FR · Normandy · 49.71°N 0.21°E

étretat

White chalk arches, a pebble beach and cliff paths above the Channel.

Best time
May to September has long days for the cliffs, with July and August the busiest. November to February can be wet and very windy, and even in summer the clifftops are cooler than the town.
How long
1 day, or a night for a quiet evening
Getting there
Fly direct to Paris on Malaysia Airlines (about 13.5 hours), then a train from Saint-Lazare to Le Havre (about 2 hours) and a bus to Étretat (about 1 hour). There's no train station in Étretat itself. France is 6 hours behind KL in summer and 7 in winter.
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FR · Normandyétretat49.71°N 0.21°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,White chalk arches, a pebble beach and cliff paths above the Channel.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingÉtretatFR, Normandy
KLétretat
≈ 10,561 km from KL, as the crow flies
Natural arch Porte d'Amont near Étretat, Normady, France

Photo: Jörg Braukmann · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

Étretat is a small seaside town between two walls of white chalk. The arches and the needle of rock offshore drew Monet here again and again, and the view changes with every step along the clifftop.

Makan

  1. Moules-fritesMussels and chips, the seaside staple; the usual marinière broth has white wine.Map ↗
  2. ScallopsNormandy's scallop season runs through the cooler months, and they're often seared in butter.Map ↗
  3. Normandy apple tartApples on buttery pastry, the easy treat after a cliff walk.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Falaise d'AvalThe clifftop path west of the beach, looking down on the big arch and the Aiguille, the needle of rock offshore.Map ↗
  2. Falaise d'AmontThe opposite cliff, with a little chapel on top and the best view back over the town and bay.Map ↗
  3. ManneporteA bigger arch further west along the same path; Monet painted it several times.Map ↗
  4. The seafrontA promenade above the pebble beach, with timbered houses and an old wooden market hall in the village behind.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Stay on the marked paths and behind the barriers. The cliff edges crumble, and the tunnels down to the beaches under the arches are off limits.
  • Halal food is hard to find here, so pack lunch before you leave Paris.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.