by architects Auguste Perret – that great connoisseur of reinforced concrete – and Jacques Tournant. It wouldn't look out of place on either flank of Tiananmen Square in Běijīng; in other words, you'll either love it, or hate it. In front – to the south – of the building is the huge Place de l'Hôtel de Ville.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
15.2 MILES
It's impossible to miss this cliff, as the shingle beach bends around off to the southwest, with its natural arch and solitary needle. You will spy…
7.34 MILES
This unusual and intriguing complex captures the whimsical spirit of the eccentric avant-garde composer Erik Satie (1866–1925), who lived and worked in…
0.7 MILES
Near the waterfront, this luminous and tranquil space houses a fabulous collection of vivid impressionist works – the finest in France outside Paris – by…
21.82 MILES
Built from 1175 to 1220 by Richard the Lionheart, towering Abbatiale de la Ste-Trinité was the most important pilgrimage site in Normandy until the…
0.37 MILES
Perret’s masterful, 107m-high Église St-Joseph, visible from all over town, was built using bare concrete from 1951 to 1959. Some 13,000 panels of…
7.43 MILES
This museum features superb 19th- and 20th-century paintings of Normandy’s towns and coast, including works by Dubourg, Dufy and Monet. One room is…
15.8 MILES
To your right and along off to the northwest as you walk onto the beach, the cliff of Falaise d’Amont is dotted with reclining or tottering figures taking…
0.87 MILES
The Jardins Suspendus (Hanging Gardens) is an old hilltop fortress transformed into a beautiful set of gardens, whose greenhouses and outdoor spaces…
Nearby Le Havre attractions
0.17 MILES
Furnished in impeccable early-1950s style, this lovingly furnished bourgeois apartment can be visited on a one-hour guided tour that starts at 181 rue de…
0.27 MILES
Le Havre’s most conspicuous landmark, designed by Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer and opened in 1982, is also the city’s premier cultural venue. One…
0.37 MILES
Perret’s masterful, 107m-high Église St-Joseph, visible from all over town, was built using bare concrete from 1951 to 1959. Some 13,000 panels of…
0.5 MILES
When Le Havre's concrete expanses and straight lines overpower you, stop by this lovely Baroque church, which somehow eluded the intense bombing efforts…
0.7 MILES
Near the waterfront, this luminous and tranquil space houses a fabulous collection of vivid impressionist works – the finest in France outside Paris – by…
0.87 MILES
The Jardins Suspendus (Hanging Gardens) is an old hilltop fortress transformed into a beautiful set of gardens, whose greenhouses and outdoor spaces…
7. Chapelle Notre Dame de Grâce
7.12 MILES
Built between 1600 and 1613, this chapel sits on the Plateau de Grâce, a wooded, 100m-high hill about 2km west of the Vieux Bassin. The area offers great…
7.24 MILES
Children and adults will enjoy this lush greenhouse that houses scores of species of free-flying tropical butterflies in the northwest of town, a short…