Question for BUDMAN or others re DRVING TO ETRETAT from PARIS!!
 

Hi Budman and fellow Fodorites!

We finally decided that we are going to drive from Paris to ETRETAT in June. Just wondering if you have any pointers for us regarding this drive: For example, can we do this comfortably in ONE DAY? (We don't mind missing Honfleur on this trip.)

Once we get to ETRETAT, we want to have a chance to do some nice hiking and have lunch on the beach. (Don't want to do a rushed visit.)

Would a day be just enough to enjoy ETRETAT? Would we have time to fit in any other stops either way (again, without having to hurry)?

Thank you, Budman, and other drivers in France, for your advice!

--Betty (NYC)

Is Bud-ster in the house?

Betty~~I think you will have no problem driving from Paris to Etretat and enjoying time there in one day. We drove from Giverny stopping in LesAndeleys and Deauville and did not stop in Honfleur. We loved Etretat but chose to spend the night in Bayeux. The falaise sp? there are the highlight--very impressive. Enjoy!

Nini,

Hello! Thanks for the tip. What is the "falaise" that you mentioned?

The falaise is the steep chalk cliffs that are along the Normandy coast--same as what one would see in Dover on the England side of English Chanel. You can hike to the top. Would be a great place for picnic lunch depending on the weather, of course.

bettyo70, figure 2.5 to 3 hours drive each way, depending upon the day of the week and time in the morning/evening you want to travel.

Fecamp is nearby and is a cute little fishing village. Home of the Benedictine Monastery where they make B&B. There are several large German bunker complexes in the cliffs, if that interests you. Here's a link to the town: http://www.visitnormandy.org/Normand...amp/Fecamp.htm

I guess you will have to factor in 5+ hours driving, 2 hour lunch, and whatever walking/shopping/visiting you want to do. It'll make for a long day. ((b))

This may not be what you are seeking to do, but I'll tell you about our visit to Etretat, and you can decide if it sounds like more than you want. We stayed two nights, and one day - - worked out well for staying at Villa Bligny, which we loved, as they have a two nighs minimum. We spent the midday in Honfleur (we were coming from Arromanches, but this would work fine coming from Paris, just as well), and arrived at Etretat about 5 pm. Had dinner at L'Huitriere (magnificent, with direct view of the "Elephant's trunk" falaise) ad walked along the boardwalk. Next day, we took in th etown, especially a farmer's market, and then went to Fecamp to the B&B "palace" (monastery) for the afternoon. We actually cooked in, that evening - - from our market purchases earlier that day - - since the units at Villa Bligny each have an efficiency kitchen. Left the following morning (in our case, this was departure day) and had no trouble making it back to CDG for a flight (a little after noon, I think?)

Best wishes,

Rex

Nini, Budman & Rex: Much thanks!

What is meant by "B&B" in this context? I have always known B&B to stand for "Bed and Breakfast." Is there another meaning in relation to the mentioned monastery?

Rex: Unfortunately we will not have as much time as you did for your trip, but we'll definitely look out for L'Huitriere, which you mentioned.

Best regards to all!

B&B is a liquor/after dinner drink. Benedictine & Brandy (I think). ((b))

B and B in this context refers to Benedictine and Brandy; the monastery in Fecamp is a Benedictine order which makes the liqueur.

Rex, did you think the tour of the monastery was interesting/worthwhile?

Yes, like grandmere, I would love to hear more about this monastery in Fecamp!

Thanks!

Yes, I would rate it a 6.5-7.5 on a scale of 1 to 10.

You have to be interested in this kind of thing. It really is not a monastery in any usual sense of the word. Indeed, they refer to it as the "palais", I am pretty sure, and the architcture itself is 25% of the merit of the visit - - it's fairly spectacularly gothic/baroque.

It's more historical than actual industrial, and some of that history is the (almost kitsch of) marketing of B&B all over the world. I would rate it better than the perfume "museum"/factory tour(s) of Grasse, and better than the distilleries of George Dickel (in Tennessee); I have never been to the distilleries of Jack Daniels, just down the road there. As far as general (broad) appeal, perhaps not quite up to par with Coca-Cola in Atlanta, nor the Hershey "tour" in Pennsylvania. Does that help put it into perspective?

It is NOT as worthwhile as Arromanches, in my mind, and maybe slightly below Honfleur? but these judgments are all so personal and subjective, non?

As an overall seaside town itself, I would rate Etretat better for ambience strolling than Fecamp.

Thanks, Rex. Just curious about the monastery building itself.

Hi Betty:

We did the visit to to Etretat easily in a day trip from Paris last October. We left around 9AM from Paris, stopped in Rouen for coffee and to take a quick look at the cathedral, then we were in Etretat for lunch. We had a great lunch there and walked around the beach area, drove over to Honfleur and spent an hour there or so and I drove my sister over to see Deauville on the way back. We hit the road around 7PM and were back in Paris around 9PM I think.....

Here's a decent picture of the palace - - http://www.normandy-tourism.org/fr/21SitMo/sitmo16.html - - with the link to the benedictine website.

Thank you, Rex; I think we'll see how we're moving along from Les Andelys to Honfleur, our destination for that night. I want to see Etretat for sure, but if we're pushed for time, it sounds as though we could easily forego Fecamp.

JPIE: Thanks for your trip run-down. On your daytrip, did you find that you actually had time to hike around Etretat? (Apparently, there are two designated scenic hikes that one can follow there.) Or did you feel pressed for time?

My crazy sister-in-law wants to squeeze in Etretat, Givernny AND Honfleur on the same daytrip, and I think that is really TOO MUCH! I don't think we could do justice to all those places in one day.

Also, we are renting a convertible, and hope to drive through the nicer areas: Hope it is not just all highway roads.

REX: Thank you for the link!

<<My crazy sister-in-law wants to squeeze in Etretat, Givernny AND Honfleur on the same daytrip, and I think that is really TOO MUCH! I don't think we could do justice to all those places in one day.>>

I guess with the energy (and restlessness?) of a fifteen year old, it could be crammed into one day - - but you might need the next day to recuperate. You could get up early and be AT Giverny by 8:30 or 9 (I actually have not looked up when Monet's gardens and house open up for the day). You would be shortchanging it, but you could leave by 11 and be in Honfleur by 12:30. Maybe you leave Honfleur by 3 pm (90 minutes for lunch, one hour for walking around). Again, this is missing out on what shouldn't be done as a rushed experience - - but if this is a scavenger hunt, you'll "get your postcards" and a few photos. That puts you in Etretat by 4:30 - - and if this is mid-June when it doesn't get dark until 10, then you can hike and have dinner - - and still be back in Paris, by say... midnight or 1 am.

Not everyone travels to Europe for <i><b>vacation</b></i>...

Rex,

Ugh! That sounds insane. Maybe we will travel in two separate cars so that she can do her &quot;hit-and-run&quot;, and I will lounge around ETRETAT all day, taking in the beauty...

Cheers!
--Betty (NYC)

Hi Betty:

We didn't really do either of the hikes. We hung out on the beach walked part way up to the top of the cliff area, around the village, etc. But we did have a 2 hour lunch, so I think if you left early in the morning you could comfortablly visit Honfleur and Etretat. You could also fit in Giverny, but that wouldn't be my first choice.....but maybe what might be fun would be to have your sis go to Giverny if she has her heart set on it, and you got to either Entretat or Honfleur while she is there and then rendevouz for dinner or late afternoon in either Etretat or Honfleur. That way you would both get to see 2 places :)