Family-friendly restaurant in Honfleur

Does anyone know of a family-friendly restaurant in Honfleur? We have visited the town many times before but not since we have had children (now 18 months and 4 years) so it%26#39;s a bit different now. From memory, most of the restaurants around the old port are pretty good but when you are without children and have all the time in the world, you can amble around, reading menus and picking the one you fancy best that evening but this time, we need to be more targetted and go somewhere where (a) children are tolerated and (b) there is a children%26#39;s menu but where the food and ambience is still nice for the adults. Have never been to any restaurants beyond the port (as we used to like sitting outside to look at the water but since we are visiting at the end of October, this isn%26#39;t so likely) so they may be worth exploring.

Any suggestions welcomed!

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Hello

Did you ever get an answer to your question?

We are going at the same time. I used to stay in Honfleur when on business years ago, and La Fleur de Sel is a great gastro place but not sure about the experience with children. We are going en famille and have the same question. I once ate at Antares which was average thn, and L%26#39;Absinthe which is a wonderful seafood gastro restaurant

Fleet UK

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I haven%26#39;t had any replies unfortunately. I%26#39;ve even asked my cousin whose parents have a holiday home in the area but she couldn%26#39;t think of anything either. I agree that L%26#39;Absinthe is wonderful but a bit wasted on our kids at this stage, sadly! I did look up quite a few review websites and La Tortue looked like it might be interesting - on their website they have a video and mention that they cater for children too. It looked nice and I thought we might give it a whirl. Not too sure exactly where it is but I think it%26#39;s in a side street rather than around the port.

If you%26#39;re moving a bit further afield, Le Central in Trouville is a classic French bistro with great food, good ambience and children are well catered for.

Good luck and have a good trip!

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We were there with our two sons Easter of 2007. They were then 9 and 11, so older than your kids (and more patient!) but as we walked around Honfleur we realized that it wasn%26#39;t really family dining. We just walked the area around the port and the side streets, but nothing looked like a place we%26#39;d really be welcomed sitting down with kids, and there were no childrens menus visible, and all the prices were so HIGH I just absolutely balked at paying them.

We were just there for the afternoon/evening then driving back to Bayeux to our B%26amp;B, so we did a %26quot;reverse dinner%26quot;......we had crepes (dessert) around the boat basin and enjoyed people watching. Then as we headed out of town back for the highway we stopped at the MacDonald%26#39;s on the edge of town. I know, that%26#39;s terrible, isn%26#39;t it? But at that point in the trip we didn%26#39;t need or want another %26quot;nice%26quot; dinner, we just wanted FOOD and didn%26#39;t want to pay too much for it. And golly if that wasn%26#39;t the best hamburgers we ever had! My kids still talk about how great the MacDonalds hamburgers are in France!

If you are staying there, ask at your hotel and I%26quot;m sure they can direct you.

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Trust me, we%26#39;ve resorted to that in the past! McDonalds do great Happy Meals in France (far better than England) and the kids can spot those golden arches from any motorway...

Anyway, on this visit (we got back last week), we decided that Honfleur was definitely best for walking not family dining so just went for the afternoon, which we really enjoyed. It all seemed very festive there and was full of other families wandering around (half-term holidays for England and France).

We did however find a very good restaurant for evening family meals in Deauville if anyone is there. There is an Italian called Il Parasole just off the main street close to the Hotel Normandie. The service was nothing outstanding but the food was really good straightforward Italian stuff and of course great for kids as most love pizza and pasta. It was very reasonably priced and although we only had 4 nights staying in the town, we ended up going there for 2 of them as it was so good. It%26#39;s obviously popular with the locals as it was busy both nights - they open before 7.00 though so perfect for families with small children. Just wish the Euro exchange rate with the pound was better or we would be zooming back there...

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So were weren%26#39;t the only family that balked at the restaurants in Honfleur!!!!

There%26#39;s just nothing like finding a good Italian restaurant....you know it will always work well with the kids. In Spain, we found a fish n%26#39; chips/Italian place near our condo (husband was English, wife was Italian) and we ate there THREE TIMES in one week. Oh, and they made a great chicken curry, too!

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I would try

The Albatros, nice bistrot, reasonable prices and on the port (the only restaurant on the port I would recommend)

L Homme du Bois, a great mix between locals and tourists in an old wood timbered house with a roaring fireplace during winter (great for seafood platters) ok food; great atmosphere and definately kid friendly

Le Champlain (on the rue Haute) good food in a comfy surrounding, same owners for 20+ years very %26#39;Normandy%26#39;

La Ciderie also on rue Haute great crepes and cider

Have fun!

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We%26#39;re planning to stay in Honfleur in October this year and our baby will be 4 months old by then. Do you think that the various restaurants would be ok with a baby (in his pram/puschair) as opposed to children? It sounds like you found Deauville to be more receptive to children than Honfleur. We had considered staying in Deauville but understood that it would be very quiet and the holiday season over by October. Would be grateful for your views!

Thanks

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We took our 13 week old son to Brittany one year and managed lovely long lunches every day as he just slept in his buggy - bliss!!! Yes, I would say that most restaurants are very relaxed about babies in buggies - actually, any age children as long as they are well-behaved - it%26#39;s just a matter of when they are older finding places with food they will eat if they are fussy. I think Deauville is lovely at any time of the year but definitely quieter in October (but then it%26#39;s so busy in July and August that it%26#39;s spoilt). Don%26#39;t miss Les Vapeurs or Le Central in Trouville if you are there for a great brasserie experience, and enjoy the lovely seafood restaurants of Honfleur - lots of great suggestions from others on this thread. We are planning to go later this year/early next year - but not taking the children so we can enjoy some long lunches again!!!

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Babies are easy in restaurants, even in France! :)

Enjoy your leisurely dining now.....once they become toddlers and start walking around (and WANTING to walk around all the time) you have several years when your idea of a good restaurant is where ever you can get in and out QUICKLY!

Enjoy the baby time! :)