Barfleur

Barfleur lies at the north-eastern tip of the Cotentin and holds the title of “most beautiful village in France” – which it has to share with a number of others. Today around 600 people live here, so life is quiet.

It was not always so

In 1066 Duke William of Normandy sailed from Barfleur towards England to conquer it – which he did, entering history as William the Conqueror. In 1120 the White Ship ran aground here with his grandchildren, the heirs to the throne, aboard; the children drowned. Richard the Lionheart was in Barfleur too: from here he set out for London and his coronation.

In those days around 9,000 people lived in Barfleur, most of them shipbuilders. At some point the English decided that Barfleur had to be destroyed; the town never regained its former size and importance.

Artists and writers

Later, artists and writers gathered in Barfleur. Paul Signac (1863–1935) lived here for three years and painted beautiful pictures. The house opposite the church where he lived now bears a commemorative plaque.

Barfleur is one of those villages that reveal their beauty only at second glance. It is the small things that make its charm: the granite façades, the narrow lanes down to the harbour, the fishing boats.

Église Saint-Nicolas

Another highlight is the church of Saint-Nicolas, right by the water. The present building dates from the 17th to the 19th century. The small cemetery beside it, looking out to sea, is one of the most atmospheric places on the peninsula.