Normandy at its finest

The picturesque white cliffs of Etretat are a bit off the beaten track for conventional tourists, but also fashionable enough to be one of the symbols of Normandy’s sensational beauty.

The Cliffs of Etretat are world-famous for their three extraordinary natural arches and white chalk slopes overlooking the English Channel and the Atlantic Ocean.

So, here is our practical Travel in Pink guide for encountering the magnificence of the landmark and the surrounding region.

Location and getting there

The Cliffs of Etretat can be found in the beachfront resort town of Etretat, located in the Seine-Maritime department of Upper Normandy, France. The site stands about 200 kilometers west of Paris, which makes an approximately 2.5-hour vehicle ride, and an excellent day trip from the French capital.

The cliffs themselves are reachable by steep mountain paths, providing numerous hiking opportunities. There is a white pebble beach between the cliffs, ideal for unwinding and appreciating the splendid panorama.

The Cliffs of Etretat in popular art and culture

Do you feel like you’ve seen this place before? Well, that’s because you most probably have. The Cliffs of Etretat were a subject of inspiration to many artists, including:

• Claude Monet and different impressionists such as Gustave Courbet and Eugène-Louis Boudin, who famously portrayed the alabaster arches and bluffs in the 19th century.
  
  
• Maurice Leblanc, who adopted the place as a setting for his popular French children’s collection of stories about Arsène Lupin, the Gentleman Burglar.
  
  
• Guy du Maupassant spent most of his youth in the town of Etretat and penned several short stories and novels such as “Une Vie,” where he describes an elephant’s trunk sinking in the waters of Etretat.
• Victor Hugo and Gustave Flaubert, who were also known to spend a lot of time working and drawing inspiration from the place.

What to see and do around the area

When around the Cliffs of Etretat, you can engage in one or more of the following activities:

• Hiking the steep paths and hills around the cliffs
• Relaxing, swimming and sunbathing on the picturesque Etretat beach
• Enrolling in the renowned local golf course
• Sailing in the bay of Etretat, by joining the local sailing school or renting a catamaran, a windsurf board, a sea kayak, or else.
• Enjoying the fabulous local cuisine and laidback lounge bar atmosphere in different locations around the coastal town.
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Stay tuned on Travel in Pink to get more advice for approaching the European adventure of a lifetime.