Belle-Ile, a small island off the southern shore of Brittany, was known for its dramatic cliffs, rock formations, and grottoes. As he often did, Claude Monet misjudged the time he would need to explore and capture the beauty of the place, which he variously called "lugubrious," "terrifying," and "very beautiful." He came for two weeks and stayed for more than two months. This canvas is one of a group depicting the frieze of rock formations known as Port-Goulphar.