Last time we visited this stunning area of northern France was back in 2017 when Dante was just a small baby. It’s a special place for us. For this last visit in May 2021, it marked our first proper trip anywhere since October 2019 and our first trip as a family of four. 

For those who don’t know, Etretat is a small village in Normandy that overlooks the English Channel. It has the incredible cliffs or falaises as they’re called in French that decorate the coast. It is a mix of pastel tones from the blue of the ocean and the gray/cream of the cliffs. It’s looks at times out of a fairytale.

Etretat is easily reachable from Paris - it’s about 2-2.5 hours by car and similar times by a train and bus connection. It is a very well visited place and we were not expecting it to be as crowded as it was when we were there last May. We figured that French people were more keen to explore their country during the pandemic as international travel was still very limited. 

We spent only one night in Etretat, at the Dormy House - a beautiful hotel on the west side of Etretat and up the hill that encloses the bay. We wanted to travel a little bit after 14 months of the pandemic and as a trial to see how it is like to travel with two kids…and our dog. We try to take him along as much as we can in our trips. 

Etretat is perfect for a weekend getaway - it’s close to Paris, it’s not as crowded as Paris can get, and it is by the ocean. If you decide to visit yourself, here are some tips for you. 

Plan ahead your meals if your hotel/room does not include a kitchen area to cook meals. There are small supermarkets like Carrefour where you can grab some quick snacks or a boulangerie if you want to do a simple breakfast at the beach. Otherwise you have to go to a restaurant for lunch or dinner. We struggled a little bit as we either couldn’t find a place open early - we eat with our kids and their mealtimes are a bit earlier - or that it wasn’t full. We highly recommend booking a table at a restaurant in advance to avoid any stress of finding where to eat. The Dormy House has a restaurant and we did just that to avoid any stress after seeing how busy Etretat was coming in. 

Check the weather. This is in northern France. It can be very cold, very windy and very rainy. Plan to have a windbreaker, trench or jacket that will keep you warm. If you’re traveling with small kids, maybe pack a light puffer jacket. 

Also, Anastasia wanted to add some little notes regarding the other villages around Étretat worth checking - car is required as these are tiny little spots including a surf beach.

1. Yport - it’s a lovely little town with nice food and a great beach to go for a walk, especially in low tide.

2. Vaucottes - it’s a tiny beach that is the favorite spot for surfing in Normandy. No crowds - it's just beach and a few houses.

3. Fecamp - bigger than Etretat and the beach is mega long and empty. There are also a lot of good restaurants here.