This historic basin is located on the very spot where the city of Le Havre and its port was founded by Francis I. Before the birth of the city, it was in fact here that the King of France sheltered his ships, a function which inspired the name “Havre”, meaning “shelter”. On each side of the basin are the oldest districts of Le Havre, Notre-Dame and Saint-François, and opposite this a statue of François 1er admiring the port.
