L'Amerloque: The Alabaster Coast

Up until last weekend, I didn't really have a favourite place in France. Oh, sure, I love the south. And the Loire Valley was lovely when I was studying there in 2004 and in 2006. I've been a bit of everywhere in France at this point, and yet, although I always found every place charming and uniquely French in its own way, I had never actually been blown away by a place here, the way that I have in Nepal, or Denmark, or Tunisia.

Last weekend, that changed.

It won't take much for me to tell you about it (although I could add so much more; but it's late and I've got tons to do before I leave for Brittany tomorrow...). Just this:

This, my friends, is Etretat. Several years ago, on my first research trip to Normandy, my old boyfriend, who had studied in Rouen, told me to visit this place. I tried, but it was just too complicated to get here. There is a bus from Le Havre to Etretat, but it's hard to catch it from Caen, because you first have to get yourself to Le Havre. Since there isn't a train station in Etretat, you have to find another way.

So Rebekka and I rented a car and set off along the coast. Indeed, we had quite a time in our little rental: one detour near Honfleur, and then at one point we crossed a single winding path surrounded by miles and miles of fields, that only had enough room for one car.

Our route

Beautiful field of canola flowers along the way... these are everywhere in Normandie right now

But oh! Was it worth it! I could've sat all day on those cliffs.

Rebekka and I on the narrow staircase that led down to the beach. Rebekka went no further; but I went exploring...

We met our hosts in Le Havre that evening, an absolutely fantastic couple in their mid-twenties -and their little cat-, and spent the entire night talking about everything from politics to the best French films ever, and of course laughing LOTS.