The Falaise d’Amont in Etretat, the Antifer Valley, Cap de la Hève and the Dollemard Plateau.
The Falaise d’Amont at Etretat, the Antifer Valley, Cap de la Hève and the Dollemard Plateau, three protected natural areas on the coast to discover and drink in with your eyes.
The Falaise d’Amont is one of the largest maritime sites in Normandy and home to numerous birds, cormorants and even peregrine falcons, as well as protected plants such as rock samphire or wild cabbage that have adapted to the winds and sea spray. You can discover them by walking along the coastal path.
The whiteness of the chalk of the Falaise d’Amont (on the right when looking out to sea from the beach) earned it the name of Falaise du Blanc-Trait (White Line Cliff) for a long time. In his novel “A Life”, Maupassant compared its arch to an elephant dipping its trunk in the sea. Take a look at it from the beach! You’ll easily see the pachyderm!
Your walk will also take you near the Chapel of Notre Dame de la Garde, dedicated to sailors and fishermen and rebuilt after the Second World War, the monument dedicated to the aviators Nungesser and Coli, the Etretat Heritage Museum and the Etretat Gardens.
This site is part of a vast area from Fécamp to Cap d’Antifer, which is in the process of being awarded the Grand Site de France® label.
The valleys are characteristic landscape elements of the Pays de Caux: cliff openings, many of which open out to the sea, creating scenic sites that are both grandiose and intimate
Between Etretat and Le Havre, this sensitive natural area of more than 150 hectares offers easy access to the sea, thanks to a 2 km footpath, formerly used by fishermen and pebble collectors. Mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and insects populate this valley made up of meadows, moors and ponds. Several species of orchids can also be found here.
In the communes of Le Havre and Sainte-Adresse, Cap de la Hève, which rises 115 metres above the sea and the Dollemard Plateau, mark the beginning of the Alabaster Coast. In good weather, this walk offers a superb view of the Seine estuary.
Cap de la Hève is also a wonderful spot for watching the migratory birds.
Designated “sensitive natural areas”, these three coastal sites are the property of the Conservatoire du Littoral (a French coastal protection agency) and are managed by the Seine Maritime department. The 24 natural area sites of the Seine Maritime represent a total surface area of 980 hectares.
The Seine Maritime Department regularly organises nature outings for adults and children.
Aquacaux and Natterra also offer regular visits to these places.
Several hiking trails are accessible within these natural areas.
The Colmoulins estate in Harfleur, which brings together wet meadows and woodland along the Saint Laurent River, is also classified as a sensitive natural area.
Discover the map of sensitive natural areas in Seine Maritime.
