Marché du Samedi on Place Sainte-Catherine
Every Saturday morning, Place Sainte-Catherine — the largest timber-framed square in France — transforms into a boisterous covered market where local farmers, fishermen and cheese-makers set up under the same ancient wooden canopy that has sheltered traders for centuries. It is the single best place in Honfleur to eat and shop like a Norman.
What to Buy and Eat
Stalls groan with Pays d'Auge apples, unpasteurised Livarot and Pont-l'Évêque cheeses wrapped in straw, slabs of salted butter, and fresh cider sold straight from the barrel. The fishmongers arrive with whatever came off the boats at Trouville that morning — sole, turbot and fat Normandy oysters are the stars.
Pick up a warm galette from the crêpe stand in the north-east corner and eat it while you wander; locals consider this the correct breakfast. Several vendors sell Calvados and Pommeau at tasting prices that shame any duty-free shop.
The Church Behind the Market
The Église Sainte-Catherine, which backs directly onto the square, is the largest wooden church in France, built by local shipwrights in the 15th century using boat-building techniques — the vaulted nave looks uncannily like an upturned hull. Its detached wooden bell tower across the lane is equally extraordinary.
After the market winds down around 1 p.m., the square empties quickly and the church becomes peaceful; this is the ideal moment to step inside and appreciate the craftsmanship without the crowds.
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