Monday, December 16, 2013

The Cliffs of Étretat


Étretat is a sleepy little town on the coast of Normandy, known for it's amazing and awe inspiring cliffs.  In the 1860's and 70's it became a fashionable vacation spot for Parisians, helped by the famous artworks of Monet and others.  Just like the rest of Normandy, Étretat was occupied by the Germans during WWII due to it's strategic location directly across the channel from England, but from what I can tell, not much action took place here.  The town was left relatively intact and is home to about 1,500 people today.  I literally cannot find any more information about it.

There's not much to the town other than the spectacular views, but if golf is your thing you might not play a more scenic 18 holes anywhere in the world.  Lying only 20 miles north of Le Havre, it was just a quick Saturday getaway trip, but I'll definitely be back, next time with a tripod and ND filter.  












German bunker.

German fortifications in Etretat during WWII.  Check out more fascinating WWII pics here.







More German ruins.

The Germans used pretty much anything they could to keep Allied ships from landing on shore, as you can see here.  From the New Found Photography collection.

















A scene right out of a Monet.










Goodnight from Étretat, I will be back!

4 comments:

  1. Two brave English young were honoured by Etretat because of their guts to try help the French to dismantle the German Radar. They got help from a local teenager. true Story made me cry. The barn where they hide has a sign with their names.

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  2. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-18548327

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