Honfleur

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The harbour
Région	Basse-Normandie
Département	Calvados
Arrondissement	Lisieux
Cantons	13 communes 15,933 habitants
Inhabitants	Honfleurais
Population(1999)	8,352 habitants
Population with double accounts(1999)	8,178 habitants
Metropolitan area	Caen, 12,738
Agglomeration (2004)	Communauté de communes 15,933 habitants
Size	13.67 km²

Honfleur is a commune in the Norman département of Calvados in France, located on the southern bank of the estuary of the Seine, very close to the exit of the Pont de Normandie. It is especially known for its old, beautiful picturesque port, characterized by its houses with slate-covered frontages, painted many times by artists, including in particular Gustave Courbet, Claude Monet and Johan Jongkind, forming the école de Honfleur which contributed to the appearance of the Impressionist movement . The Sainte-Catherine church, which has a bell-tower separate from the principal building, is the largest church made out of wood in France.

1 History
2 Famous Honfleurais
3 Administration
4 External links

[edit] History

The first written mention of Honfleur is a reference by Richard III, duke of Normandy, in 1027. By the middle of the 12th century, the city represented a significant transit point for goods from Rouen to England.

Located on the estuary of one of the principal rivers of France with a safe harbour and relatively rich hinterland, Honfleur profited from its strategic position from the start of the Hundred Years' War. The town's defences were strengthened by Charles V in order to protect the estuary of the Seine from attacks from the English. This was supported by the nearby port of Harfleur. However, Honfleur was taken and occupied by the English in 1357 and from 1419 to 1450. When under French control, raiding parties often set out from the port to ransack the English coasts, including partially destroying of the town of Sandwich, in Kent, England, in the 1450s.

At the end Hundred Years' War, Honfleur benefited from the boom in maritime trade until the end of the both after the end of the 18th century. Trade was disturbed during the wars of religion in the 16th century. The port saw the departure of a number of explorers, in particular in 1503 of Binot Paulmierde Gonneville to the coasts of Brazil. In 1506, Honfleurais Jean Denis departed to Newfoundland island and the mouth of the Saint Lawrence. An expedition in 1608, organised by Samuel de Champlain, founded the city of Quebec in modern day Canada.

Bell-tower of the Church of Honfleur

After 1608, Honfleur thrived on trade with Canada, the Antilles, the African coasts and the Azores. As a result the town was one of the five principal ports for the slave trade in France. During this time the rapid growth of the town saw the demolition of its fortifications on the orders of Colbert.

The wars of the French revolution and the First Empire, and in particular the continental blockade, caused the ruin of Honfleur. It only partially recovered during the 19th century with the trading of wood from northern Europe. Trade was however limited by the silting up of the entrance to the port and development of the modern port at Le Havre. The port however still functions today.

[edit] Famous Honfleurais

Alphonse Allais, writer and humorist
Eugène Boudin, painter
Christopher Rocancourt, impostor and con artist
Erik Satie, musician
Michel Danino, author
Stéphane Ferrand, wildlife photographer

[edit] Administration

Honfleur is the chief town of a canton including the communes of Ablon, Barneville-la-Bertran, Cricquebœuf, Équemauville, Fourneville, Genneville, Gonneville-sur-Honfleur, Honfleur, Pennedepie, Quetteville, La Rivière-Saint-Sauveur, Saint-Gatien-des-Bois and Le Theil-en-Auge.

These 13 communes also form the communauté de communes du Pays de Honfleur.

In 1973 Honfleur amalgamated with the commune of Vasouy (143 inhabitants in 1999, the INSEE code used to be 14725), which lays out of the statute since then of common partner.