OK, not a backpacking trip, but a good day spent tromping up and down the cliffs at Étretat, in Normandy, France. Monet painted ’em. I just walked around thinking I should have brought some rope. Or a kayak.
There are a few stunning natural arches and a needle. For miles in either direction the cliffs soar out of the water–but there are a few breaks where you can get down to the rocky beaches.
All-in-all, not a bad place.
This was followed by some very different “hiking” around Bayeux, Mont St. Michel and Dinan. Gotta say, the French meals were better than the standard backpacking fare!