The Best Walks in Europe 2023 – The Alabaster Coast and the GR21

Now that the days are getting longer and the weather is getting warmer it’s a great time to get outdoors again. Hiking is more popular than ever, with lockdown only increasing our taste for adventure and exploration after months of staying indoors. Northern France has some of the most beautiful beaches and dramatic coastlines in the country, and Normandy’s Alabaster Coast is home to one of France’s favourite hiking trails, the GR21. Hikers, ramblers, and walkers of all abilities can take a ferry across from Newhaven to Dieppe with DFDS and experience this spectacular piece of coastline for themselves.

The GR21 Littoral de Normandy is a 190km coastal route that takes you along Normandy’s Alabaster Coast from Le Havre to Le Tréport, passing through the colourful harbour town of Dieppe, along Normandy’s highest cliffs in Fécamp and past the inspiring rock formations at Étretat on the way. In 2020 it was voted France’s Favourite Walking Trail by the French Hiking Federation. Considering the GR routes in France alone consist of over 70,000km of trails, this one is clearly something special. Any part of this walk will have surprises to reveal, with beautiful landscapes and striking views across the Channel and over the hills and fields of Normandy, so whether you’re a hardcore hiker or prefer to take things at a more relaxed pace, the GR21 has something for you.

The trail in its entirety takes you along the Normandy coast past some of the region’s most picture perfect locations and spectacular landscapes, including Veules-les-Roses, one of France’s prettiest villages and home to France’s shortest river; Varengeville-sur-Mer, where the Fisherman’s Church and Cemetery high atop the cliffs keep watch over the sandy beach and blue waters below; and the jewel in the crown of the Alabaster Coast, Étretat.

Whether you are planning to complete the full GR21 route from Le Tréport to Le Havre or just part of it, you would be remiss if you did not include Étretat on your trip. With its beautiful surrealist gardens, charming boardwalk, and pretty town centre, it is a must-see for any visitor to Normandy, especially as it is also home to stunning chalk cliffs and the incredible natural rock formations that define this stretch of coastline.

The spectacular cliff formations can be seen from miles away, and the tops of the cliffs, along which the GR21 runs, provide the perfect vantage point. The cliffs here have inspired artists for centuries, including painters like Monet and Delacroix and French author Guy de Maupassant, who likened the iconic Arche d’Amont to an elephant dunking its trunk in the ocean. Whether you’re looking for a challenging hike or a more leisurely walk, you can’t go wrong if you include the cliffs around Étretat on your route.

The full GR21 route can be done in approximately 10 days, but there are also routes that can be walked in a day or two, including a circular walk that also includes the quaint fishing town of Yport, where rows of beach huts look out to sea and small fishing boats rest on the pebbles. This route also takes you inland to the lush green meadows, crystal clear rivers and abundant apple orchards of the Normandy countryside, giving you the best of coast and country on your hike.

As the area is such a popular route with hikers and holidaymakers, there are plenty of hotels and campsites for weary travellers to rest their feet after a long day of walking and enjoy the best of France. All GR routes are well signposted so hikers can stay on the route and walk it at their own pace.

DFDS offers up to three sailings per day on its Newhaven to Dieppe route, with crossings taking four hours. Fares start from £49 each way for a car and two people. Foot passenger prices are from £23 per person each way.

Upgrade your ticket to include access to the exclusive Premium Lounge with complimentary hot and cold drinks and snacks from £12 per person. Add Priority Boarding from £10 per car each way to be one of the first to board and disembark the ferry. 

Facilities onboard the ship include a bar, restaurant, and a duty-free shop with a range of perfumes, cosmetics and electronics at up to 50 per cent off UK high-street prices. 

For more information or to book visit www.dfds.com 

Michelle Ulyatt / Adam Toombs / Charlotte Burnap / Karen Bayfield

Roch PR Ltd

T: +44 1304 272509

E: dfdsteam@rochpr.com

DFDS provides ferry and transport services in and around Europe, generating annual revenues of EUR 2.3 bn.

To over 10,000 freight customers we deliver high performance and superior reliability through ferry & port terminal services, and transport and logistics solutions. DFDS delivers high reliability to more than 10,000 freight customers through ferry and port terminal services and transport and logistics solutions.

For more than five million passengers, it provides safe overnight and short sea ferry services.

Our 8,000 employees are located on ships and in in offices across 20 countries. DFDS was founded in 1866, is headquartered in Copenhagen, and listed on Nasdaq Copenhagen.

In the UK, DFDS operates passenger ferry services on routes from Dover to Calais, Dover to Dunkirk, Newcastle to Amsterdam and Newhaven to Dieppe.

DFDS has been named ‘Europe’s Leading Ferry Operator’ for 11 years running (2012-2022), as well as the ‘World’s Leading Ferry Operator’ for the last 12 years (2011-22).

DFDS currently operates up to 54 sailings a day between Dover and Calais and Dunkirk. DFDS also offers two daily sailings between Newcastle and Amsterdam. In addition, the UK network includes a passenger and freight service between Newhaven and Dieppe, which has four daily sailings and is owned by Transmanche Ferries.

For further information about DFDS, or to find out about the latest sailing times, fares and offers across all routes from the UK, visit www.dfds.com.