Kayak and Stand-Up Paddleboarding in Front of the Étretat Arches

From the water the Étretat cliffs look as almost nobody sees them: the Porte d'Aval and the Needle head-on, the chalk wall above you and the small village at the back of the bay. You cannot walk at the foot of the cliffs, but by kayak or paddleboard you can get close by sea, with the village sailing club, which hires out on the same beach.

How it works

Voiles et Galets d'Étretat has its hut on the seafront promenade, next to the sailing boats. There is no booking: you arrive, sign the contract, pay and are given a life jacket and a waterproof bag for your phone. A single kayak costs €15 for an hour and €25 for two; a double, €30 and €50; a paddleboard, €20 and €35. If it is cool, a wetsuit is €5 more. You pay in cash or by cheque.

An hour is enough to leave the bay towards the Porte d'Aval and come back; two, to look calmly at both sides. If you would rather go with someone who knows the coast, the club runs a guided outing of about two hours, €40 per person and €50 in high season, from age 14 and with a minimum of three people.

The sea rules

In 2026 it is open every day in summer, from 10:00 to 17:30, and at weekends and on good days in spring and autumn. They do not hire out with waves of more than half a metre or wind of more than 5 knots for beginners; with an orange alert, nothing. At high or mid tide you get closer to the wall; at low tide you see the rocks and the bottom. Passing under the arches is forbidden. A launch keeps watch for the length of the hire.