Barfleur

Barfleur () is a commune and fishing village in Manche, Normandy, northwestern France. It is a member of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France (The Most Beautiful Villages of France) Association.

History

During the Middle Ages, Barfleur was one of the chief ports of embarkation for England.

1066: A large medallion fixed to a rock in the harbour marks the Normans' departure from Barfleur before the battle of Hastings.
1120: The , carrying the sole legitimate heir to Henry I of England, William Adelin, went down approximately a mile northeast of the harbour, setting the stage for the period of civil war in England known as the Anarchy.
1194: Richard I of England departed from Barfleur on return to England following his captivity by Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor.
1692: Action at Barfleur, part of the battles of Barfleur and La Hougue
1944: Barfleur was occupied by the Germans during WWII. As allied forces approached following the D-Day invasion, the German commander evacuated the city prior to any confrontation to ensure that it would not be damaged, as he liked the city so much.

The commune is close to the northeastern tip of the Cotentin Peninsula. About to the north is Cape Barfleur, with a lighthouse high. It is twinned with Lyme Regis in the UK. A Brittany Ferries vessel is named after the village and operates from nearby Cherbourg-Octeville to Poole in the UK.

Barfleur is very close to being the exact antipode of New Zealand's Antipodes Islands.