7 Of Normandy’s Coolest & Most Intriguing Places (in Photos)
Normandy has a way of pulling you in – sometimes with crashing waves against impressive cliffs, other times with crooked medieval streets that feel frozen in time. And splendid gardens! It’s a place where stories linger, etched into stone walls and whispered through old harbors.
But the real magic? It’s in the details you’d never expect. Curious? Keep reading – you’ll see!
1. Les Jardins d’Étretat: Art That Stares Back at You
Les Jardins d’Étretat sits high above the cliffs offering wild views and surreal art. Sculpted hedges twist around giant faces that seem to grow out of the ground – calm, strange, and a little hypnotic!
The garden is packed with modern sculptures, hidden corners, and lookout points over the sea and Étretat’s famous arches. It’s part art exhibit, part garden maze!
It started as a small garden in 1905, planted by actress Madame Thébault, a friend of painter Claude Monet. Inspired by Monet’s love for light and nature, she created a peaceful retreat overlooking Étretat’s cliffs.
The garden was reimagined in 2017 by landscape architect Alexandre Grivko.
Today, it’s an open-air gallery with sculptures by contemporary artists set among sculpted boxwood hedges. The garden’s surreal faces, called “The Awakening,” symbolize human emotions.
Paths lead to dramatic viewpoints of the sea and the famous Aval Arch, which Monet once painted.