La Lieutenance

La Lieutenance, the prestigious building at the entrance to Honfleur?s Vieux Bassin, has just been completely restored and is now open to the public. It houses a CIAP on Honfleur?s maritime history and an artists? residence.

La Lieutenance is a true witness to the history of the Norman port, spanning the centuries and quite simply the oldest building in the town. It is also the last vestige of the ancient fortifications that surrounded the military city, which was then known as ?La Porte de Caen? and controlled access to the central town of l?Enclos. At the end of the 17th century, the rampart was demolished, and the building was refurbished to house the King?s Lieutenant, from which it takes its current name.

What is a CIAP?
A Center for the Interpretation of Architecture and Heritage.
It is not a museum, as it has no collection to display. It's a cultural venue that highlights Honfleur's maritime history through a whole range of different media: audio, video, models, digital installations? and of course most of the material is interactive, so it's great fun, and families will love this new site!

What can you discover?
A permanent exhibition in three rooms and on the building's terraces.
The scenography of the exhibition spaces is designed to offer an immersive and active visit for all, through: audio narratives, virtual reconstructions, models, manipulative games, videos?
The first room presents a historical approach to the city, with its major stages from its origins to the present day, through a projection on a scale model. The military period is developed.
In the second room, visitors discover the different facets that have forged the city?s maritime identity: the great explorations, fishing, maritime trade, shipyards, industrialization of the port, artistic inspiration and production, and the city?s turn as a tourist destination.
The third room focuses on the town?s built heritage: building materials and techniques are explained and illustrated by examples from Honfleur.

The Waouh moment!
Clearly our favorite part of the visit, once we've visited the rooms the tour continues on the Lieutenance?s outdoor terraces. An incredible 360° view overlooking the Honfleur basins. From this elevated spot, we can read the landscape and observe the town, its urban planning and port facilities with the help of scale models, and its evolution over time thanks to virtual reconstructions provided by binoculars.

Closed May 1, July 14, November 1 and 11, December 25

But also...an artist?s residence
A creative center to promote contemporary art and its artists
The residency's mission is to give artistic resonance to our maritime heritage, promote artistic exchange, raise awareness and encourage artistic practices.
Artists (visual artists, writers, photographers, musicians, etc.) will be welcomed for part of the year.
The aim is to set up artistic and cultural events, multiplying opportunities for communication and exchange between the everyday and the artistic.