VEULES-LES-ROSES

Between the white cliffs of the Côte d’Albâtre and the bucolic landscapes of the Pays de Caux, discover a village that combines coast and country,

- Karen Tait

I’ve wanted to visit Plus Beau Village Veules-les-Roses for ages but we always seemed to pass close by with no time to stop. So on our last trip to Normandy in August, I made sure we made a detour to this unique place which combines a quaint country village and a seaside resort. Located between Dieppe and Fécamp, it’s one of the oldest villages within the Pays de Caux, on the Côte d’Albâtre with its spectacular chalk cliffs.

With its architecture ranging from chocolate-box thatched cottages to elegant turn-ofthe-century seaside villas and fishermen’s houses, Veules-les Roses has an unspoiled charm. It also has France’s shortest fleuve (sea-bound river) at just over a kilometer long, running through the village.

Cress to impress

I started my walk at the Parking des Sources, where you can take a little path to the source of La Veules. Here you’ll also find the cressonnières or watercress beds, created using water from the river. These date from the 14th century and harvesting is still done by hand. Pick up some of the spicy leaves to make a beautiful soupe de cresson. If you visit in April, you might catch the watercress festival.

The village has a packed year-round calendar of events with art exhibitions, summer night markets, a rose festival, Christmas market and plenty of other activities.