Le Havre

Le Havre, France's second-largest port (after Marseille), was bombarded 146 times during World War II. You may find the rebuilt city, with its uncompromising recourse to reinforced concrete and open spaces, bleak and uninviting; on the other hand, you may admire Auguste Perret's rational planning and audacious modern architecture, which earned the city UNESCO World Heritage status. The hilly suburb of Sainte-Adresse, just west of town, is resplendent with Belle Époque villas and an old fortress. It's also worth a visit for its beach, often painted by Raoul Dufy, and for its fine views of the sea and port, immortalized in a famous Monet masterpiece.