A natural setting so beautiful that it captured the attention of French impressionist painter Claude Monet is one of my favorites and he immortalized it in his paintings. His artworks of Etretat in Normandy introduced me to this charming area. Etretat is a quaint fishing town with a pebble beach and towering white cliffs, particularly the Falaise d’Amont and the Falaise d’Avel. A trip to this part of Normandy is truly worth it.

At the top of the Falaise d’Amont, which you can reach by climbing a steep path, stands the Chapel of Notre Dame de la Garde. There’s also a monument and museum dedicated to Nungesser and Coli, the first aviators who, on May 8, 1927, attempted to cross the North Atlantic Ocean in the White Bird. The Falaise d’Avel can be reached via a staircase that leads to a stunning lookout point, from which you can also see a magnificent golf course overlooking the cliffs and ocean. Leaning on the Falaise d’Avel is the extraordinary rock arch of Manneporte. Behind it stands the Aiguille, a 70-meter-high, obelisk-shaped rock.

Walking along the base of the cliff, possibly on the beach to enjoy the ocean waves and the coastal sights and smells, you’ll often notice signs warning of potential collapses and rockfalls. Recent events in nearby Saint Jouin Bruneval remind us to heed these warnings seriously; a 30,000-ton rock block crashed down recently, fortunately without causing any harm.