Etretat and Saint Jouin-Bruneval are two small communes in the Normandy, approx. 20 km north of Le Havre.
Etretat is best known for its chalk cliffs which rise to a height of almost 100 m.
The picturesque arches formed from the rocks owe their existence to an underground river which had washed up the harder material.
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More InformationThe village lies in a narrow valley which breaks through the cliffs. With its hotels, restaurants and bars it is fully prepared for tourism.
The place itself is separated by a powerful dam from the beach.
But to be honest, our stay lasted for an only short time. For us, there were too many tourists around.
So we decide to go to the coast outside the beaten path.
After approximately 1.5 km we happened the Chateau de Fréfossé and had a quick look at it.
The castle was built in 1770 and was converted in neo-Renaissance style in 1900. It is privately owned and cannot be visited.
In Saint-Jouin-Bruneval we hit the beautiful coastline with steep cliffs again. Beautifully yes, if there wouldn’t be a huge oil port for supertankers.
Between 1967 and 1975, during the oil crisis, the Suez Canal was closed. Therefore supertankers were built, which made the trip around the Cape of Good Hope economically again.
But they had too much depth and could not call at the port of Le Havre. The outer harbor was built. When it was finished, the Suez Canal was also reopened, but the super tankers still couldn’t pass through.
The smaller tankers used the Suez Canal and as a consequence the utilization of the port decreased. To increase the economy efficiency, the port must be enlarged and made accessible for liquefied gas tankers.
This brought the local population and a number of conservation organizations on the scene.
Next to the church of Saint-Jouin-Bruneval we find Chateau La Marguerite, a castle from the 18th century which makes a completely neglected impression.
In some articles it is called haunted house. It could serve a Harry Potter episode as a scenery.
Please read on > The Beach of Le Havre
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