This route invites you to explore the gardens along the Alabaster Coast, renowned for its 120 kilometers of cliffs. From Étretat to Varengeville-sur-Mer, let yourself be guided by the legacy of the Impressionist masters who immortalized this landscape in their paintings. Discover the gardens of this region by participating in the events of the Normandy Impressionist Festival along your journey.
Stage 1
Start in Varengeville-sur-Mer. On your way, be sure to stop in Veules-les-Roses, a picturesque town with charming alleyways. Varengeville-sur-Mer, a village often visited by many artists such as Renoir, Monet, and Pissarro, offers the opportunity to discover, in its iconic garden, a minimalist installation, Les Balises , which explores the erosion of the cliffs threatening the gardens of the coast.
In the neighboring village of Hautot-sur-Mer, visit the Jardin des Loups to participate in the Révolutions du Vivant: Art'griculture. On site: visits, creations and an exhibition in a 1.5 hectare garden.
Stage 2
Head to Étretat, home of iconic cliffs. Explore the site by strolling along the coastal paths, which offer exceptional views. Wander through the town square, a source of artistic and literary inspiration for many artists such as Monet, Boudin, and Flaubert.
In the Gardens of Étretat, a magnificent site combining landscape architecture and sculptures, you can discover the choreographic performance Les Eaux Dormantes.
Stage 3
Head to Le Havre. Discover a unique seaside city, whose light was a source of artistic inspiration for the Impressionists; the place where Monet painted Impression, Sunrise, the iconic work that gave its name to the movement.
Step inside the André Malraux Museum of Modern Art (MuMa), home to the second largest collection of Impressionist works in France, after the Musée d'Orsay in Paris. As part of the Normandy Impressionist Festival, discover an exhibition of around one hundred Monet works dedicated to his formative years in Le Havre. At the MuMa, you can also explore Ai Weiwei's Water Lilies, installations made of 650,000 LEGO® bricks that echo Monet's famous Water Lilies series.
Head to Honfleur, to the Jardin des Personnalités to immerse yourself in the fog installation created by Japanese artist Fujiko Nakaya, a pioneer of environmental art.
Be sure to explore the Sainte-Catherine district or enjoy the many terraces around the Old Port. You can also attend lectures on Impressionism at the Ferme Saint-Siméon, a place that hosted Impressionist artists such as Corot, Boudin, and Monet.
To go further
Head to Cherbourg-en-Cotentin. Stroll through its narrow streets and take the opportunity to visit Point du Jour for the " Making a Garden".
In addition, nearby on Tatihou Island you can participate in the Empreintes project, encapsulating a garden, a participatory art-science project that encapsulates a garden, combining research-creation and sensory experience.
