Le Clos Lupin, Maurice Leblanc's House

Maurice Leblanc, the author of Arsène Lupin, the gentleman thief, bought this villa in Étretat in 1919. Étretat features in his novels: in The Hollow Needle, Lupin hides his treasure inside the Needle. Today the house, Le Clos Lupin, is visited as a staged tour about the character and his author, a few minutes' walk from the beach.

The visit

At the entrance you are given the equipment to follow an eight-stage tour through the gardens and rooms, set in the early 20th century. It is not a museum of display cases but a story told in scenes, with the settings of the novels and Leblanc's life. At the end there is a shop. Allow about an hour. It works well with teenagers who have seen the Lupin series and with anyone who has read the novels; it will mean less to small children.

Price and opening hours

The official tourism listings give an adult ticket from €8.50, a reduced rate from €6.50 and a child's from €6, with the warning that they are based on the previous season. The opening hours change with the season and the listings do not confirm them: phone before you go. You can pay by card, cash, cheque or holiday vouchers.

Getting there

It is at 15 rue Guy de Maupassant, in the centre of Étretat, about five minutes' walk from the seafront promenade. If you arrive by car, leave it in the car park at the entrance to the village and walk in.