Festival of the Scallop and the Fishing

Honfleur's great maritime festival celebrates the scallop and Norman fishing traditions

Honfleur — Calvados (14) Since 1994
Gastronomy Craft Beer Nautical
Festival of the Scallop and the Fishing
Edition
2026
Festival of the Scallop

About Festival of the Scallop

Every October, Honfleur celebrates its maritime traditions and gastronomy during the Festival of the Scallop and the Fishing. Formerly known as the Shrimp Festival, the event was renamed following the gradual disappearance of grey shrimp in the Seine estuary. For two days, the quays of the Old Basin host seafood markets, tastings, sea shanty concerts, and demonstrations of ancestral fishing techniques.
Dates 10 Oct — 11 Oct 2026
Location Honfleur (14)
Prices Free
Status Confirmed
Edition 2026

Festival of the Scallop — edition 2026

The Scallop and Fishing Festival returns to Honfleur on Saturday, October 10th and Sunday, October 11th, 2026, on the quays and throughout the city center. Two days of free and popular maritime celebration centered around the Saint-Jacques scallop and Norman fishing products: fish market, tastings, sea shanties, concerts, old rigging, and demonstrations of sea trades.

2026 Edition — October 10th and 11th in Honfleur

The Scallop and Fishing Festival takes over the Vieux Bassin and Honfleur city center on Saturday, October 10th and Sunday, October 11th, 2026. Throughout the weekend, fishermen will be present: they will sell fresh products from their catch and present their trade to the public. On the program: sea-themed activities, sea shanties, concerts, crafts, competitions, tastings, and a fish market where Saint-Jacques scallops can be found in all their forms.

Free event organized by the City of Honfleur. The detailed program will be published in the fall on the websites of the City and the Honfleur Tourist Office.

Highlights Festival of the Scallop 2026

  • Free and popular maritime festival on the quays of Honfleur
  • Fish market and Saint-Jacques scallop tastings
  • Sea shanties, concerts, and demonstrations of fishing trades

Programme Festival of the Scallop 2026

The detailed program for the 2026 edition has not yet been released by the City of Honfleur or the Tourist Office. On August 12, 2026, the city launched a poster competition to determine the visual identity for this year's event, which will be used across all communications. However, the festival features the same core attractions every year: a fish market, tastings of scallops and seafood, sea shanties, live concerts, arts and crafts, painting exhibitions, and a gathering of traditional sailing ships. The full schedule will be added as soon as it is published.

Prices Festival of the Scallop 2026

Free admission. Tastings payable on site.
Practical information

Practical information — Festival of the Scallop

Practical Information

Location

Vieux Bassin and quays of Honfleur, 14600 Honfleur

Access

  • By car: A13 exit Beuzeville then direction Honfleur, or Pont de Normandie from Le Havre. Free parking near the center.
  • By bus: Regular lines from Caen, Deauville, and Le Havre (Bus Verts / Nomad Car).

Prices

  • Free admission
  • Tastings are paid on site

Contact

  • Honfleur Tourist Office: 02 31 89 23 30
  • Website: www.ot-honfleur.fr

The Festival of the Scallop and the Fishing: Honfleur Celebrates its Maritime Heritage

Since 1994, Honfleur has paid tribute to its fishermen and the richness of Norman seafood during this major popular festival. Initially called the Shrimp Festival, in reference to Honfleur's famous "little grey" shrimp, the event was renamed the Festival of the Scallop and the Fishing to reflect the evolution of local fishing and highlight the scallop, which has become the star product of the season.

An Event Rooted in Tradition

Honfleur's Old Basin transforms into a huge maritime market where fishermen, scallop divers, and local producers offer scallops, shrimp, oysters, mussels, and other treasures from the sea. Demonstrations of ancestral fishing techniques liven up the quays: capstan hauling, barrel unloading, knot tying.

Visitors can also discover a pirate village, gatherings of old rigs, sea shanty concerts, and numerous activities for the whole family. Honfleur's restaurateurs offer special menus based on scallops and local fishing products.

A Free and Popular Festival

True to its convivial spirit, the Festival of the Scallop and the Fishing is entirely free and open to all. It attracts tens of thousands of visitors each year to celebrate Honfleur's maritime identity and taste the best of Norman seafood.

Where does it take place — Festival of the Scallop

Vieux Bassin de Honfleur
Quai Sainte-Catherine, 14600 Honfleur

Festival of the Scallop in brief

Gastronomy Craft Beer Nautical Playful Crafts Outdoor Calvados

History of Festival of the Scallop

Edition 2025 Oct 2025 Edition 2024 Oct 2024

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Contact Festival of the Scallop
Tel +33 2 31 89 23 30

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