Fécamp, Administrative division in Seine-Maritime, Normandy, France
Fécamp is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department on the Norman coast between Le Havre and Dieppe. The built-up area extends from the pebble beach to the higher ground, where residential neighborhoods are interspersed with meadows and small woodlands.
The abbey was founded in the 7th century as a monastery and grew into an important pilgrimage site during the Middle Ages. After the Revolution the religious building was partly dismantled, while the harbor developed in the 19th century into a major center for cod fishing in the North Atlantic.
The name of the town comes from an old Norse term that recalls the Viking era in Normandy. Today you can still see fishermen mending their nets or unloading their catch at the harbor, while traditional fish shops along the quay sell fresh herring and other seafood.
Anyone planning to visit the cliffs or the chapel perched on the rock face should bring sturdy footwear and expect steep paths. On windy days it can be noticeably cooler along the coast than in the sheltered streets of the town center.
In the Trinity church there is an old reliquary said to contain drops of the blood of Christ that has drawn believers for centuries. Along the quay there are still some of the old brick warehouses where cod used to be dried and salted before being shipped across Europe.
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