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Origin and history

The walls of Honfleur form a medieval fortified complex built to protect the city and its harbour. From the 13th century, walls surrounded the urban core, housing the parishes of Saint-Étienne and Notre-Dame. These fortifications were reinforced in the middle of the 14th century, during the reign of Charles V, to secure the estuary of the Seine and the port, then vital for trade and regional defence.

The destruction of the ramparts began in 1664, and then accelerated in 1681 under the impulse of Colbert, who ordered their partial shave to build the Old Basin. This project, merging Havre-Dedans and Fossé, led to the disappearance of the western part of the fortifications. Today, only a few remains remain, such as the section of courted courtage delimiting the courtyard of the Musée du Vieux Honfleur, testifying to this defensive past.

Among the rare elements preserved, La Lieutenance and the rampart bordering the museum have been protected since 1932 by a classification as historical monuments. These physical traces recall the strategic importance of Honfleur, a maritime crossroads between Normandy and the Seine. Their preservation offers an overview of medieval fortification techniques and their adaptation to port issues.

The ramparts also illustrate Honfleur's urban changes: their dismantling in the 17th century reflects the transition from a closed city to an open port, marked by economic development under Louis XIV. Their history in conjunction with that of the Old Basin underlines the inextricable link between defence, trade and spatial planning.

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