Container ship being loaded

Le Havre – The Harbour

The harbour of Le Havre is France’s second largest, second after Marseille, and the biggest in France for containers (and Europe’s 5th largest). Every day you can see many big cargo ships arrive or depart from this port.

In fact, there are two main harbours; the “historical one” and “Port 2000“. The first one is used primarily for the petrol/oil industry, the latter for containers.

All the types of ships that come to Le Havre
All the types of ships that come to Le Havre

Apart from daily oil tankers and massive container ships, you will see almost daily enormous cruise ships, ranging from the Queen Mary 2 to small school cruise ships. Most of these ships arrive early in the morning and leave at sunset.

Le Havre is also becoming the main area for the assembly and dispatch of off-shore windmills. You can regularly see special boats coming and going that put off-shore windmills into the sea.

Container Harbour

The harbour that sees mostly container ships is called “Port 2000” because the building of the harbour started in the year 2000. The biggest container ships in the world dock here, the biggest is some 400 meters long.

Cargo ship being loaded
Cargo ship being loaded

The mega container ship can carry some 18,000 containers. These containers are colour coded for their content. For example, white containers are refrigerated containers containing food.

One of world's biggest container ships
One of world’s biggest container ships

Fishing Harbour

Fishing harbour
Fishing harbour

Le Havre has a very active fishing fleet. Apart from coastal fishing boats, they also have long distance trawlers. Fish are brought in by these boats and the biggest portion goes into trucks that head for the Paris “Les Halles” market. But a portion gets sold in stalls located close by.

Le Havre fish market
Le Havre fish market

Each stall in the fish market belongs to a fishing boat.

Pleasure Boat Marina

Le Havre has two big pleasure boat marinas located next to each other. The harbour is accessible day and night, no matter the tide. The harbours can accommodate up to 1040 boats with a maximum depth of 3 meters and a length of 18 meters.

Le Havre pleasure boat harbour
Le Havre pleasure boat harbour

TIP: Contact the pleasure boat harbour master via telephone on 02.35.21.23.95 or via VHF canal 09.

A third pleasure boat harbour is also available, called “Port Vauban”, but this one is located inside the city. You will be required to pass through lock and a low bridge. Both open to boats twice a day. The trip from the main harbour entrance to the Port Vauban harbour takes about 40 minutes.

The Docks

The docks are no longer used as docks. All the warehouses that were present there have been transformed into a high-end shopping mall, conference/theatre, exhibition centre and swimming pool.

Le Havre Docks Vauban shopping mall
Le Havre Docks Vauban shopping mall

The Docks shopping centre/mall is nicely designed but not that big. Choices are slightly upmarket and there are some not-so-bad restaurants. Outside you can even waterski.

The Lighthouses

There are two active lighthouses in Le Havre, both located at the entrance of the historical harbour:

Two lighthouses of the Le Havre harbour entrance in a storm
Two lighthouses of the Le Havre harbour entrance in a storm

Both lighthouses were fortified by the Germans during WWII with concrete bunkers.

Lighthouse jetee Nord in Le havre
Lighthouse jetee Nord in Le havre

The “jetee Nord” (Northern pier) lighthouse was initially built in in the 19th century but was demolished when the entrance to the harbour was modified. It was rebuilt in 1904 and measures 15 meters high.

Lighthouse jetee Sud in Le Havre
Lighthouse jetee Sud in Le Havre

The second lighthouse at the harbour entrance, called “jetee Sud” (Southern pier) was initially built in 1861 but replaced in 1904. It also measures 15 meters high.

Lighthouse ship in the Le Havre harbour
Lighthouse ship in the Le Havre harbour

In the l’Eure Bassin (close to the university and merchant marine school ENSM) is a lighthouse ship. It was built in 1935, and her last career position in 1948 was close to Le Havre where she was until 1981 when she was replaced by a buoy.

Lighthouse ship in the Le Havre harbour next to one of the universities
Lighthouse ship in the Le Havre harbour next to one of the universities

There is another lighthouse, much older, but I could not find any information about it.

Old lighthouse tower in Le Havre
Old lighthouse tower in Le Havre

Summary

For the people who like boats and their harbours, Le havre is a great place. You are able to see most of it from anywhere along the waterfront. There is also a boat tour (with several daily sailings) of the two commercial boat harbours.

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