Sotteville-Sur-Mer combines a striking cliff-lined coast, a variety of hiking trails and buildings with a history of their own. These features can help you choose a hotel or other accommodation: would you like to make access to the sea, a particular trail length or the architecture the focus of your stay? The restricted access to the staircase and the different trail formats are especially important when planning.
Cliff-lined coast and access to the sea
Sotteville-Sur-Mer lies within the ZNIEFF “Le littoral de Veules-les-Roses à Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer”. The coastal stretch between Veules-les-Roses and Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer is characterized by steep, active cliffs subject to faster erosion. Both the cliff formations and ongoing erosion are therefore characteristic of this stretch of coast.
The Escalier de Sotteville leads down to the sea via 231 steps. However, because of the risk of rockfalls, only some of the steps are currently accessible. Check local access conditions before setting out and making the descent a firm part of your plans. The staircase is a specific access point to the sea, but the section that can be walked remains limited.
Hiking trails by distance
The Circuit No. 8 circular hike, “L’escalier de Sotteville,” is 6.2 km long and starts at Sotteville-Sur-Mer town hall on Place de la Libération. A considerably longer option is the historical remembrance trail “Tenir coûte que coûte”: it runs from Saint-Pierre-le-Viger to Sotteville-Sur-Mer, is 36 km long, can be walked independently and is signposted. This gives you a choice between a loop starting in town and a signposted route between two named places. The different distances and trail formats can help you decide which route suits your plans. Check local conditions before setting out on the remembrance trail.
Chapel, church and staircase
When it comes to the historic buildings, it is worth distinguishing between the Chapelle Notre-Dame-du-Val and the Notre-Dame church in Sotteville-Sur-Mer. Of the leper colony, only the chapel, built in the 13th century, remains. Its west gable was rebuilt in the 16th century. The chapel is fully listed as a Monument historique. The building thus brings together two distinct dates: the construction of the chapel and the later rebuilding of a specific part of it.
The Notre-Dame church is another historic building in Sotteville-Sur-Mer. It was built in the time of Saint Louis and restored in the 16th century using local sandstone. The information about its construction and restoration gives the church a historical character of its own, distinct from that of the Chapelle Notre-Dame-du-Val. Admission to the church is free; check the current access conditions before visiting, as they may change.
The Escalier de Sotteville also has a history beyond its function as a way down to the sea. Rails were installed on it to carry small carts loaded with pebbles collected on the beach back up the steps. The staircase therefore served not only as a route down to the coast: the rails also made it possible to transport material uphill. This change of direction connects the steps to a specific former use of the beach and staircase.
Discover more destinations: Fontaine-Le-Dun, Le Chesnay, Sainte-Adresse, Bailleul-Neuville, Étalondes, Boudeville, Martainville-Épreville, Cléon.
For the regional travel overview: Seine-Maritime.
