In 1870, Millet and his family fled the village of Barbizon, near Paris, under threat of invasion during the Franco Prussian War. They sought refuge for more than a year in Normandy, near the tiny hamlet of Gruchy where he was raised. Millet produced several landscapes during this time, including this painting depicting an outcropping of rock at the end of the path that leads from Gruchy to the cliffs above the ocean. The rugged coastline was regularly subjected to harsh winds and violent storms. This vision, however, reveals a serene and contemplative view of the place that he knew so well during a time of war and political upheaval.

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