Redesigned by Auguste Perret starting in 1945 and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005, the city center of Le Havre is both surprising and modern. Renowned contemporary architects such as Oscar Niemeyer and Jean Nouvel have designed iconic buildings in the city, giving it a unique personality. The Ocean Gateway thus offers visitors a rich cultural and architectural heritage. Here are some must-see attractions to explore during your stopover in Le Havre:
“The Oscar Niemeyer Space:
a Volcano in the city“
Both a cultural space, a national stage, and a library, Le Volcan is a remarkable work. Its architectural volumes, clad in sails of white curved and free-form concrete, manifest an aesthetic inherited from the modern movement. Since 2015, a library has been located at the heart of the building, combining futuristic elements in its volumetric design and retro touches inspired by the 1950s/60s
![VOLCAN](https://oscar-hotel-lh.fr/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/VOLCAN-1.png)
The Saint Joseph Church
The church overlooks the city with its octagonal lantern tower standing at 110 meters in height. Designed by Auguste Perret and finalized by architects from his workshop after his passing, it embodies the post-war renewal of the city. Considered one of the architectural masterpieces of the 20th century, this church is symbolic of the reconstruction in Europe.
![L’église Saint-joseph](https://oscar-hotel-lh.fr/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Leglise-Saint-joseph-1.png)
The MuMa
The Museum of Modern Art André Malraux, or MuMa, stands out for its bold architecture designed by Guy Lagneau and Raymond Audigier, characterized by a total openness to the outside that allows light to flood its spaces. Inaugurated in 1961, it also housed, for a few years, the first Maison de la Culture. Ideally located facing the entrance to the port and near the Southampton dock, it houses one of the most important Impressionist collections, rivaling that of the Musée d’Orsay in Paris.
![MuMa](https://oscar-hotel-lh.fr/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/MuMa-1.png)
Les Jardins suspendus
The Hanging Gardens form a harmonious landscape on 17 hectares that integrates perfectly into the imposing setting of the military fort that houses them. They offer a spectacular view of the Bay of Seine, the sea, and the port. As soon as you pass through the entrance gate of the Fort of Sainte-Adresse, a captivating discovery begins, with four bastions dedicated to the explorations of great botanists. The central courtyard houses collection greenhouses, trial gardens, the green carpet, and the collection of fragrant plants, while the elevated walkway offers visitors an exceptional panorama of the city and the estuary of the Seine, while linking the four themed gardens arranged in the former bastions. To enhance the experience, a tea room, a Rose Garden, and artworks complete the ensemble.
![Les Jardins suspendus](https://oscar-hotel-lh.fr/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Les-Jardins-suspendus-1.png)
The Port of Le Havre
Le Havre holds a prominent place among the largest European commercial ports. The Port Center offers an exploration of the globalization of trade and the transportation of goods from antiquity to the present day. Immerse yourself in a visit to a port in perpetual activity: from tidal basins to mineral and oil terminals, through pilot stations, towing, and mooring. In July and August, enjoy a coastal walk along the beach to Cap de la Hève. Also explore the seaside version of Nice Havrais by Georges Dufayel, with its Anglo-Norman villas, the Régates pier immortalized by Claude Monet, Raoul Dufy, Albert Marquet, and don’t miss the Pain de sucre and the two spires of the Notre-Dame-des-Flots chapel.
![Le Port du Havre](https://oscar-hotel-lh.fr/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Le-Port-du-Havre-1.png)
The Perret Model Apartment
The choice of furniture is inspired by the layouts of typical apartments presented during the reconstruction period, between 1945 and 1955.
Built during the reconstruction phase of Le Havre after World War II, the Perret apartments, designed by architect Auguste Perret, represent a new model of housing combining comfort and modernity for the residents of Le Havre. The layout of the living space is also innovative, with a design aimed at optimizing natural light in all rooms of the apartment.
Located within the famous Immeubles Sans Affectation Individuelles (Buildings without Individual Assignment), this model apartment is one of the 350 units forming the very first ensemble of the reconstruction phase.
![L'Appartement témoin Perret](https://oscar-hotel-lh.fr/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/LAppartement-temoin-Perret-1.png)
The beach
During the summer season, the Bains Maritimes offer rental services for single or double canoes, paddleboards, skimboards, windsurf boards, fun boats, and much more. For a freshwater swimming experience, the Club Nautique Havrais (CNH) pool is open to tourists and visitors from May to September.
Various facilities await you for activities such as beach volleyball, street basketball, and pétanque. The Havre skatepark, with its 1200m² bowl, offers a vast area for skating, being the largest free outdoor skatepark in France.
Seaside restaurants, bars, and takeaway shops in Le Havre are open from mid-March to late September to satisfy all desires, whether it’s traditional moules-frites, more elaborate or exotic dishes, or even a little ice cream.
Whether you’re alone, with family, or friends, lay your towel on the pebble beach. The Bains Maritimes, open from May to September, offer sun lounger rentals, toilets, showers, lockers, and bicycle parking
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![la plage](https://oscar-hotel-lh.fr/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/la-plage-1.png)