RAID BLEU NORMANDIE - THE LOCATION
From Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue to the D-Day beaches
Dominated by the two Vauban towers of La Hougue and Tatihou, the Saint-Vaast inlet has for a long time been one of the safest natural harbours on the Cherbourg Peninsula. It was here that the Battle of la Hougue took place in 1692 against a flotilla of British and Dutch boats, which were trying to come ashore on the Peninsula. It was also here that William the Conqueror prepared the Norman Conquest of Britain in 1066. For a long time, Saint-Vaast has beyond question had the utmost strategic importance. The two Vauban towers at la Hougue and Tatihou mean that today it is one of the symbolic places associated with Vauban, leading to its nomination by UNESCO as a world heritage site.
Further south, Omaha Beach and Utah Beach attract each year tens of thousands of visitors to this area, which is steeped in history.
Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue is not the only historical site. Just a short distance from the harbour, the Island of Tatihou, which belongs to the French Coastal Management Agency (Conservatoire du Littoral), welcomes schoolkids on sea trips, as well as those, who love genuine sites, where nature has been protected.
To conclude, Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue is a site that is in perfect harmony with the guiding ideas of the Raid Bleu Normandie; an exceptional historic heritage, a natural cohabitation between those for whom the sea is their workplace and those, who work ashore. It also offers a taste of authenticity and the gentle life, associated with this tip of the Cherbourg Peninsula.
Just a few kilometres away, you find yourself on the edge of the Cotentin and Bessin Regional Park. Its marshland is home to what is truly an exceptional range of plant and animal life in Europe.
Getting there
From Caen, follow indications towards Cherbourg (N13), and exit at Montebourg and follow Quettehou, and then Saint Vaast la
Hougue.
Some useful links :
- Saint-Vaast / Reville Tourist Office