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Etretat May 2018 Village De Pecheurs Seen From The Falaise Aval Csnt

Must-see sites less than an hour away

In Caux Seine, between the Seine and the sea, it’s lovely to savour the peace and tranquillity of this little corner of Normandy, where life is good. Here, everything is designed with your peace of mind in mind. No noise, very little traffic, and just the right amount of activity to keep you occupied and help you recharge your batteries.

If you feel like it, just a few kilometres from this haven of peace, there are a few must-see tourist attractions that are well worth a visit. Places you’ll be able to visit at the least busy times and on days when the crowds are at their lightest, so you can make the most of them without having to put up with the constraints all too often imposed by mass tourism.

So, from your “base camp”, you’ll be able to explore Fécamp, Étretat, Le Havre, Rouen or Honfleur, all within an hour’s drive.

Fécamp The City of the Newfoundlanders

It will charm you with its authenticity and its ever-present view of the sea. You’ll fall under the spell of its Fisheries Museum, entirely dedicated to the deep-sea fishing industry that brought wealth and renown to this little town. It was in Fécamp that the famous Bénédictine liqueur was first produced; the palace dedicated to it is well worth a visit. Off the coast of Fécamp’s pebble beach lies one of the very first offshore wind farms to be built in France.

Étretat Alabaster Coast

It is a must-see destination for anyone visiting the Alabaster Coast. Maurice Leblanc created his famous character Arsène Lupin here, and the hollow rock formation gazes majestically towards the arch in the cliff below, for which the town is renowned. Étretat exudes the atmosphere of the early 20th century and the first days of sea bathing. Here, time has stood still… or almost!

Le Havre UNESCO World Heritage Site

The city has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2005. Partially destroyed by an Allied bombing raid in 1944, Le Havre’s reconstruction by the architect Auguste Perret has earned it this well-deserved distinction. Long criticised, this concrete, linear architecture gives the city a charm all of its own. Its beach, harbour, Museum of Modern Art and so much more make Le Havre an unmissable destination.

Honfleur On the other side of the water

Cross the Normandy Bridge and let yourself be charmed by this little town on the shores of the English Channel. The old harbour and its colourful façades, reflected in the water, invite photographers and painters alike to capture the moment. The Church of Sainte-Catherine, built entirely of wood, is one of the largest of its kind in France.

Rouen Capital of Normandy

The city of Rouen owes much of its fame to Joan of Arc, who was burnt at the stake there in 1431. Start at the spot where the Maid of Orléans died and let your footsteps guide you to the cathedral, made famous by thirty paintings by the master of the Impressionists, Claude Monet, and pass beneath the ‘Gros Horloge’, which has watched over the city since the late 14th century. The city of a hundred bell towers is a jewel in the open air.