A Travel Price Comparison for France Honfleur vs. Chartres for Food, Couples, Attractions, and Families

Should you visit Honfleur or Chartres?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Honfleur and Chartres can help you decide which place is right for you.

Honfleur

Honfleur is a picturesque, scenic, and historic city. The beauty of this spot is also one of the main reasons why visitors come. Visitors also love the food, museums, and nightlife.

Chartres

Chartres is a historic, grand, and spectacular town. This is a charming small with plenty of activities, too. Other reasons to visit include food and museums.

Honfleur and Chartres: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Honfleur or Chartres?

Travelers will usually find more to do in Honfleur. Although Honfleur and Chartres are popular destinations, Honfleur has more sights and attractions for tourists. Honfleur is very popular for its food, nightlife, beaches, shopping, and impressive beauty, while Chartres attracts visitors for its small town charm. Honfleur is famous for its influence over Impressionist art, its stunning harbor, and its beautiful buildings. It is also well known for St Catherine's Church. Chartres is famous for its beautiful cathedral and long running history.

How is Honfleur different from Chartres?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Chartres and Honfleur. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Honfleur or Chartres?

Spend time exploring the nice sights and museums in either Honfleur or Chartres.

Honfleur is a good place to visit if you're interested in museums or other recognizable sights. Some of the most notable sights around the town include Saint Catherine's Church, Le Vieux Bassin, Notre-Dame de Grace, and the Normandy Bridge.

Chartres offers a variety of museums and landmarks to choose from. Most visitors make the trip to see the spectacular Gothic cathedral, Cathédrale Notre-Dame. It was completed in 1220 and is famous for its beautiful stained glass windows.

Is the Food Better in Honfleur or Chartres? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Honfleur is a must-visit destination for its local flavors and cuisine. Also, Chartres is not as popular, but is still a nice town for its local cuisine and restaurants.

For foodies, Honfleur is an obvious choice, as it is one of the food capitals of the world. Located on the coast of Normandy along the English Channel, seafood is a defining element for most dishes here. Foodies flock to this town for its Michelin starred restaurants as well as its local cafes and quaint eateries. For land-lovers, there's a popular local cider-braised pork that you must-try. And for dessert make sure you try the Tarte Tatin.

There are many up and coming restaurants in the Chartres area. There are a number of restaurants around town so it's easy to grab lunch during a day trip.

Is Honfleur or Chartres Better for Nightlife?

Honfleur is a popular place for nightlife and partying. However, Chartres is not a destination with noteworthy nightlife.

If you're looking for night time activities Honfleur has a few options to choose from. Restaurants come to life at night when music flows out onto the streets. The town is not known for its partying, but that doesn't mean that it's a sleepy place that shuts down when the sun sets.

Chartres is not a destination with noteworthy nightlife.

Is Honfleur or Chartres Better for Beaches?

Honfleur is adequate for the beache. However, Chartres is not a beach destination.

You can check out the beach in Honfleur. The town sits by the estuary of the Seine and there are two beaches not far from town. Butin Beach is the closest to town and the most popular, but Vasouy Beach is more relaxed and natural.

Chartres is not a beach destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Honfleur or Chartres?

Honfleur is adequate for its shopping opportunities. However, Chartres is not a noteworthy shopping destination.

If you're looking to go shopping, Honfleur has some nice offerings. It's a charming town with boutique shops, chocolate shops, and the standard tourist places that sell souvenirs and t-shirts.

Chartres is not a noteworthy shopping destination.

Is Honfleur or Chartres Better for Families?

Honfleur is a popular place for its kid-friendly activities. However, Chartres is not a good destination for its family-friendly activities.

Honfleur offers lots of family activities. Located on the coast of Normandy, the town has boat rides, quirky museums, and Vieux Bassin, which is a beautiful and lively harbor. For kids who need to stretch their legs, there are many parks and outdoor spaces to enjoy.

Chartres is not the most family-friendly destination. The main attraction in town is the cathedral, but the surrounding area is also filled with history. This may not keep your kids entertained for long, so you can also check out the Stained Glass Museum, La Tanière (a zoo), or one of the parks around town.

Is Honfleur or Chartres Better for Couples?

Honfleur is great for its romantic activities. Also, Chartres is not as popular, but is still a nice town for couples.

Honfleur is a great city if you're traveling as a couple. It has, arguably, one of the area's most beautiful harbors. There are also many great seafood restaurants, relaxing gardens, and spas that are perfect for couples.

Chartres is a good city for couples to visit. With its cathedral and rich history, many couples enjoy exploring the town. It is filled with history and interesting sights.

Is Honfleur or Chartres Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Chartres is very good for backpackers and budget travelers. However, Honfleur is lacking in options for backpackers.

Chartres is popular with backpackers and budget travelers. It's easy enough to visit as a day trip from Paris, so backpackers and other tourists typically allow themselves a few hours to explore.

Honfleur is a challenging destination for budget travelers and backpackers due to the higher prices. You'll likely have more luck looking for an apartment than a hostel, so if you're looking for a place to stay with a social setting, you may be out of luck.

Is Honfleur or Chartres Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Chartres is an excellent place to visit for times when you don't have a car. However, Honfleur is lacking in options for its public transit.

Visitors to Chartres can move around easily with public transportation. There are trains that leave Paris Montparnasse 1 Et 2 every half hour and travel to Chartres. The trip takes about 1 hour 15 minutes.

Public transit is generally limited in Honfleur. HO Buses travel from the outskirts or town into the center and are used mainly by locals. If you plan to head into Normandy to see the countryside, you'll want to have a car.

Is Honfleur or Chartres a more walkable city?

Honfleur and Chartres are great when it comes to walkability.

Honfleur is very walkable. The city center is compact and easy to explore on foot. There are also many coastal walks leading out of town.

Chartres is a very walkable city. It's easy to see the sights around town on foot.

For even more information, also check out Is Honfleur Worth Visiting? and Is Chartres Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Chartres or Honfleur?

How long in Honfleur or Chartres?

You'll be able to find lots of things to do in Honfleur or Chartres to fill your time. Many travelers usually spend more of their time in Honfleur than Chartres because of the number of activities and things to do in the area. Usually, 1-3 days is a good amount of time for Honfleur, and 1-2 days is enough time in Chartres.

Families should spend more time in Honfleur than Chartres. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Honfleur, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in Honfleur than Chartres. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Honfleur that are great for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Chartres than Honfleur if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Chartres.

One day in Honfleur or Chartres?

The beautiful city of Honfleur offers nightlife and food. With all of its activities, you can easily fill one day here. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

The town of Chartres offers museums and food. With all of its activities, you can easily fill one day here. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

A weekend in Honfleur or Chartres?

Honfleur is a popular place that is full of things to see and experience. If you have a weekend, this city makes for a great vacation. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Honfleur, a weekend is sufficent for most. Take your pick from the many activities offered here.

Chartres is a popular place that is full of things to see and experience. If you have a weekend, this town makes for a great vacation. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Chartres, a weekend is sufficent for most. Take your pick from the many activities offered here.

Five days in Honfleur or Chartres?

Honfleur is a popular choice for travelers. It's no surprise that food is why people visit. Five days is usually plenty of time to spend here with extra days to spare. With this much time, visitors often visit nearby destinations or take day trips. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

Chartres is a popular choice for travelers. Five days is usually plenty of time to spend here with extra days to spare. With this much time, visitors often visit nearby destinations or take day trips. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

A week in Honfleur or Chartres?

Honfleur is a great place to explore. It's no surprise that food is why people visit. One week is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. This city offers something for everyone.

Chartres is a great place to explore. One week is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. This town offers something for everyone.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in France, The Best Food and Culinary Tours in France, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in France, and The Best Luxury Tours to France.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Honfleur and Chartres, we can see that Honfleur is more expensive. And not only is Chartres much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Chartres would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Chartres and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Honfleur would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Honfleur than you might in Chartres.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Honfleur Expensive? and Is Chartres Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Honfleur or Chartres?

Chartres has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Honfleur. When comparing the sizes of Honfleur and Chartres, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.