All the lovers of exceptional French natural sites know the fame of the cliffs of Étretat! "Natural, Cultural, Dynamic", Étretat has everything to please ... The impressive calcareous limestone cliffs, dating from the Cretaceous, streaked with flint will leave you no marble. Discover La Manne porte, the Aiguille and the cliff of Amont which have made this site one of the places of international tourism. Francis I and Napoleon 1st destined Etretat to become military port. But it was in the nineteenth century that this idea was definitely abandoned. At the same time, Alphonse Karr and his novel History of a Roman in Étretat, launches the history of the small seaside resort.
«Natural, Cultural, Dynamic»
From then on, the cultural history of this unusual place begins. The landscape of Normandy will inspire many artists. Guy de Maupassant places the intrigue of his new model in 1883. The Aiguille Creuse, adventure of Arsène Lupine happens partly in Etretat. Maurice Leblanc, the father of Arsène, had built his house the Clos Lupine, now converted into a museum. At the time of Romanticism, Etretat became a picturesque and dramatic subject for painters in search of powerful light effects. Courbet, Delacroix and especially Monet, who created nearly 80 works will be inspired by the site. This pictorial heritage, Étretat the maintenance by organizing all the year long many impressionist exhibitions.
Now you only have to choose your mode of transport: Walk along the GR21 on the cliffs, bike or mountain bike on the coastal road, on horseback for experienced riders or beginners. Thematic outings (at the meeting of the impressionists, twilight walk, naturalist walk) organized by the tourist office, will allow you to discover all that makes the charm of this French cultural center.
