Experience the Serene beauty of Étretat
Étretat might be the most beautiful place in France I have seen in the maybe 15 times I have been there, its coastal scenes are really stunning, with its cliffs made of chalk, with its arches and sea stacks, it is looking nothing but spectacular. I just loved everything about it!
You can find the place just 2,5 hours away from Paris, located at the West-coast of france, facing the English channel, the part of the Atlantic Ocean which separates England and the North France. I highly recommend this place if you are traveling to Paris and also feel the need to see some of France's most beautiful nature.
And while you are sitting at the edge of the cliff, you can watch the seagulls fly by and the waves move gently. Welcome to Étretat!
The view from uphill over Étretat village and its cliffs. Now you probably understand my love for Étretat already better
We stayed with our camper at a camping site near étretat, Camping Sunelia L'aiguille creuse, just a short bus ride away from étretat. We left the camp around 10 in the morning to visit Étretats famous cliffs and enjoy a walk along the coast. I Expected the place to be nice, but it was much more than that. It was perfect!
When you arrive at the bus stop, there are two ways to the cliffs: take the tourist train for 7 euros (return ticket) or walk up the hill yourself (just around 15 minutes) It is nice that the tourist train is there to bring people up, so the viewpoint is accessible for everyone, including older people.
You can easily walk from the town up to the viewpoint and walking trail, it is only about 15 minutes walk
The Falaises d'Aval: Étretat’s spectacular arches
The must see of Étretat is de Falaises d'Aval, chalk cliffs with remarkable arches, which are the header of every article about Étretat. If you say Étretat, you are probably talking about these cliffs, and when you see the pictures of this stunning place, there is no doubt that you understand why.
But the cliffs can also be dangerous, please be careful! A week before we went here, 2 tourists died when they fell off the cliff, a local priest told us while talking with the Duch girl who was sitting close to the edge. The cliffs rising far above the sea might be stunning and might be wonderful selfie spots, but it might also be the last breath you take when you don't mind your steps or slip out.
Let's go for a walk!
What I liked the most about Étretat is the walking path along the coastline, where you can experience everything. It was just a perfect, sunny day but not too hot. At our left, we had the view from the cliffs over the deep-blue ocean, Birds were flying around and sailing boats were enjoying the ocean. I wish we would have taken some food and drinks, because this is truly a dream location to have a nice picnic.
On the other hand, cows and their calves were grazing in the fields, little flowers were blooming and bees were buzzing around,looking for colorful flowers to have a tasty meal. I don't really know how to describe the feeling this place gave me, but at least it felt so natural and peaceful. All elements about the place were just so balanced. I wish I could come here to read a book every day!
Wild grasses, Bees and flowers
A monument for the first planned direct flight from Paris to New York
A monument for the first planned direct flight from Paris to New York
Upstairs you can find the war monument, a cemented shape of an airplane. It is quite hard to take a good picture but I guess I managed to take 2 pictures which make you realize it is a plane.
This is a memorial to the first non-stop flight between Paris and New York, where the plane got lost in an unknown way. It is a mystery up to today.
the Chapel Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde
the Chapel Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde
There is also a small church at the top, the Chapel Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde. Originally, there was a church here dedicated to the holy virgin, but It got destroyed in the second world War by the Germans, but rebuilt in 1950 in a different style. This chapel is protecting sailors from the cliffs. Like a lighthouse.
Here you can see how beautiful the church is located, right besides the sea on top of the cliff, overviewing the chalk arches
Take a book and relax with this natural vibes & beautiful views
Take a book and relax with this natural vibes & beautiful views
Best time to visit Étretat
Étretat is a beautiful and attractive place to visit. It is best to visit in late spring and summer (from end of April till early September). Since it is a popular sight in the area, I would recommend avoiding this place in July and August, Europe's main tourist season which are also the school holidays. May or June must be the perfect months, and September if the weather is still nice
Thanks for reading my blog about my new favorite place in France! I hope you liked it and don't forget to add it to your bucket list.
See you next time!
Regards,
Sascha