The chalk cliffs begin very close to here. East of Newhaven, the Sussex coast rises in white walls that culminate at the Seven Sisters, those seven waves of chalk that have become one of the most recognizable landscapes in England. The small port, for its part, nestles at the mouth of the River Ouse, facing the English Channel. Accustomed to the ferries linking England to Dieppe, it also welcomes modest-sized cruise ships at its deep-water berth, reserved for hulls of no more than 120 metres. The port call has the charm of working harbours: unpretentious, but rich in starting points.

A maritime town between river and Channel

Newhaven has lived off its harbour ever since the River Ouse found its outlet to the sea here. The centre, clustered around its high street, can be explored in little time: local shops, pubs and brick houses typical of Sussex. On the western heights, a 19th-century fort dug into the cliff once guarded the harbour entrance against a French invasion that never came; its galleries carved into the cliff and its gun platforms overlook the breakwater and the beach, and on clear days the view extends to the neighbouring headlands. Newhaven Town station, a few minutes' walk from the quays, puts Lewes and Brighton a short train ride away, a valuable asset for improvising your day. For more than a century, the ferries to Dieppe have also maintained a direct link between this corner of Sussex and Normandy.

The Seven Sisters and the national park landscapes

The main reason to go ashore lies in the South Downs National Park, which surrounds the port on all sides. A short distance away, the Cuckmere Valley unrolls its meanders to a shingle beach framed by the Seven Sisters cliffs. Grassy trails follow the chalk ridges, offering ever-changing views of the Channel and the hills; the classic entry point to the site is at Exceat, where the valley opens out. It is an accessible and unforgettable walk, provided you bring a windbreaker and good shoes: the sea wind blows unobstructed over these bare summits.

Lewes, the medieval, and Brighton, the extravagant

Two excursions naturally complete the day. To the north, the county town of Lewes clusters its steep lanes around a Norman castle whose keep offers a plunging view over the Ouse Valley; antique dealers and half-timbered houses maintain its old-England atmosphere. To the west, about twenty kilometres away, Brighton offers absolute contrast: the Royal Pavilion and its Indian-inspired domes, the Victorian pier and the Lanes packed with shops. The train serves both towns, letting you improvise without depending on a motorcoach.

Three ways to experience the port call

1. Nature: the Cuckmere trails and the Seven Sisters cliffs for a day in the great outdoors.
2. History: the Victorian fort and then Lewes Castle, between 19th-century casemates and Norman stones.
3. City: Brighton, its whimsical royal palace and its lively seafront.

Chalk, sea and light

On the way back, from the ship's deck, the coast stretches out in the evening light: the breakwater, the lighthouse at the end of the pier, then the first cliffs gleaming white toward the east. The small port does not try to compete with the major ports of call; rather, it offers a back door into the Sussex of hiking maps and old villages. Those who love England for its landscapes more than its monuments will find a day made for them here, and leave with their eyes full of white cliffs, and sometimes a flint pebble at the bottom of a pocket as a souvenir.