Etretat is a small resort town on the Normandy coast, about 30 kilometres north of Le Havre. Its famous chalk cliffs — dramatic arches and a needle-like pinnacle jutting from the sea — have been attracting painters since the 19th century, including Monet, who came back several times. The cliffs are best seen at low tide from the pebble beach, or from the clifftop paths above the Falaise d'Aval and the Falaise d'Amont. Walk past the first arch to find the larger Manneporte hidden behind it.
The town itself has a pleasant Belle Époque character, with the half-timbered covered market and villas built by 19th-century Parisians — including Le Clos Arsène Lupin, the house where Maurice Leblanc invented his gentleman thief. Above the eastern cliff, Les Jardins d'Étretat put surreal topiary on the edge of the chalk. It gets crowded in summer; arriving on a weekday in spring or autumn gives you much better access to the clifftop walks without the weekend crush.