Porte d'Aval, Natural arch on the coast of Étretat, France.
The limestone formation features a monumental arch that connects to a 70-meter-high needle-shaped rock called L'Aiguille rising from the English Channel.
The site gained recognition in the 19th century when Étretat transformed from a fishing village into a destination for painters and writers.
Claude Monet created over 90 paintings of the Étretat coastline between 1883 and 1885, with many works featuring the Porte d'Aval formation.
Visitors can reach the arch base during low tide, while a steep footpath from the beach leads to observation points on the cliff plateau.
Guy de Maupassant described the natural formation as resembling an elephant dipping its trunk into the sea, reflecting its distinctive silhouette.
Location: Étretat
GPS coordinates: 49.70700,0.19400
Latest update: June 23, 2025 09:48
Aval Cliff
32 m
Aiguille d'Étretat
72 m
Maison Maurice Leblanc
985 m
Etretat Cliffs
88 m
Etretat Gardens
1.1 km
Château de Fréfossé
1.8 km
Cap d'Antifer Lighthouse
3.3 km
Église Notre-Dame d'Étretat
1.3 km
Manneporte
491 m
Château des Aygues
1.4 km
Monument à la mémoire de Nungesser et Coli
1.1 km
Porte d'Amont
1.2 km
Chapelle Notre-Dame de la Garde
944 m
Trou à l'Homme
59 m
Pointe de la Courtine
1.2 km
Beach of Le Tilleul
1.6 km
Golf d'Étretat
506 m
Le Tilleul - Antifer
1.7 km
Office de Tourisme d'Étretat
856 m
Château de Bénouville
3.7 km
Pointe du Fourquet
2.6 km
Église Saint-Thomas-de-Cantorbéry de Beaurepaire
5 km
Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Pierrefiques
4.6 km
Église Saint-Martin de La Poterie-Cap-d'Antifer
3.9 km
Église Saint-Jacques de Villainville
6.3 km
Église Saint-Martin du Tilleul
2.7 km
Chemin des Douaniers
982 m
Église Sainte-Marie-l'Égyptienne de Sainte-Marie-au-Bosc
4.5 kmReviews
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