Etretat beach
The marvelous corner on the Alabaster coastline of the English Channel, where precipitous cliffs formed a natural archs, for many centuries inspire artists to create masterpieces. Among them - even Eugene Boden and Claude Monet. If you want to touch the beautiful, feel refreshment of mind and body, where France ends, go to Etretat!
Photos
Beach description
The beach is located right behind the promenade and divides the coastline into two almost symmetrical halves - on the right and left sides the ascent to the cliffs begins, which, by the way, is definitely worth climbing. Just imagine: You are standing on a cliff above the sea with a height of 70 m! To say, that at this moment the tourists are breathtaking - to say nothing.
But back to the beach ... Shingle is round and rather coarse, well polished and shiny. It’s rare, where it is possible to see it.
Apparently, therefore, warning signs are along the promenade: do not collect pebbles for souvenirs - a fine of 90 euros. By the way, for feeding gulls here, you will have to pay the same.
As for weather conditions, they can be characterized in one word - “north”. The fact is, that the air temperature here is not warmed up above +25. And this, imagine, in July-August! The water in the English Channel will seem cool to many, but some tourists (and even with children!) quite bathe in this area. Moreover, an advantage for merried couples with babies is the sandy entry into the sea (despite the fact, that the beach itself is shingly). The bottom is flat, so it is quite easy to enter the water.
It is possible to get to Etretat beach as follows:
- 2 hours by car from Paris, road A13 in the direction of Rouen/Caen.
- By train from Saint-Lazare station to Le Havre, to Brtauté Le Havre station. Then you have to transfer by regular bus to Etreta / Fécamp.
By the way, if you come by car, keep in mind, that free parking lot is only on the outskirts. There are big problems with parking spaces in Etretat - it is possible not to find a place at all during the peak season.
The beach is quite visited, however - to a greater extent by tourists, who come on an excursion to the cliffs. There are not many, who choose this place for a beach rest.
When is the best time to go?
It is possible to relax in France at any time of the year, the time of the trip depends more on your preferences. Summer - a great time to travel to the sea. Thanks to the Mediterranean climate, even on the southern French Riviera is not hot weather. In winter , people go to ski resorts in France. It should be be mindful that in summer and winter in France there is a high season, respectively, prices soar. To enjoy the excursions, choose the time from February to April or from September to November, when both in the north and in the south it is not very crowded. If you go to the French Riviera in September, you will never lose: You will find a time when the weather is still warm and the prices are not so high.
Video: Beach Etretat
Infrastructure
Since the beach is located within the city and rounds the central promenade, there are a lot of places, where it is possible to rest, have a snack and drink something heating. It is better to choose open verandas - with them it will be possible to see picturesque views during dinner. We especially recommend to look at them during dawn or sunset, when pink haze envelops the majestic arches and the sun's rays break through it.
This beach always smells of sea salt and ... coffee. Yes, yes, you will want to visit the nearest cafes from the very first minutes. Perhaps the staff does add some secret ingredients to coffee, but the aroma is incredibly alluring in it. And in Etretat it is definitely worth tasting the local cider, fish paste, caramel, mussels and oysters, cooked according to recipes of Norman cuisine.
What is surprising, that there are no plastic loungers and parasols on the beach. And this is rather an advantage than not, since such a unique creation of nature is not disfigured by artificial inclusions of plastic. People bring along their bedding to the beach and their parasols. There are no public catering establishments on the territory either - everything is outside.
But on the beach a lot of boats, launches and catamarans are moored, on which it is possible to go for an excursion along the coastline. Some vacationers go surfing and diving here.
On one of the cliffs, next to the beach, there is an excellent shingly beach and a golf club with fields, located directly above the sea.
One of the most popular hotels on the coastline is Domaine Saint Clair - Le Donjon.
Weather in Etretat
Best hotels of Etretat
All hotels of EtretatUseful information
- Keep in mind, that in these parts there is such a phenomenon as high tide - low tide. And before swimming in the sea, it is better to ask the locals or your guide, when the high tide / low tide is expected and how long it usually lasts.
- There are waves here (of course, this is the ocean!), but in the summer period they are not critical for swimming.
- Carefully read all warning signs on the coast. They may contain information about a possible collapse of cliffs. Sometimes this happens here, so do not drop guard.