Étretat, now an elegant resort, has always had a great reputation because of the originality of its setting.  The grandeur of the high cliffs and the crashing waves is unforgettable whatever the season.  It is no wonder that the town has inspired many writers, artists and film directors.  Maupassant spent is childhood here, “leading the life of a wild foal”, according to his own words, and Maurice Leblanc described the Aiguille Creuse through his famous character, Arsène Lupin.  Other famous personalities who helped to establish the fame of the town included Alexandre Dumas, André Gide, Victor Hugo, Gustave Courbet, Jacques Offenbach and Claude Monet. 
The single beach, skirted by a sea wall promenade, lies between the well-known cliffs; to the east the Amont Cliff with its small chapel Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde and its museum; to the west the Aval Cliff with its monumental arch cut through the chalk, known as the Porte d’Aval.  La chapelle Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde, was built in 1854.  It is both dedicated to the Blessed Virgin but also pays tribute to mariners lost as sea.  It was completely destroyed during the Second World War and then rebuilt in 1950.

Offshore stands a solitary needle rock, the Aiguille.  On the beach are three traditional thatched fishermen’s huts originally used for storing fishing equipment but have now been restored and are used as outdoor coffee shops.

This portion of the Normandy beach was difficult to take from the Germans because of the steep cliffs.  Of the 225 men who embarked on this stage of the advance, only 90 survived.  They found that the Germans had moved their real guns inland and replaced the gun turrets with large timber beams.  As the American forces moved inland, they destroyed the German guns they found.
 

Much of this area remains as it was in June 1944, pockmarked with craters that look like the lunar surface, concrete bunkers and many large gun turrets.  The popular memorial dedicated to the Second Ranger Battalion is now fenced off from the publicc because it is dangerously close to the edge of the sea and authorities fear that people will fall off.  Nearby is the museum which documents the events of the  day.


The movie The Longest Day features scenes that take place at the Pointe du Hoc.  The Pointe du Hoc is located just between Utah Beach and Omaha Beach.