We drove down the A13 from Paris and spent a few hours in Fécamp on a cold sunny day in March. This port town might not be at the top of the list when it comes to Normandy’s most scenic destinations, but I always enjoy discovering new places and Fécamp certainly has its own appeal.
Location
Fécamp is located on the Alabaster Coast (Côte d’Albâtre) of Normandy, which stretches from Le Havre up to Le Tréport. It’s famous for its white chalk cliffs (rather like the white cliffs of Dover across the Channel). Neighbouring Etretat is probably one of the most iconic spots along this coastline, with the arch of the cliffs stepping into the sea.
History - the Vikings and fishing
In the Middle Ages the Vikings from the North made Normandie their own, and Fécamp one of their capitals. William the Conqueror chose Fécamp to celebrate his victory at Hastings.
But in more recent times Fécamp has been known for fishing – especially of herring (“hareng” in French – I’ve always had a mental block regarding the pronunciation of this word, it’s \a.ʁɑ̃\ in the IPA). The fishermen also trawl for cod (“cabillaud”, with it’s salted or dried version “morue”), sole, mackerel (“maquereau”), sea bass (“bar”) and harvest scallops (“coquille Saint-Jacques”). Fishing matters don’t really float my boat, but if you’re interested you can visit “Le musée des Pêcheries” by the harbour, on top of which sits a belvédère platform with an impressive view over the port and town.
Cap Fagnet
Le Cap Fagnet is the highest point of the cliffs of Normandy. It’s well worth climbing up and enjoying the wind and panaramic views. You also find in strategic position “les blockhaus” – remains of German battlements from the 2nd World War.
The Holy Trinity Abbey and the Palais Bénédictine
“La grande abbatiale de la Sainte-Trinité” is a very impressive large-scale construction, being a mix of Romanesque and Gothic. Nearby lie the the remains of the Viking “Palace of the Dukes of Normandy” (“Palais des ducs de Normandie”), built in the 11th and 12th centuries. The Palais Bénédictine is a different animal – equally impressive with its Norman, Gothic and Renaissance styles but actually only dates back to the end of the 19th century.
The pebble beach
Like many beaches along the Alabaster Coast, Fécamp’s is a pebble beach (“plage de galets”) and hard on the feet. These pebbles have been sequestered in the past for building houses in the area, but removing pebbles from the beach is now an offence. There are many causes for why pebbles don’t get ground down to sand, the main one being the quality of the rocks. This coastline is composed of chalk with embedded flint, and this makes the chunks that break off the cliffs resistant to erosion. The consequence of this is that there are less beachgoers – sunbathers and families with children – compared with the sandy beaches up the coast at Berck or Le Touquet.
The impressionists
As you might expect, the Impressionists were also here. Wandering around, you come across panels of paintings by Claude Monet and Berthe Morisot.
A bird's eye view
