The Cotentin offers you a unique spectacle during high tides
Côtes des Isles
The phenomenon of tides in Cotentin
Every day the sea rises and falls twice, this is called the tide. The amplitude of the tides can surprise visitors who live far from the sea or come from southern regions where the phenomenon is much less marked.
The Cotentin is renowned for its spring tides, a spectacular natural phenomenon that occurs due to the gravitational pull of the Moon and Sun on Earth. Spring tides, also known as high coefficient tides, occur approximately every 15 days, at the times of the full moon and new moon. They are remarkable for their significant amplitudes, with a coefficient greater than 100. This phenomenon creates an impressive spectacle along the Côte des Havres.
High tides have an impact on daily life and the economy of Cotentin. They influence fishing, oyster farming, tourism and other maritime activities. Local fishermen and oyster farmers adapt their schedules according to the tides.
More information
understand the tides
Here is our selection of the best observation spots during high tides in Cotentin!
Many visitors and tourists come to Cotentin to observe the phenomenon of high tides. Good viewing locations include beaches, headlands, and harbors, where you can see the water level rise and fall quickly.
Le Havre de Barneville-Carteret
Located in the heart of the town of Barneville-Carteret, it is the largest of the two havens of the Côtes des Isles.
Sheltered from the west wind by the cliff of Cape Carteret, it is bordered to the northwest by the town of Carteret, to the northeast by the town of Barneville. It is through its estuary that boats leave the port and reach the sea and sail towards the Channel Islands.
Classified as a protected natural area, it offers an enchanting and different spectacle to the rhythm of the tides and the seasons. Migratory birds stop there to the delight of ornithology enthusiasts.
With each rising tide, the sea makes its way into the land where it mixes with the fresh water of two coastal rivers: La Gerfleur and Le Fleuve. The Gerfleur estuary borders a small hamlet, the village of Tôt, made famous by Mère Denis who had her washhouse there.
The Havre of Port-Bail-sur-Mer
This little haven is a well-known landscape in the Cotentin: crossed on both sides by the 13th arch bridge, at the foot of the Notre-Dame Church, it is separated in two from North to South.
During high tides, the water exceeds the height of the pillars to reach the parapet of the bridge. It is the ideal place to observe, under the bridge, the strength of the current and its reversal: “the reversal”.
With each rising tide, the sea makes its way into the land where it mixes with the fresh water of the rivers.
The harbor thus allows the development of exceptional fauna and flora.
At the bottom of the Port-Bail estuary, on the road from Omonville to Varreville, there is a floodgate. The purpose of this installation is to prevent marine waters from penetrating the land and destroying crops due to the presence of salt in these waters. It closes automatically under the action of the rising tide and opens with the falling tide.
Saint-Vaast-la-hougue
Shared between fishing and pleasure, the third port of the Channel, at the quayside, the landings offer a wide variety of fish, shellfish and crustaceans which will delight gourmets.
Firmly moored to the pontoons, the vaquelottes, schooners, bisquines and boatmen of Barfleur begin the song of the rigging as soon as the wind picks up a little.
The oyster beds as far as the eye can see, visible at low tide, also bear witness to the intense oyster farming activity of Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue, resolutely a sailor's village, a village of seafarers.
Collignon beach
Collignon beach is the ideal place to admire the high tides with a high coefficient. On this occasion, the water level rises spectacularly, completely covering the emblematic dike of Collignon. This phenomenon offers an impressive spectacle, where the power of the sea is revealed before your eyes. At low tide, the foreshore extends for several kilometers, perfect for fishing on foot and walks by the sea.
Collignon Beach is the unmissable meeting place for fans of kitesurfing, sailing, sand yachting, sea kayaking and swimming. Supervised from July 1st to August 31st, from 11am to 19pm, it guarantees safety and fun for the whole family.
It is important to take precautions when observing tides, particularly if venturing onto sand or open tidal areas, as currents can be strong and tides rise quickly.
Following local safety guidelines is essential to safely enjoying this natural phenomenon.
Dates and times of spring tides 2025
Plan your getaway during the high tides: here are the key dates for 2025 with a coefficient of more than 100.
february
- Friday 28 – coefficient 104
Mar
- Monday 31 – coefficient 114 / 111
April
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