Seine Maritime Cottages

Holiday Cottages in Seine Maritime

With historic capital city of Rouen and World Heritage Site Le Havre, in the north of Normandy the département of Seine Maritime is a great location for your country cottage holiday.  The setting for Flaubert’s Madame Bovary, Seine Maritime offers high chalky cliffs and bays of the Albâtre Coast looking back towards England’s southern shores; broad fields and deep valleys cloaked in ancient beech and oak forests and picturesque half-timbered villages, heritage and plenty of family fun.

Within a drive of the World War II Normandy Landing Beaches visit the chalky cliffs in the pretty seaside villages of Fécamp and Etretat for stunning seascapes, there’s also the large harbours at Le Havre and Dieppe with lots of great shopping, museums and attractions.  The capital of this département is Rouen with its medieval heart and fabulous cathedral; painted many times by Monet it is a gothic masterpiece.  Inland from the fine beaches, days out can include castles, fine châteaux, abbeys and gardens including Monet’s Giverny, one of the most visited gardens in France and wildlife and walks in the Norman Seine National Park.

Things to do in Seine Maritime

Strap on your boots for great coastal walks along the Alabaster Coast of Seine Maritime including the GR21 dropping down into pretty marinas with jostling yachts, street side cafés, fab seafood, Normandy cider and local specialities. There are amazing headlands, needles and arches, including spectacular Falaise d’Aval at Etretat.  The beaches of Seine Maritime range from shingle shores to broad sandy sweeps.  Superb for watersports check out Le Havre’s super curving bay on the Seine estuary.  Quite separate from the big port there are lovely public gardens, restaurants and a promenade.  Families love Saint-Valéry-en-Caux with lots going on for the little ones and historic Dieppe with its health and fitness spa.

Away from the seaside visit one of Richard the Lionheart’s impressive fortresses the Chateau Gaillard with its stunning valley views and abbey at Jumieges – the ruins of this Benedictine abbey are reputed to be the prettiest in France.  Golfers too have a good choice of courses including Golf de St-Saens in the very beautiful surroundings of the Chateau du Vaudichon and Golf de l’Etretat, one of France’s top 25 courses.  Fishing, horse riding, cycling are great ways to enjoy the Norman Seine National Park and the kids will love Point Le Plage in Le Havre for a wealth of watersports for the whole family.