Woody Park

Fécamp (20 minutes' walk/five minutes' drive) is a classic Norman seaside town with brilliant Channel views and a pebble beach. After taking a dip or admiring the lighthouse from a nearby jetty, gastronomy buffs can take themselves off to the fish market for fresh fruits de mer while art fans peruse the exhibits on show at the Palais Bénédictine museum. If it's a bit chilly for open-air dips when you visit there's also a well-maintained indoor pool. Étretat (20 minutes), an attractive town down the coast, is far-famed in these parts for its cliffs, especially the gorgeous Porte d'Aval arch and L'Aiguille, a 70 metre stack of rock in the shape of a needle. For spectacular views over these and other geological formations, have a ramble around the foliage at Les Jardins d'Étretat. Other pretty towns nearby include Honfleur (50 minutes), a well-preserved port, and Pont-Audemer (an hour), a historic town on the river Risle. For shopping, modern art, theatre and sculpture, you'll want to head for the larger city of Le Havre (45 minutes).