Le Havre & Paris (Day 118)

Hello Everyone!

After a peaceful and relaxing day at sea yesterday we arrived at the port of Le Havre in northern France early in the morning of Sunday, 3 May 2026. Our sea day yesterday was one of "lasts" - last big milestone buffet, last trivia session, last choir gathering, etc. Many of us spent time seeking out friends to say goodbye (or "see you later!") and to trade contact info. 

It was very foggy when we arrived, typical weather for the area, I'm told. 

Located on the coast of Normandy at the mouth of the Seine River, Le Havre sits just a couple of hours east of the famous D-Day landing beaches. While the city itself was not one of the June 6, 1944 landing sites, it played an important strategic role during World War II as a heavily fortified German port. The Allies eventually bombed and fought fiercely for control of Le Havre later in 1944, leaving much of the city destroyed before its remarkable postwar reconstruction. Today, many travelers use Le Havre as a convenient gateway to explore Normandy’s rich World War II history, including Omaha Beach, Utah Beach, and the American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer.

Le Havre feels very different from the postcard image of old-world France. Much of the city was rebuilt after the Second World War by architect Auguste Perret, giving it a clean, geometric look of wide boulevards, concrete buildings, and surprising bursts of light near the waterfront. At first glance it can seem stark, but after a little time the city grows on you — especially the lively marina, excellent seafood, modern art museums, and long pebble beach where locals gather to watch the changing weather roll in from the Channel.

Excursions for the day were primarily to the WWII battlefields and cemeteries, or to Paris. I'd already seen Normandy, Omaha Beach, Juno Beach, and the American Cemetery, but I've also been to Paris several times, so I was a bit torn over what to do. I eventually opted for Paris because, despite the 2.5 to 3 hour one-way bus ride, I very much wanted to see the restored cathedral of Notre Dame. I also had a friend who had never been to Paris and wanted to come along, even though we'd only have about three hours to explore.

We got on the bus and settled in for the ride. It actually wasn't too bad. The weather was threatening at first (clouds, rain, and cool temps), but the sun eventually came out and it turned into a nice day.

Our original plan was to get off the bus at our designated meeting point and proceed directly to Notre Dame, hoping to get there in time for Sunday Mass at 11:30. But Viking and our guide had other plans...

We actually got into the city around 10:15am, but instead of dropping us off right away, the driver and guide insisted on taking us on a windshield tour of the major sights in central Paris. Frustratingly, the bus drove right past Notre Dame! If we could have gotten off the bus, we'd have been there in plenty of time to make it through the line for Mass. But the guide told us that Viking insisted they couldn't let us off anywhere but the designated meeting point - they wanted to be sure we knew where it was. Thing is, we also drove right by the meeting point earlier in the tour...

As it turned out, we hailed a cab just after getting off the bus and made it to the Cathedral about 11:40. We waited in the line for Mass anyway, hoping to at least get there late, but they cut off entry soon afterwards because all the seats filled up. We got in the regular tourist line and entered the cathedral at about 12:10. Mass was still going on (just after the Offertory), so we stood in the back and waited until Mass was over before walking around.

It was well worth the trouble and the wait. The interior of the cathedral looks absolutely stunning after years and millions of dollars of restoration work. Here are some snapshots.

Notre Dame Entryway

Notre Dame Sanctuary

Notre Dame Sanctuary

Notre Dame Sanctuary

Restored Stained Glass Windows

Notre Dame Sanctuary

Rose Window

Pipe Organ Façade with
Rose Window in Background

Here's a shot of the exterior. Note the crane in the background - there is still a lot of work going on to finish restoring the famous flying buttresses and other parts of the exterior.

Notre Dame Exterior

Just to Prove I was Really There!

Prefecture of the Police of Paris
Across from Notre Dame

Pont Alexandre III Bridge over the Seine

After spending about an hour touring the sanctuary of Notre Dame, my friend and I found a nice sidewalk cafe and had a leisurely lunch before riding the subway back to the meeting point for the bus back to the ship. The return ride took about two hours and 30 minutes, and we made it in plenty of time to get a late dinner. That night the ship sailed for our penultimate stop, Dover England.

It's hard to believe that we're this close to the end of the trip already. It surely doesn't seem like we've been gone all but four months. The reality of heading into our last few days on the boat is beginning to hit everyone and there's a lot of talk about what we'll do when we get home.

Stay tuned for the white cliffs of Dover!

Jim