From Cherbourg to Mont Saint-Michel, between land and sea, the Channel offers a succession of surprising landscapes.
Explore its 360 km of coastline alternating beaches, harbors and cliffs, punctuated by charming fishing villages where gourmets will find their happiness !
Escape to the Mortainais, land of legends and hikes.
Walk in the footsteps of the "Miquelots", pilgrims of Saint-Michel, on the way to the Wonder of the Occident or those of the soldiers landed on our beaches in 1944.
Finally, vibrate to the rhythm of our major events: festivals, cultural events or sports will make your stay an unforgettable moment !
Local specialties
Land and sea feed the Channel from an almost infinite range of good products to share. Like any self-respecting Norman territory, there is of course butter, cream, camembert and apple. But the Channel also promises high-end shellfish, crustaceans and fish. The lobster has acquired a very good reputation. The oyster and mussel deposits on our coasts are among the most famous.
A breeding ground, the Channel also knows how to propose meats with fine and yet racy flavors, especially the pre-salted lamb for which an AOC has been created.
Finally the fruits and vegetables are varied in all kinds: like for example the carrots of Créances! And do not forget a mountain of sweet delights such as caramels or milk jam !
Good tasting !
Major events and venues
La Manche is also the sharing of appointments and popular events dedicated to music, arts, heritage, the land, the sea, sports :
Granville Carnival from 24 to 28 February 2017 - Granville, Jazz Festival under the apple trees from 20 to 27 May 2017 - Coutances
Festival Papillons from 2 to 4 June 2017 - Saint-Laurent-de-Cuves, The festivities of D-Day around June 6 - Bay of Cotentin
The Barjo on June 17th and 18th 2017 - La Hague, Festival The Art'Zimutes June 23rd and 24th 2017 - Cherbourg
Festival Bathing out from 6 to 9 July 2017 - Granville, Tour of the Channel Ports from 9 to 14 July 2017 - Ports de la Manche
Festival Heat in the darkness July 13-16, 2017 - Montmartin-sur-Mer, The Night of the Welders August 5 and 6, 2017 - Granville
Festival Jazz en Baie from 2 to 13 August 2017 - Baie Mont Saint-Michel, Normandy Horse Show from 4 to 15 August 2017 - Saint-Lô
Festival Sails of Work from 23 to 27 August 2017 - Granville, Festival Traversées de Tatihou 14 to 26 August 2017 - Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue
All the sea on a plateau September 30th and October 1st 2017 - Granville, Festival Eat your soup from October 10th to 22nd 2017 - Carentan
Sonic Rendezvous - November 2017
UNCONTOURABLE PLACES OF VISIT :
Mont Saint-Michel and its bay are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The Mont Saint-Michel has recovered its maritime character and becomes an island once the great tides, which are the largest in Europe!
Cherbourg, Port of the Americas. Nestled in the world's largest artificial harbor, Cherbourg is intimately linked to the transatlantic epic of the early 20th century. This is witnessed by its former maritime station which now houses La Cité de la Mer.
The Pointe de la Hague. At the end of the world, this peninsula, nicknamed "Little Ireland" is a parenthesis of life. Its wild environment feeds on sprays, scents and intense light. To stay in the Hague is also to enjoy the hidden treasures of the charming hamlets and the sumptuous gardens!
Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue and Tatihou. At the northeastern tip of the Cotentin, there is a large garden with a view of the sea. It is from the charming village of Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue that one reaches by amphibious boat to the island of Tatihou. The majestic Vauban towers, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recall the tumultuous past.
Le clos du Cotentin : Inland also, the Channel has inherited charming corners! Valognes, Bricquebec, Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte ... Cities of art and history, these three cities shelter treasures of medieval architecture as well as mansions. It is also this region north of the Cotentin marshes that inspired the country's child: Jules Barbey d'Aurevilly.
The Regional Nature Park of the Cotentin and Bessin Marshes. This land full of water harbors an exceptional fauna and flora. Many birds nest there year round. The Espace des Ponts d'Ouve offers a discovery of this environment through an interpretation tour. River walks also allow a bucolic approach to the marshes.
Coutances and the Côte des havres. Coutances is the old historical capital, its cathedral is a real Gothic masterpiece. The town center is a place where it is good to stroll from shops to boutiques passing by the public garden, the square of the Bishopric ... On the "coast of harbors" the fishing villages have become popular seaside resorts. It is also here, between Saint-Martin-de-Brehal and Carteret, that snakes havres, small estuaries between land and sea!
Granville, perched on its rock is nicknamed Monaco of the north. It is an ideal setting where it is good to live. A few miles away, the Chausey Islands are revealed to the tides or the Channel Islands easily accessible from the ports of the English Channel.
Villedieu-les-Poêles, the city of copper. The city has a great tradition of brasserie which earned it the label "city and crafts". Its foundry of bells or its copper workshop perpetuate ancestral know-how.
The landing beaches. Utah Beach and its beach where the Americans disembarked on June 6, 1944, near Holy Mother Church known for its parachutist who remained hanging on the bell tower of the church ...
