A choppy green sea fills the foreground, where a small rowboat with three figures moves across the water, their oars dipping into the waves. To the right, another boat with several passengers heads toward the harbor entrance, its hull dark against the lighter foam. Dominating the center, a large sailing vessel with a billowing tan sail leans into the wind, its rigging sharply outlined and a figure visible at the stern.

Behind it, two steamships trail thick plumes of gray smoke that rise and blend into the overcast sky, their funnels and flags rendered in quick, loose strokes. On the left, the tall masts and spars of a moored ship are silhouetted against the sky, with a red flag fluttering at the top. Across the horizon, a long stone jetty stretches from right to left, lined with small figures and culminating in a white lighthouse that stands against the sky.

The sky itself is layered with soft, horizontal strokes of blue, gray, and pink, suggesting a cloudy day with hints of light breaking through. The paint is applied in visible, energetic brushstrokes, especially in the water, where dashes of white and green capture the movement and texture of the waves. Touches of red on the flags and funnels punctuate the otherwise cool palette, drawing attention to specific points in the composition.

The composition leads the viewer’s gaze from the busy foreground boats to the bustling harbor entrance and the distant lighthouse, creating a sense of depth and activity. Claude Monet painted The Entrance to the Port of Le Havre between 1867 and 1868.