Whether it’s celebrating the 500th anniversary of Le Havre, marvelling at Picasso’s sculptures in Rouen, enjoying Dior’s haute couture in Granville or shopping in Honfleur, there will never be a dull moment in Normandy in 2017.
500th anniversary of the city and port of Le Havre
To celebrate this milestone anniversary Le Havre will be celebrating and hosting a whole summer of events. A key stop-off for sea and river cruises, UNESCO city Le Havre is a fantastic destination for architecture enthusiasts, art lovers and foodies.
A Summer in Le Havre Opening Ceremony
Get ready for a street party on a massive scale for the opening ceremony of A Summer in Le Havre – 27 May 2017
Royal de Luxe Street Parade
July sees the highly anticipated return of the iconic Nantes-based Royal de Luxe street theatre company and their giant puppets. Famous for their large-scale outdoor performances and their taste for the unorthodox, this fantastic, free show will take place throughout the city: 6-9 July 2017
Final Stage of the Tall Ships Regatta
The Tall Ships Regatta 2017 will stop over in Le Havre for its final stage, bringing together 40 of the largest heritage ships in the world, and will boast free street parades, concerts and fireworks: 31 August – 3 September 2017, tallshipsregatta
Monet’s Painting Sunrise on show
Claude Monet’s masterpiece Impression, Sunrise returns to the city where it was painted. The painting that gave impressionism its name will be on show at an exhibition at the André Malraux Modern Art Museum (MuMa):, 9 September – 8 October 2017
A Summer in Le Havre Closing Ceremony
A huge public get-together and visual spectacle, the closing ceremony of A Summer in Le Havre 2017 will see a new digital installation unveiled as a permanent legacy of 2017’s anniversary celebrations: 8 October 2017
Jacques Vabre Transatlantic Race
The celebrated longest double-handed transatlantic race in the world, known as the Transat Jacques Vabre, has always set sail from Le Havre, and this year it ends in Brazil. Boats will stop over at the port on 27 October before the grand send-off on 5 November. Takes place: 27 October-5 November 2017, transat-jacques-vabre.com/en
For more information on A Summer in Le Havre 2017, visit: asummerinlehavre2017
What else is new in Normandy for 2017?
Three major Picasso exhibitions in Rouen
In 1930, Pablo Picasso bought the Château de Boisgeloup in Normandy and built his first sculpture studio there. In 2017, for the first time, the Musée des Beaux-Arts, Musée de la Céramique and the Musée Le Secq des Tournelles in Rouen will be hosting exhibitions focusing on Picasso’s works completed during this period of his life: 1 April-11 September – mbarouen.fr/en; museedelaceramique.fr/en; museelesecqdestournelles.fr/en
Celebrate 70 years of Christian Dior in Granville
This summer marks 70 years since the iconic fashion house of Dior was founded in 1947. To mark the occasion, the Christian Dior Museum, Dior’s childhood home in Granville, will host an exhibition dedicated to the designer’s 22 collections and lines launched between 1947 and 1957.
Web: www.normandy-tourism.org
