As the warm weather dawns in Normandy, checkered tablecloths are out! Imagine, feet in the grass, surrounded by laughter and apple trees, in one of the most charming towns in France... You will have understood, I am taking you with me for an activity family picnic in Honfleur !
On the menu for this day in Normandy 🍎
On the menu for this day in Normandy: a visit to Honfleur and its must-see attractions before lunch. I never miss an opportunity to see the Old Bassin of the city and Sainte-Catherine church so unique in France.
And to end on a tangy note, head to Apreval Manor, near Honfleur, to taste the pleasure of Calvados! An afternoon that is a change from a museum and traditional visits for the little ones.
You are ready ?
🥗 Entrance: discovering Honfleur!
To start our day in Honfleur off right, there’s nothing like a family breakfast near the Vieux Bassin from the city. While the coffee and hot croissants tickle my taste buds, the houses on the quay are reflected in the water, the port of Honfleur and its boats come alive in the background... An art of living worthy of Eugène Boudin.
💡My advice: Do you dream of floating sails and angelic light? Please feel free to take a look at the Eugène Boudin Museum in Honfleur!
A visit to Honfleur is always accompanied by a host of activities. If the little ones love the historical epics ofSainte-Catherine church, the older ones do not hesitate to return to their childhood in the heart of the museum of Maisons Satie !
Before the clock strikes twelve, I take the children for a walk Booty Beach !
A day in Honfleur without setting foot in the water?
I can't imagine! If the freshness always surprises me, it's nothing compared to the beauty of the landscape.
From the Seine Estuary to Normandy Bridge, it’s a real postcard!
But after all, that's just my opinion...
🍴 Dish: picnic at Manoir d’Apreval!
Ding, ding, ding: at the table! Our trip to Normandy continues, and this time, we visit the small town of Pennedepie, very close to Honfleur.
The opinions are unanimous, the Manor'Apreval is the dream place for a picnic in Calvados! Nestled between Honfleur, Deauville and the Bois de Breuil…
The Apreval garden is a real family cocoon ! It’s a real open-air museum: the Manor is steeped in past centuries!
Its historic Calvados houses, its fruit garden and its century-old trees… This visit exudes Normandy
As our group of happy picnickers settle into the orchard, I go to meet Agathe, our host for the day.
Gourmet baskets filled with local dishes are already waiting for us : crusty bread, a little terrine, a piece of melting Pont l’Evêque, a few glasses of apple juice…
The art of gastronomy only has meaning in Normandy!
While the children venture into the fruit gardens of the manor, we begin a completely different activity: the tasting ! Our picnic day in Honfleur could not be complete without a small dose of Norman flavors that tickle the palate.
*Cider from the Saint-Georges vintage, Calvados from Pays d'Auge, Pommeau from Normandy... Just one drop! The glowing reviews we heard don't lie. It’s the perfect appetizer for our upcoming visit…
* Alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health, consume in moderation.
🥧 Dessert: Reinette apples and Pennedepie…
After our picnic activity under the old apple trees, we continue our exploration of the Apreval manor with a guided tour of his cider house. As a change from traditional museums, this is a flavorful visit! Our guide, Agathe, takes us to discover the secret recipes of her cider and Calvados... He looked like an artist, juggling apples and old stills as if they were brushes and canvases. It seems that Honfleur is not the only town in Normandy to have the art of making Eugène Boudin!
The only female Cellar Master in Normandy
The visit makes me feel like an explorer of the flavors of Calvados! The houses of Apreval are a real museum.
Agathe, the only female cellar master in Normandy, shares his passion with us, and I drink these words!
In particular, she taught me that the climate of Normandy, softened by the sea and its valleys, is the ideal place to grow apples.
So I say thank you to the Seine and the beach of Honfleur for this delicious nectar!
As our visit comes to an end... I can't bring myself to leave this beautiful Normandy! At the end of this day of activities, we came away with a new love for Calvados, filled with memories of Honfleur and the Manoir d'Apreval. While our small group says goodbye, I'm already thinking about a new activity to revisit my Normandy... And why not a museum this time?
💡 Are you not full?
Did you like our day of family activities in Honfleur? Prepare your own visit to Normandy now! To do this, discover the most beautiful places to picnic in the city:
- The Garden of Personalities: this park is a real museum which, century after century, tells you the story of the great historical personalities of Honfleur! Nestled on the edge of the city and the Seine Estuary, you are invited to stroll through these epic gardens.
- The Tripot Garden: in the very heart of the city, hidden between half-timbered houses and cobbled streets, this peaceful and intimate park invites you to stroll! Very close to the Saint-Léonard church, it is the perfect place for a picnic activity at the stroke of noon...
- The Butin Beach:feet in the sand, facing Le Havre and the Pont de Normandie, after a complete tour of the city... Honfleur beach is ideal for a farewell dinner! Don’t hesitate to continue your walk to the detours of Deauville!
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