Étretat Cliffs
Falaises d'Étretat
A sea arch and the 55-meter 'Needle' rock stand before the chalk cliffs. This Normandy coastal scene was painted again and again by Monet and Courbet.
Étretat is a small town on the 'Alabaster Coast' of Upper Normandy, sandwiched between white chalk cliffs. On the west side, the Falaise d'Aval has the elephant-trunk-shaped Aval sea arch and the 55-meter Needle (L'Aiguille) beside it. Farther west is the larger Manneporte sea arch. On the east side, the Falaise d'Amont has the chapel of Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde at its top, which overlooks the whole bay and the opposite arches. It is the most classic panoramic viewpoint. Following the GR21 coastal trail from the town center, you can climb to the clifftops on either side. Each round trip takes about 1–1.5 hours, and the Aval side also has a golf course. Monet painted dozens of views of Étretat between 1883 and 1886. The 'Hollow Needle' from the Arsène Lupin stories is also set around the Needle, and the town has the Clos Lupin, Lupin's house. Admission is free. Notes: the clifftops have no railings, and erosion can cause collapses, so stay well away from the edges and obey closed-trail signs. The pebble beach can be walked at low tide along the foot of the cliffs, but watch the tide times. Getting there: take a train from Paris Saint-Lazare to Le Havre, about 2 hours, then transfer to bus line 13 for about 1 hour. Driving is the most convenient option, though parking is hard to find in peak season.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Les Jardins d'Étretat
- Palais Bénédictine
- Le Havre, the City Rebuilt by Auguste Perret
- St. Joseph's Church, Le Havre
- MuMa – Musée d'art moderne André Malraux
- Pont de Normandie
- Musée Eugène Boudin
- Church of St. Catherine, Honfleur