Granville old town

Granville is a port town on the west coast of the Cotentin Peninsula in the Manche department of Normandy, France, known as the Monaco of the North for its fortified upper town (Haute Ville) perched dramatically on a granite headland above the sea. The Haute Ville is enclosed by 18th-century ramparts and overlooks the low town, the tidal harbour, and on clear days the Channel Islands — Jersey is visible approximately 50 km to the northwest. The old town's granite streets, churches, and merchants' houses within the walls retain much of their 18th- and 19th-century character. The Musée d'Art et d'Histoire de Granville, inside the old town walls, covers the port's history as a cod-fishing and corsair (privateer) centre from the 17th century. The Musée Christian Dior occupies the Villa Les Rhumbs, childhood home of the fashion designer who grew up in Granville; its clifftop garden is one of the most romantic settings in coastal Normandy. The Grand Large beach at the foot of the headland is a broad sandy arc sheltered from the north wind, popular in summer. Granville's covered fish market is excellent on weekend mornings when the local fleet brings in catches from the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel. The town is also the ferry departure point for the Îles Chausey, the only French Atlantic island archipelago; day trips to Grande Île Chausey are possible on seasonal ferries. Mont-Saint-Michel is 45 km south by road, making Granville a natural addition to any bay itinerary.