Seine Maritime is a French department in Normandy in north-western France. Before 1955 it was known as Seine-Inferieure.
Geography
Seine-Maritime is a beautiful department situated north Normandy.
It benefits from a mixture of different landscapes including the chalky plateau of the Pays de Caux , deep valleys and stunning cliffs of the English Channel coast.
The principal towns include: Rouen, Le Havre, Dieppe, Etretat, Fecamp and Le Treport.
Climate
The climate is primary oceanic with mild winters not often reaching below zero and in the summer the temperature is about 25°C. Precipitation is significant varying from 700mm on the coast to 1300mm on the open field in the south.
On the west coast can be felt the Gulf Stream. There is sea breeze on the coast that along with the tides contributes to temperature changes during a single day.
Towns
Rouen is the historical capital of Normandy and departmental capital for Seine-Maritime. The town’s most prominent symbol is the impressive 13th Century Gothic Cathedral of Notre Dame- subject of Monet painting. It’s also a town where Joan of Arc was burner at the stake in Place du Vieux Marche. Rouen is a cultured city with several museums and churches such as art museum, museum with antic or gothic works and St Joan of Arc church.
Dieppe is located between limestone cliffs with an important port dating back to the time of the Vikings. It’s also a pleasant seaside resort with the best street market in northern France, including the sales of the fish straight from the boats. The most popular attraction is the medieval castle which is home to the the Chateau Musuem with a variety of permanent exhibitions. It is a ideal destination for families with many sport activities in the local area as well Cite de la Mer-sea museum.
Of all the towns along the Alabaster Coast (Cote d’Albatre) Etretat shines brightest with its famous chalk cliffs including natural arch. Its breathtaking landscape attracted many artists including Monet, Boudin and Courber. There isn’t even a port of any kind: the seafront consists of a sweeping unbroken curve of concrete above a shingle beach.
Le Treport is a fishing harbour with lovely beach and some of the highest white cliffs in France. It is a very lively place with a festive air. The chief buildings are the church of St Jacques (16th century), which has finely carved vaulting and good modern stained glass, and the casino erected 1896-1897.
Since July 2005, Le Havre has been classified as a World Heritage Site. It’s the second port of France with an arts centre, a fine arts gallery, a museum covering the town’s history, maritime museum and the 2 km-long beach, Baie de Seine and the magnificent viewpoints. Le Havre is naturally separated into a low and a high part by a cliff.
Activities
Seine-Maritime organises plenty of festivals all over the year for example: “An air of kiting”-Dieppe international kiting festival, “Arts in Le Havre”- contemporary art, The Normandy Musical festival, “The 2008 Armada”, “Estivoiles”-sea festival, “La Goguette”-orchestra concert and “Z’estivals”- street events and theatre arts.
For those who looking to visit there is a Normandy natural Regional Park with the Boucles de la Seine, Marcel Duchamp Centre, Museum of Natural History, Victor Hugo Museum and Ceramics Museum and much more.
The most popular activities in the area are: cycling, swimming, canoeing, kayaking, jet skiing, water skiing, diving, sailing, hiking and horse riding.
This department also benefits from 7 golf courses, 9 casinos and numerous theme parks.
Gastronomy
Normandy’s cuisine relies on two primary sources: fresh sea food and countryside products like rich creams and cheeses.
The most popular cheeses are Camembert, Neufchatel, Pont l’elevage and Liverot. Nor forgetting Petit-Suisse- fresh cheese eaten as a dessert.
There is also a large variety of apples which are the main ingredient for local cider, produce in this area since the early Middle ages.
The meat is usually associated with the tows, for example: Dieppe sole and marmite or Rouen duck.
Useful information
Normandy Regional Tourism Board:
www.normandy-tourism.org
Maps of Normandy:
www.ign.fr
www.maps.google.fr
Travel from the UK
By ferry: Ferries go to Cherbourg from Portsmouth or Poole, to Caen from Portsmouth and to Dieppe from Newhaven.
By air: Easyjet flies from Belfast, Liverpool Newcastle and London Luton to Paris. Ryanair flies from Shannon, Dublin and Glasgow to Paris.
Our team of sale advisers at Sextant Properties will be happy to help you to find a property in Seine Maritime. We have a large network of estate agents in the Seine Maritime. All of them are registered French estate agents and speak both French and English. Whatever kind of property you are looking for: farmhouse, longere, barn, gite, B&B, country house, mill, castle or chateau, we will do our best to find a property in Seine Maritime matching your requirements. To find out more about our properties for sale in Seine Maritime do not hesitate to contact us.