Tall, narrow houses dating from the 17th and 18th centuries lining the popular and picturesque Quai Sainte Catherine are reflected in early January with moored yachts and other pleasure craft in the calm waters of the Vieux Bassin (Old Basin or Dock), focal point of historic Honfleur, Calvados, Normandy, France. Most of the houses have two owners, with their rear-facing upper floors overlooking the streets behind the harbour.
Honfleur, Calvados, Normandy, France: tall, narrow houses dating from the 17th and 18th centuries lining the popular and picturesque Quai Sainte Catherine are reflected in early January with moored yachts and other pleasure craft in the calm waters of the Vieux Bassin (Old Basin or Dock), the focal point of this historic town. The harbour, one of a series of basins linked to the River Seine by a channel, was created in 1681 by Vice-Admiral Abraham Duquesne, Marquis du Bouchet, on the orders of Jean-Baptiste Colbert, First Minister of State to King Louis XIV. Fortifications built to enclose Honfleur in the 13th and 14th centuries were demolished to allow the port expansion and properties in two distinct styles were built on three sides of the basin: large stone houses on the southern Quay St-Etienne and high wooden houses on the northern Quai Sainte Catherine. The houses along the Quai Sainte Catherine form a charming backdrop to the busy harbour. They are of different heights, with some slate-hung against the elements. They were built tight against each other and most have the peculiarity of having two owners, with rear-facing upper floors overlooking the streets behind the harbour.
Size: 3998px × 2656px
Location: Quai Sainte Catherine, Vieux Bassin, Honfleur, Calvados, Normandy, France
Photo credit: © Terence Kerr / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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