Downstream Cliff (Falaise d'Aval)

The natural arch Porte d'Aval famously resembles an elephant dipping its trunk into the sea - a comparison that has captivated visitors for centuries. Contrary to popular belief, this spectacular arch was not carved by ocean waves but by underground rivers and rainwater that dissolved the chalk from within, with the sea later sculpting the final form we see today.

Claude Monet was so enchanted by these cliffs that he painted over 60 canvases of Étretat between 1883 and 1885, often working in dangerous conditions. He was once swept away by a wave while painting and had to be rescued, losing his easel, canvas, and palette to the sea - an experience that didn't stop him from returning repeatedly to capture the cliffs' ever-changing light.

The 55-meter needle rock L'Aiguille d'Étretat inspired Maurice Leblanc's famous 1909 Arsène Lupin novel 'L'Aiguille Creuse' (The Hollow Needle), in which the gentleman thief discovers the treasure of the kings of France hidden inside. Leblanc was so connected to this place that around 1927, he had mysterious letters 'D' and 'F' carved into a cave on the cliff - according to 'Lupinologists,' these letters supposedly lead to the fabulous royal treasure.

The chalk cliffs are approximately 85 million years old, formed from countless microscopic marine organisms called coccolithophores during the Upper Cretaceous period. The cliffs are constantly eroding - at Les Tilleuls nearby, the cliff has receded an astonishing 35 meters in just one century, reminding visitors that this dramatic landscape is still being shaped by natural forces today.