A Guide to the Best Things to do in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine

Last Updated on 5th January 2026 by Sophie Nadeau

This post may contain affiliate links. Please check out my privacy policy and disclosure for more information.

A delightful town with a medieval past and quaint port, Conflans-Sainte-Honorine feels a world away from Paris, despite being just a short train ride away. Here’s your guide to the best things to do in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, as well as what to know before you visit.

A history of Conflans-Sainte-Honorine

The history of Conflans-Sainte-Honorine dates all the way back to Neolithic times, and perhaps even before. During the 9th-century, monks from the region of Normandy arrived on the site where the town now is to protect the relics of Sainte-Honorine (for whom the town is named) in what was then a wooden castle.

The castle was constructed so as to ward off Vikings in 876 and was located approximately where Tour Montjoie now is in the town. The relics of Sainte-Honorine came from Graville, which is now the city known as ‘Le Havre’.

Several centuries later, in 1080, a priory was founded on the site in honour of Sainte-Honorine following a great fire in the original castle. Also known as Saint Honorina, she was the oldest, most revered virgin martyr from Normandy, though little is known about her beyond this.

It was from the 11th-century for the following seven centuries that Conflans-Sainte-Honorine became a place of pilgrimage. The ‘conflans’ part of the town’s name denotes its location at the confluence of the Rivers Seine and River Oise.

Best things to do in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine

Walk along the Seine

By far the best thing to do in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine is to go on a tranquil walk alongside the River Seine. If it’s the summertime during your visit, then you might also consider taking a picnic along with you to enjoy your lunch out in the open air.

Admire the old port

Though long gone are the days when the town’s greatest industry was the exporting telegraph and telephone cables which were produced in a nearby factory (closed down in 1985), vestiges of the town’s old past can still be spied in the many barges and boats still docked in the old port to this day.

Eat at a traditional bistro/ brasserie

If there’s one word that could be used to sum up Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, it would be ‘traditional’. While most bars in the town now accept card, sitting on one of the little terraces and people watching still feels akin to stepping back in time.

One of the more unique dining experiences that visitors to Conflans can enjoy is to eat on a boat. Bateau Chocolaté is a floating restaurant on the Seine that serves up Carribean food, as well as plenty of seafood inspired dishes.

Set against the backdrop of a 1960S Freycinet barge that has since been turned into a floating restaurant boat, the eatery can accommodate up to 40 people in the main dining space- though be sure to book in advance on the weekends. Find more detail’s on the restaurant’s website here.

Chapel barge “Je Sers” (“I serve)

One of the more unique attractions that the town has to offer is that of a floating chapel boat, which is largely built from cement. Located along the River Seine in the direction that leads to Conflans Fin d’Oise, the boat was originally built in 1919 to transport coal up until 1932. At this time, the boat was known as ‘Langemark’.

In 1935, the boat was purchased by Entraide Sociale Batelière, when it became the headquarters of the National Shipbuilding Authority. During WWII, the boat briefly served as a hospital boat.

Today, the boat is a chapel dedicated to Saint Nicolas. Free to visit and climb aboard, I highly recommend checking out this hidden gem.

Tour Montjoie

One of the most tranquil spaces in the town is that of Tour Montjoie, all that is left of a once extensive fortification at the highest point of town. While the tower itself is closed to the public due to safety reasons (not to mention that the interior is incredibly overgrown), the structure can still be admired via its exterior.

The name Tour Montjoie comes from ‘Mont Jovis’ (Jovis meaning Jupiter, god of Sky and Thunder). As mentioned above, the original wooden castle on the site where the tower now is was constructed burned down in 1080 after a feud between heirs.

The castle was immediately reconstructed in stone and would have comprised of three floors; two floors which would have been lived in. The donjon remained in the seat of the Baron of Conflans right up until the French Revolution. The town of Conflans-Sainte-Honorine acquired Tour Montjoie in 1931 when it was gifted by the Cornudet family.

The easiest way to reach Tour Montjoie is to take one of the many sets of stairs that begin in the lower parts of the town. Nearby, there’s a walkway that heads towards the Paroisse Saint Maclou and allows for one of the best views in town.

There’s also a small garden directly in front of the Montjoie tower that is filled with lovely plants and is the perfect tranquil spot to sit and read a book or enjoy a home packed lunch.

Paroisse Saint Maclou

Close to the transport museum, the church of St Maclou is by far the most attractive ecclesiastical building in town. There is a bit of discrepancy around the age of the church, though most estimates put the construction of the building between the 10th and 12th-centuries.

Inland Water Transport Museum

One of the more unusual attractions of Conflans-Sainte-Honorine is that of the Inland Water Transport Museum. But once you learn that the pretty French town has been the capital of inland water navigation of France for 160 years.

You can find out more details for opening times and prices on the Musée de la Batellerie et des voies navigables on the museum’s website.

How to get to Conflans-Sainte-Honorine

There are two simple ways to get to Conflans-Sainte-Honorine from central Paris and both take around half an hour to forty-five minutes.

Conflans-Sainte-Honorine is on the regional train line J and is a half hour train ride away from Saint-Lazare. Trains depart at regular interval every fifteen to twenty minutes, making it easy to get to from the city centre.

The other way to get to Conflans is to take the RER A to Conflans Fin d’Oise, which is around 1.5 km walk away from Conflans-Sainte-Honorine. From the station, it’s a fairly flat and gentle walk of about fifteen minutes along the River Seine.

Frequently asked questions about Conflans Sainte Honroine

What is the population of Conflans-Sainte-Honorine?

As of 2015, the population of Verdun is 35,019.

What are the best free things to do in Conflans St Honorine?

Those visiting Conflans Sainte Honorine on a budget will be pleased to know that there are a number of low cost activities and attractions on offer. Some of the best free things to do in Conflans Sainte-Honorine include visiting the Je Sers chapel boat and walking along the old historical ramparts

Is Conflans-Saint-Honorine safe to visit?

Conflans St Honorine is generally as safe as most other destinations in Europe With this being said, visitors should be wary of pickpockets (which are present all over Europe). Never leave your valuables lying around or attended. I personally recommend always wearing a crossbody bag like these ones.

Enjoyed reading about the best of Conflans-Sainte-Honorine? Pin this article now, read it again later: