Dormy House
Why we like it: Hotel with 58 rooms and 3 suites in a 4-hectare park above the village, with rooms and a restaurant with sea views.
From €110
View details
Duration2 nights
From Paris2 h 45 by car · about 3 h by train and coach in season
Best timeApril – October
Budget€300–650 pp
KayakFrom €15
The plan
The plan, hour by hour
Designed to arrive on Friday afternoon from Paris and sleep two nights in Étretat. The point of staying is the light: the cliffs at sunrise and sunset, when the day-trip groups have not yet arrived or have already left. Saturday is for the water and the gardens; Sunday, for the falaise d'Aval early and Lupin's house before heading back.
Friday
- 117:00Arrival and the falaise d'Amont at sunset
Leave the car at the hotel and climb to the Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde chapel to watch the sun fall behind the Needle. Dinner of sharing plates at Le Bel Ami.
Saturday
- 108:00The falaise d'Aval without crowds
Climb early by the west steps to the Manneporte, with the light from the side on the Needle.
- 211:00Kayak or paddleboard facing the arches
With Voiles et Galets, on the beach. Two hours in a double kayak and back to the promenade.
- 313:30Galettes at Lann Bihoué
Norman galette with camembert and apple, and farm cider.
- 415:30Étretat Gardens
The topiaries above the bay and the season's exhibition.
- 520:00Gourmet dinner at Le Donjon
The Les Galets menu, five courses, in the keep's dining room.
Sunday
- 110:30Le Clos Lupin
Maurice Leblanc's house before leaving the hotel; back to Paris after lunch.
Étretat can be seen in a day from Paris, but with two nights everything changes: you climb the falaise d'Aval at sunrise when nobody is there, see the arches from the sea in a kayak and dine without watching the clock. It is two hours and three quarters by car, and from April to early November you can also get there by train and coach from Saint-Lazare, in about three hours.
What does it cost?
| What | How much | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Dormy House, two nights | From €220 a room | Without breakfast; €22 for the buffet |
| Double kayak, two hours | €50 | No booking; cash |
| Étretat Gardens | €11–12.90 | Free under 8 |
| Clos Lupin | From €8.50 | Confirm the hours |
| Dinner at Le Donjon | €69–149 | Drinks not included; book |
Where to sleep?
The Dormy House, above the village, with rooms that face the sea and its own parking, from €110 a night. For a getaway with spa and heated pool (mid-March to mid-November), Le Donjon – Domaine Saint Clair, the four-star in the keep, which also has the restaurant for Saturday's dinner. For a motorhome or tent, the municipal campsite, open from 15 March to 15 November. All three admit dogs.
Where to eat?
Lann Bihoué for galettes, every day; Le Bel Ami for dinner sharing plates, also daily; and the gourmet restaurant at Le Donjon for the special night.
Map
The stops, in order
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Plan the trip
Étretat, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Étretat
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Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
The same break, your way
The plan stays the same. What changes is where you sleep, how you get there and how much you spend.
Étretat by Car
By car, Étretat is about two hours and three quarters from Paris and an easy stop on a route along the Norman coast between Rouen, Le Havre, Fécamp and Honfleur. The hard part is parking in the centre in summer: leave the car at the entrance to the village or at the hotel and get around on foot.
70–250 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to stayDormy House, with paid parking…
- Getting aroundFree La Guezane car park…
- Where to eatCrêperie Lann Bihoué and Le…
- ServicesIn July, August and on…
Where to stay
- Dormy House, with paid parking (€15 a night)
- Le Donjon – Domaine Saint Clair, with private enclosed parking and chargers
- Municipal campsite, with a pitch for the car
Getting around
- Free La Guezane car park, at the entrance to the village, with a walking route to the centre
- In the centre, paid parking every day from 9:00 to 19:00
Where to eat
- Crêperie Lann Bihoué and Le Bel Ami, in the centre, on foot from the car park
Services
- In July, August and on fine-weather weekends, arrive before 10:00
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights2
Where to stay
Where to stay if you're driving
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Le Donjon – Domaine Saint Clair
Why we like it: Four-star hotel with 25 rooms in a tower house above the village, with a heated pool, spa, sauna and fine-dining restaurant.
Étretat Municipal Campsite
Why we like it: Three-star municipal campsite with 73 pitches at the entrance to the village, open from 15 March to 15 November, with electricity and motorhome emptying.
From €10
View details
Where to eat
Where to eat in Étretat
Crêperie Lann Bihoué
What to order: a Norman special galette, such as La Vallée d'Auge (camembert and caramelised apple, €14.50), and for dessert La Manneporte with ice cream
Every day · some tables without booking · 10:00 to 12:00 only galettes and traditional crêpes
Le Bel Ami
What to order: several small dishes to share and the wine bar's mezzes; the menu changes with the season
Open every day at lunchtime and in the evening · book on TheFork
Le Donjon Gourmet Restaurant
What to order: the Les Galets menu, five courses for €109; the vegetarian Le Jardin, three courses for €69, if you want something shorter
Booking essential on TheFork · the website does not publish opening days
Tips
Worth knowing first
Local tip
If the sea does not allow going out on Saturday, swap the kayak for the Clos Lupin and leave Sunday to climb the falaise d'Aval again.
We'd skip it
Going down to the beach at the foot of the cliffs at low tide: it is forbidden and dangerous.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take from Paris to Étretat?
About two hours and three quarters by car; by train and coach, about three hours in season.
How much does the getaway cost?
With two hotel nights, kayak, tickets and a gourmet dinner, between €300 and €650 per person depending on the hotel and the dinner.
Is it worth it in winter?
Yes, with fewer people and good light, but the kayak does not go out and the gardens close in midwinter.
Can you go with a dog?
Yes: all three places admit dogs and the cliff paths are done with it on a lead.