The Côte d'Albâtre stretches north from Le Havre along chalk cliffs eroded into dramatic arches, caves, and needles. Étretat, 30 km north, is the most famous stop — the three arches (Falaise d'Aval, Falaise d'Amont, and the Manneporte) have been painted by Monet, Courbet, and Delacroix, and photographed by everyone since. The village is touristy but the cliffs are genuinely spectacular; walk up to either headland for the best views and to escape the crowds below.
Honfleur, just across the Seine estuary via the Pont de Normandie (35 km), is one of Normandy's most picturesque ports — a harbour lined with tall, narrow houses, a handful of excellent restaurants, and the Musée Eugène Boudin. Half a day is enough, more if you eat well.
Rouen, 90 km east on the Seine, is the regional capital and the city where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in 1431. The Gothic cathedral (the one Monet painted in a series of 30 canvases) and the old half-timbered quarter are worth the trip.
