In the last of my trio of mini photo features, I called at the French port of Le Havre. A surprisingly interesting city with striking architecture  created after the city was rebuilt following mass destruction in the Second World War.

Dominated by the vast presence of Queen Mary 2, the Le Havre skyline.

Time was limited, so I had no chance to wait for the sun to move round, but was pleased with this near silhouette view of the ship dominating the skyline. The monstrous tower in the middle is that of St Joseph’s Church.

Striking; inside St Joseph’s Church.

I was recommended that a look inside the church was worthwhile and I wasn’t disappointed! It was a job for the fish-eye lens, with the camera on the floor looking straight up the tower. The interior of concrete has a curious appearance of wood. Certainly more attractive inside than out, but still not to everyone’s taste.

Dominating the city: the tower of St Joseph’s Church.

From the outside, the church and neighboring buildings has a feel of New York to it.

This beautifully designed and manicured park (below) in the city centre looked splendid when the trees and lawn were backlit by the sun. It made a welcome contrast to the modern starkness of the surrounding buildings.

Retreating form the hustle and bustle of the city, a walk up to the ‘Hanging Gardens‘ (an old fort) provides stunning views over the city (see above). Although a little bleak in December, the gardens still had some appeal. The neat line of palm trees complete with shadows made for an interesting and unexpected shot.

On the way back to the ship, this friendly French cat caught my eye, relaxing in the sun on a garden wall! He seemed happy to be photographed and was irresistible to a cat-lover such as myself!

Back on board Queen Mary 2, I had a much clearer view of Le Havre with the glow from the low winter sun behind me. On deck 12 you get a real sense of height, looking down on most of the nearby buildings.

Le Havre

A sunset seems a fitting way to end this and the weather obliges beautifully, as we prepared to set sail across the Channel for Southampton.

I hope you have enjoyed my brief voyage on Queen Mary 2. I’ll be coming back down to earth for the next few Ramblings, a little closer to home and via a more modest mode of transport!