Fecamp is a quaint small city, full of character. Although in dire need of some TLC, strolling around the sea and harbour side of the city can be very rewarding. Fecamp was once a main hub for commercial fishing, particularly for trawlers crossing the Atlantic to fish for cod in Newfoundland.
The cod would be brought to the city, and there, in enormous factories and smoking houses, the fish would be prepared and smoked. The biggest such building is located on the corner of the harbour centre. In this building, in ruins for many years, a new museum has been created, the Fisheries Museum (Les Pêcheries, Musée de Fécamp).
The museum is located smack in the middle of the harbour, in-between the pleasure boat section and the commercial boats section:
The museum building is visible from anywhere on the docks. In the photo below, taken just before the transformation into the museum, you can see the structure:
This was the state the old fishing factory was in. In front of the building, on the right, you can see: ……
…. a pedestrian bridge that opens to let boats through. There is also a lock used for low tides to keep the boats in the water.
Spending some time here can be interesting, since you can see quite some boat activities;
Once inside, and after having paid the modest entrance fee, you need to take an elevator (lift) to the 5th and top floor. After that to look at the rest of the museum, you walk down the stairs (but you can also take the lift down).
The top floor has a beautiful view of the harbour and city. It’s well worth it:
The view is 360°.
This is a 180° view from the front of the top floor of the museum. The photo is deformed since the sides of the photo should be inwards, not outwards.
After the top floor, with its scale models of Fecamp over the ages, you walk down to the next floor. There, you will find a door that brings you outside to an outdoor observation deck and to the beginning of the actual museum exhibits.
The next four floors, each with its own exhibits, are well structured and laid out. There are many artefacts from all the ages, and explanations are both in French and English (with an occasional spelling mistake).
The 4th floor shows you the life in Fecamp even before it was a town (during the Vikings and later the Romans).
The 3rd floor is dedicated to the Fishery Industry located in Fecamp, with many scale models and a few real boats. There are many artefacts used during these periods.
The 2nd floor offers a view of the life in the Pays de Caux (the area in Normandy between Le Havre, Yvetot and Dieppe), in which Fecamp is located. “Caux” means Lime, the stone that is found abundantly in this area, hence the area “Pays de Caux” means the Limestone Area. But it is also used for the inhabitants and language (Cauchois).
The 1st floor of the museum is used for temporary exhibits.
NOTE: Every Tuesday afternoon, the museum organises a guided visit with an French/English speaking guide.
Conclusion
If you are in the area, a visit to the Fisheries Museum can be quite interesting, even for young children. The harbour is quite active, and there are several good (and not so good) restaurants close to the museum.
TIP: The museum is well equipped for handicapped visitors. Wheelchair ramps, elevators, adapted toilets and explanation signs positioned low.
TIP: Count about 1 – 2 hours to visit the museum.
There is a web site, but it’s part of the Fecamp City Hall web, and if anything, it would repulse potential visitors. It’s also only in French. Click here to access their web site.
Hours:
The museum is open until 16 September 2018, every day from 11:00 to 19:00. After that, the museum is closed on Tuesdays, and all other days it is open from 11:00 to 17:30.
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