Étretat, France
Normandy Region
“Étretat is becoming more and more amazing. Now is the real moment: the beach with all its fine boats; it is superb, and I am enraged not to be more skillful in rendering all this. I would need two hands and hundreds of canvases.”
Étretat evening sunset overlooking the English Channel. Colleen & Ellie on bench. Rachel & Sophie playing.
The chalk cliffs of Étretat overlook the English Channel on the northwest coast of France. This seaside town and its picturesque scenery have attracted tourists and artists alike. Eugene Boudin, Charles Daubigny, Gustave Courbet, and Claude Monet all spent time here capturing the beauty of the landscape. Even if you’ve never heard of Étretat, you’ve likely seen the famous arches in a picture, movie, or work of art.
Click on picture to enlarge image
First Impressions
We arrived in Étretat in the early evening. We were still getting used to navigating the narrow French streets and had a little difficulty finding exactly where we were supposed to go. After a bit of exploration, and backtracking, we found our Airbnb with just enough time to drop off our bags and go in search of groceries for dinner. Thankfully, everything we needed during our stay was within a short walk.
Our Accommodations
This was our first Airbnb in Europe and will likely be remembered as our most unique accommodation during our entire three-month journey throughout France. Originally built as a fisherman’s home, the ground floor once served as a processing area for the fresh catch and the upper floors as living quarters. The property has been lovingly remodeled to provide all the modern amenities. We found it to be quaint and more than sufficient for our needs.
The owners updated the home and efficiently used each space, maximizing functionality. Located on the ground floor, just off a cozy courtyard, was the eat-in kitchen, complete with all the necessary appliances including a washer/dryer combination. We cooked several meals in the kitchen during our stay. The large and sturdy drop-down table provided ample space for our girls to do their school lessons and for our family of 5 to comfortably enjoy a meal together. When not needed, the table could be folded up and out of the way.
The 2nd floor included a living room with large couches that would convert into full beds for Rachel and Sophie at night. A huge television kept our girls entertained when we weren’t exploring or schooling. The only bathroom in the house was also located on this level. Continuing up the narrow spiral staircase to the 3rd floor, we found a large queen-sized bed and plenty of closet space to store our suitcases and clothing.
An open-air loft with two twin-sized beds was located above the third level. Ellie spent a great deal of our stay there, working on group projects and making the steep climb down the stairs to join us all for meals and explorations. Though this house would not suit someone unable to carry their baggage up multiple levels, it met our needs and we found it to be quite charming.
The Town of Étretat
This town is clearly popular among tourists, which is evidenced by the abundant pricey restaurants, souvenir shops, and even a casino. Despite the touristy aspect, the town maintains its charm and offers visitors a rich experience. Hiking, golfing, fishing, and boating are all available here. Visitors can enjoy locally sourced seafood and a glass of Calvados, which is a traditional cider produced from apples grown in the Normandy region. We loved the accessibility this small town offered. A small market, bakery, pharmacy, restaurants, and the boardwalk with its beautiful views were all within a few blocks of our Airbnb.
The World-Famous Cliffs
Even if you’ve never heard of Étretat, you’ve likely seen photographs of the world-famous arches and cliffs. Two of the three famous arches are visible from the town, the Porte d’Aval and the Porte d’Amont. The Manneporte is the third and biggest and cannot be seen from the town. We did not take the long hike to see the Manneporte, as we were only there for a few days, but would love to do that on a return visit.
We walked through downtown Étretat and along the boardwalk before walking onto the beach. We were not prepared to see the large smooth rocks that made up the beach. We had only ever seen sandy beaches, so this was truly a new and surprising sight! We hiked up to the top of the Falaise d’amont just as the sun was going down to admire both the Porte d’Amont and the Porte d’Aval from new viewpoints and to walk around the exterior of the Chapelle Notre Dame de la Garde.
We were so fortunate and overjoyed to have the entire area to ourselves as the sun set over the English Channel and the colors streaked across the sky. It was one of the most exquisite sunsets we have ever experienced.
Kevin & Colleen cliff’s edge panorama view of Étretat sunset.
Étretat is an absolute must-see town if you find yourself in the Normandy region of France. Even if you only have a day or two, it is most definitely worth the trip! We can certainly understand why artists like Claude Monet would’ve spent time there capturing the unique beauty on canvas. If you’d like to know more about Claude Monet be sure to read our recent post about our tour of his home and gardens.
Painting by Claude Monet - 1883 “Sonnenaufgang bei Etretat” (Translation: Sunrise at Etretat)
Have you been to Étretat? We’d love to hear your suggestions of things to do or what you would like to do when you visit! We’ve already added some items to our list for our next visit.
