Between Le Tréport and Le Havre, the GR21 follows the top of the Seine-Maritime chalk cliffs and dips down through the valleuses to harbours and shingle beaches.
189 km 117.4 mi9 stages2,250 m 7,382 ft ascentHigh point 131 m 430 ftLe Tréport → Le Havre
0 m100 m200 m0 km25 km50 km75 km100 km125 km150 km175 km123456789High point 131 m
Elevation profile: from 2 m to 130 m over 188.7 km.
The GR21 at a glance
The GR21, the “Normandy coast path”, lies entirely within Seine-Maritime. It links Le Tréport to Le Havre along the Alabaster Coast, the long wall of chalk and clay cliffs that drops sheer into the Channel. The path mostly runs along the top, between the sea and enclosed meadows, then drops into the valleuses, the small valleys that cut into the cliff and lead down to the beaches and harbours.
The stages pass through some very well-known places: Le Tréport and its funicular, Dieppe, Varengeville-sur-Mer and its seaside cemetery painted by Claude Monet, Veules-les-Roses and the Veules, billed as the smallest river in France, Saint-Valery-en-Caux, Fécamp and its abbey church, Étretat and its arches, before the center of Le Havre, rebuilt by Auguste Perret and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Voted “France’s favorite GR” in 2020, it continues beyond the Pont de Normandie as the GR223, which heads on towards Honfleur and Mont-Saint-Michel.
The terrain is moderate, with no technical sections, and the towns close to one another make it easy to split into stages. It is a good choice for a first long-distance walk by the sea, or for just a few days, for example between Dieppe and Étretat. The cliffs nevertheless call for caution: erosion regularly pushes the edge back, and the route is diverted whenever the path becomes dangerous.
Highlights
Spectacular chalk cliffs, among the highest in Europe, above the Channel.
A string of famous places: Dieppe, Varengeville-sur-Mer, Fécamp, Étretat, Le Havre.
Valleuses leading down to beaches and harbours, for overnight stops by the water.
A route with good transport links and a railway station at each end.
A path voted France’s favorite GR in 2020, extended by the GR223 beyond the Pont de Normandie.
Practical information
Start
Le Tréport
Le Tréport has an SNCF station; a funicular links the town to the top of the cliffs.
Finish
Le Havre
Le Havre has an SNCF station in the town center. The regional coach network, presented on the Normandy Region website, also serves several towns and villages along the coast.
When to go
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The GR21 can be walked in any season. In wet weather, some sections become slippery; in strong wind or fog, it is better to postpone the clifftop sections.
Difficulty
Moderate
No altitude and no technical sections; the descents into and climbs out of the valleuses and the sea wind simply call for a walker’s good level of fitness.
Accommodation
3 gîtes, 24 B&Bs, 73 hotels, and 22 campgrounds
Accommodation is concentrated in the towns and resorts along the coast; cafés, brasseries and farm stays dot the route. A luggage transfer service between Dieppe and Étretat was launched in 2023. The FFRandonnée topoguide “Littoral de la Normandie” lists accommodation, tourist offices and transport.
Rules to know
The Urban Planning Code (article R111-33) prohibits wild camping on the seashore and in listed or registered sites, unless an exemption is granted: plan to use campgrounds or other accommodation. Respect the closures and diversions that are signposted: a closed path must not be used.
Water and supplies
With towns and villages close to one another, you can stock up almost every day. Between two valleuses, the path often runs alongside open meadows and fields: carry water and a windproof jacket.
The GR21 on the map
The 9 stages
TrekGR stage plan: each stage ends where you can sleep. Actual walking time excluding breaks (DIN 33466 standard).
No current alerts for this GR (checked on November 12, 2026). All live updates →
Our advice
Before setting off, check the diversions announced by the FFRandonnée Seine-Maritime committee: a landslide at Les Loges, for example, requires a diversion between the Fond d’Étigues and the Valleuse du Curé.
Stay on the waymarked path and never go near the edge: the chalk is fragile and can give way without warning.
Avoid walking at the foot of the cliffs, which is exposed to rockfall and the incoming tide.
Choose good shoes with lugged soles, useful when the path becomes slippery after rain.
For just a few days, the section from Dieppe to Étretat takes in many of the best-known sites.
Frequently asked questions
Where does the GR21 start and finish?
The GR21 links Le Tréport to Le Havre, entirely within Seine-Maritime, and can be walked in either direction. At Le Havre, it continues as the GR223, which crosses the Seine estuary over the Pont de Normandie.
Which section of the GR21 should you choose for a few days?
The section from Dieppe to Étretat, suggested by MonGR, takes in Varengeville-sur-Mer, Veules-les-Roses, Saint-Valery-en-Caux, Fécamp and Étretat. For a weekend, MonGR also suggests a loop from Yport, or the section from Fécamp to Le Havre station.
Is the GR21 dangerous because of erosion?
The chalk cliffs are retreating through erosion, and rockfalls have already altered the route. The waymarked path is diverted whenever a section becomes dangerous: simply follow the waymarks, respect the closures and never go near the edge, especially in strong wind or fog.
How do you get to the GR21 by train?
Le Tréport and Le Havre each have an SNCF station, so you can travel there and back by train. For the intermediate sections, the regional coach network is presented on the Normandy Region website.
Can you bivouac on the GR21?
Wild camping is prohibited on the seashore and in listed or registered sites, unless an exemption is granted (article R111-33 of the Urban Planning Code). Campgrounds and accommodation in the coastal towns remain the safest option.
Route: OpenStreetMap contributors. Elevation: IGN’s RGE ALTI®, one point every 50 m. Text checked on November 10, 2026.
