Although some confusion remains about which of the two worn cliffs jutting into the ocean most resembles an elephant, we agreed that they are equally stunning as we stood on the rocky beach in Etretat, a village on the Normandy coast. Monet thought so too and duly painted them, as have others.
The light was particularly dramatic over the yellower cliff, as the sun attempted to break through the clouds, creating streaks of blue, gray and white in the sky and turning the water a pale blue. Just down the beach at the other cliff, the color of the sky and water was darker and more moody but a swath of velvety green grass blanketed the cliff top.
We took a short steep hike up the less grassy one for more spectacular views from on high.
Although the beachfront town has a ticky tacky feel with a faded casino, we found a quaint sophisticated restaurant for mussels and frites further from the shore – Le bel Ami – and some cool old half timber and brick buildings
TakeBetsywithyou 