Learning Journeys: Forays in France

It’s hardly Paris, but this city made a big impression

Sketch by author: Le Havre beach in the style of Raoul Dufy.

The setting

I’m gazing over a sparkling blue vista, which inspired some of France’s greatest paintings. Sipping champagne and eating freshly caught fish in a UNESCO world heritage site.

But this isn’t Paris or the Cote d’Azure.

It’s a lesser-known seaside town on France’s northern coast.

At the turn of the twentieth century, Le Havre was the place to see and be seen. It was the birthplace of an art movement and the jumping off point for great transatlantic adventures.

These days, it is slightly shabby and less glamorous. Most of the passenger ships are ferries shuttling between England and France.

But there’s a lot more to it than that. Don’t be surprised if it gets under your skin.

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Le Havre is separated from the UK by about 200km of water. This is the English Channel - an “arm” of the Atlantic Ocean. It’s flat, blue and serene one day; rough, grey and full of violence the next. The water echoes the life of the city - and has inspired many great artists.

We went to Le Havre to check out a university option for my daughter. But I learned a lot more than I was expecting. About travel, art, history, destruction, and regeneration. And about change - both positive and negative, endured and designed.

Art

Le Havre was the birthplace of Impressionism. I was seriously wowed by the Museum of Modern Art there. Occupying a prime corner spot on the seafront, with floor-to-ceiling picture windows, it offers a vast ocean vista. Not to mention the second largest collection of Impressionist artworks in France.

Eugine Boudin and his young protege, Claude Monet, both came from the region. They were among the first artists to throw out the classical rule book and paint outside, from live subjects.

Their energetic and subtle brushstrokes captured the capricious moods of ocean and sky, plus everyday scenes ranging from the fish market to the cattle fields. Monet’s Impression, Sunrise which depicts the port at Le Havre, gave a name to the movement.

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Another local artist influenced by Impressionism was Raoul Dufy. I fell in love with his works as a student during my year abroad in Nice. His paintings of the Promenade des Anglais are famous.

But he too grew up in Le Havre, and credits the city - and his job on the docks - for his artistic development.

Dufy’s initial sketches and paintings were realistic, but later became experiments with the deconstruction and reinvention of form. He loved the play of light on the water and the mix of gritty port life and seaside fun. The city reflected both the development of his work and his inner journey.

Adventure

Le Havre is France’s second biggest port after Marseille. It used to be the starting point for the world’s biggest, most luxurious forms of transport - the ocean liners.

These giant ships were more than simply a way of moving goods and people from A to B. They represented the best of human innovation, design and technology - and the height of Art Deco style. They attracted the rich and famous as well as those who saved up to take the trip of a lifetime. Often on a one-way ticket.

These ships offered escape for many Europeans fleeing repression and war. They resettled in the United States, often New York, where they helped to spark a new creative cultural explosion.

Destruction

In 1944, Le Havre suffered a massive aerial bombardment by the allies. The aim was to drive out the occupying German forces and bring WWII closer to an end. Four fifths of the city was destroyed. The French resistance were warned, and many evacuated. Still, more than two thousand people died. And 80 thousand lost their homes.

Regeneration

Today, Le Havre is a fascinating mix of modern and old. Striking modern and brutalist architecture prevails alongside rare surviving examples of traditional buildings. It has a diverse population. There are signs of prosperity and deprivation. The impact of the past is palpable. This is not your typical French town.

Photos of Le Havre by author.

Architect Auguste Perret was in charge of rebuilding Le Havre. At the end of his long career, he was able to use all his experience to rise to the daunting challenge. He and his young team designed housing which was prefabricated, modular and mid-rise.

It is quite striking walking around the city, especially near the port, how uniform these apartments appear. And yet, look closer. Each one is slightly different. The government granted residents reparations - and they clubbed together with friends, family or previous neighbours to build a block based on Perret’s blueprints. Each group had the opportunity to stipulate details like size (within set proportions), colonnades, and colour of concrete.

The results are spacious, ordered and neat, with individual touches.

Le Havre’s urban design could hold the key to future cities. A way to combine density and comfort. Most cities need more affordable living areas which emphasise light, air and green space for all.

What next

What the future holds for Le Havre is as unclear as it is for the rest of the world in these tumultuous times. I hope that we have learned from the past. The impact of historical destruction remains today.

Maybe we can turn away from destruction and war, and towards peace. A calm ocean. Beautiful art and design. Shelter and a chance to live comfortably for everyone.

Le Havre is a bit shabby in places. We feel the weight of the past, but also the glory. It’s not the richest place in France. Most of its glitz has faded. But it remains a beacon of hope. An example of possibility, even after near total destruction.

Some people say the best thing to do in Le Havre is to leave, but I disagree. I think everyone should experience a place like that at least once in their life to:

💭 Think about humanity, art and nature.

🔄 Consider our capacity for change

🔨 Contemplate destruction and creativity; and

💡Imagine the best ways we could live.

Life is journey and everyone’s map looks different. 🗺️