Julien Viaud was born 14th January 1850. He married Blanche Franc de Ferrière in 1887 with whom he had a son, Samuel born in 1889. He would have another son, Raymond born in 1895 to Crucita Gainza, a beautiful basque woman.

Captain in the Marine and writer, his name was given to him by the Queen Pomaré during his voyage to Tahiti ; Loti is translated by ‘flower of the Pacific’.
An intimate friend of Major Van Dongen, Pierre Loti met Camille de Saint-Phale in the 1880’s.
Mad on travelling and adventure, Loti embarked Camille for China in 1889. This journey would mark Camille forever. Pierre Loti had her discover Peking of course and the ‘forbidden city’, but above all brought Camille to the heart of China, to the heart of Sichouan. It was there that she converted to Buddhism. Loti, her flower of the pacific was the friend of her diary, together they dreamed….

The suite with its balcony gives onto the village, the sea and the cliffs of Etretat, pearl of the Normandy coast. The room with its little living room is equipped with a balneotherapy bath in the tower of the room

Maximilien was born in Strasbourg 13th July 1858 to Friedrich De Neuhof and Valentine Ketel. . Marguerite was born in Paris 9th April 1870 to Désiré Freyssin and Léontine Monschau. She married Maximilien De Neuhof in 1887 to whom she bore two children : Emilien born in 1890 and Sophie born in 1897.

Their friends
Marie Curie, Jules Verne, Victor Horta, the baron Haussmann, Richard Wagner, the Offenback and Anna de Noailles. The son of De Neuhof, Emilien met the doctor François at Jules Verne’s house; both were impassioned with science. Emilien was to introduce the doctor into his family circle whilst hoping thus to renew contact with his too distant father. The alchemy worked and the De Neuhofs befriended the doctor. The latter proposed to them to take a holiday there and rent a flat in the Villa Saint-Clair at Etretat near theMajor and Camille. The little band were thus better able to meet and exchange their craziest ideas.

The suite gives onto the steps of the villa and is equipped with a jet shower spray and a balneotherapy bath and atmospheric music in the room. The size of the room is pleasant and the French window opens onto the balcony.

Born in Versailles 2nd November 1829 to Arthur Desforges and Josephine Menestrier, she married the Marquis of Saint-Phale.
Mistress of the duke of Morny to whom she bore a son, Albert born in 1853 who died on the battlefield and is buried in the cemetery Père-Lachaise in 1871.

Her friends
Sarah Bernhardt, Eugénie de Montijo, Guy de Maupassant, Claude Monet, Pierre Loti the Toulouse-Lautrec family, the Nadars, the Braques, the Dufy’s and the painters : Matisse, Picasso, Modigliani, Pissarro…

Camille de Saint-Phale left Paris after the death of her son and fled towards London where she would remain at the side of the ex-empress Eugénie during many years. In 1883 she found herself once more in France, at Etretat and her friend Guy de Maupassant. An intense friendship followed but Guy fell ill. In 1889 Camille bought the villa Saint Clair in order to be nearer to him and invited the major Van Dongen to her side. Then friends and acquaintances settled in the Villa. In 1906 the major acquired the neighbouring property, the Dungeon, it was the birth of the Domaine Saint Clair.

The Camille Suite gives onto the village, the sea and the cliffs of Etretat. From its balcony, you have a full view of the valley, of the Normandy countryside, of the slated roofs of this real old Normandy. It’s a true experience. The bathroom has a balneotherapy bath and a jet shower spray. Camille wishes you a good stay…