Sea and coast

The sea, a vehicle for innovation in research and education/training. From Le Tréport to the Mont Saint-Michel, via the D-Day Landing Beaches, breathtaking landscapes along its 640km of coastline. A maritime economy generating around 50,000 jobs. A vast range of activities: fishing, aquaculture, agrifood, naval construction, water sports, port activities, tourism, residential economy, marine renewable energy, etc. Prestigious seafront resorts: Deauville-Trouville, Cabourg, Granville, Étretat… Le Havre: France's leading container port. Rouen Armada.

Coast

From north to south, a diversity of remarkable landscapes: – The Côte d’Albâtre (Alabaster coast), a daunting wall of chalk from Le Tréport to Le Havre. – The Côte Fleurie (Flowery coast), fine sandy beaches from Honfleur to Cabourg. – The Côte de Nacre (Mother of pearl coast) and the Bessin coast, theatres of the D-Day Landings. – The wild Cotentin cliffs, including Joburg, looming 128 metres above sea level. – Then a 100km-long ribbon of sand as far as the Mont Saint-Michel, the marvel of the Western world, the bay of which is home to ultra fast-rising tides. – Not forgetting the Channel Islands: Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, Chausey, etc.

Commercial ports

On the shores of the world’s busiest seaway, Normandy is France’s maritime gateway: – France’s leading port complex including the major maritime ports of Le Havre (66Mt) and Rouen (21Mt), linked with Paris via HAROPA. – Caen-Ouistreham and Cherbourg (Ports Normands Associés – Associated Normandy Ports): 5Mt. – Dieppe, Fécamp, Le Tréport, Honfleur and Granville complete Normandy’s port network. – Among France’s 12 leading ports, 4 are in Normandy.

Port of Le Havre

The port of Le Havre is France’s leading maritime gateway. 66 million tonnes of traffic in 2016. Over 6,000 ship to port per year (40% of which are container tankers). Ships of all sizes and all draughts are welcomed in all tidal conditions. Maritime links with 500 ports across the globe. 1,000 establishments, 32,000 direct jobs.

Cross Channel links

Normandy: connecting France, Great Britain and Ireland: – Dieppe – Newhaven / Brittany Ferries (4h): 397,000 passenger and 49,000 lorries (2016). – Le Havre – Portsmouth / Brittany Ferries (3h45): 160,000 passengers and 35,000 lorries (2016). – Caen-Ouistreham – Portsmouth / Brittany Ferries (6h): 977,000 passengers and 102,000 lorries (2016). – Cherbourg: Poole & Portsmouth (Brittany Ferries) for the United Kingdom, and Rosslare (Irish Ferries and Stena line) for Ireland: 620,000 passengers and 51,000 lorries (2016).

Marinas

Normandy’s 640km coastline offers a range of options for pleasure boating enthusiasts: – 3,492 berths in Seine-Maritime: Le Tréport, Dieppe, St-Valéry-en-Caux, Fécamp and Le Havre. – 4,659 berths in Calvados: Honfleur, Deauville, Dives-sur-Mer, Ouistreham, Caen, Courseulles-sur-Mer and Grandcamp-Maisy. – 4,659 berths in Manche: Carentan, St-Vaast-la-Hougue, Cherbourg, Treauville, Barneville-Carteret and Granville. I.e. a total capacity of 11,426 berths (13,825 anchorage zones included).

Seaside resorts

Normandy is the cradle of the historic sea-bathing vogue, starting with the baths in Dieppe, inaugurated as early as 1812. The creation of Deauville under the Second French Empire, the first ever paid leave in 1936… Normandy’s beaches tell us the tale of two centuries of history. Prestigious villas, horse racing, casinos, polo, festivals, etc. The exceptional charm of Honfleur, Etretat, Granville, Cabourg and so many other destinations. Countless beaches, 12 of which are certified ‘Famille Plus’ (family-friendly).

Fishing and aquaculture

France’s 2nd ranking sea fishing region: 328 boats and 2,208 seamen, 61,000 tonnes of seafood unloaded (app. €150M) France’s 1st ranking shellfish fishing region: 1st for oysters, 2nd for mussels, 1st region for other shellfish: 15,000 tonnes of scallops, 8,000 tonnes of whelks, 4,100 tonnes of wild mussels, etc. 1st ranking region for salmon breeding. A total of 24,000 direct and indirect jobs in fishing and aquaculture.

Marine Renewable Energy

An environment propitious to MRE development. Offering natural advantages: 640km of coastline swept with strong winds, regular and subject to the Raz Blanchard current (leading worldwide potential estimated at 5 GW). Port infrastructures (Cherbourg, €100M investment, and Le Havre for industrial transport and logistics). A top quality electric network. Projects: 3 of France’s 6 wind turbine farm projects and a pilot water turbine farm project.

Naval construction

Normandy is a reference region in nautical and naval construction, essentially in Cherbourg, Caen and Dieppe. Regional companies boast traditional and technical skills in the construction of boat frames, warships, pleasure yachts and racing boats, old rigs, etc. In Cherbourg, Naval Group (formerly DCNS, development and construction of nuclear submarines, 2,200 salaried employees) and CMN (military ships and yachts, 330 salaried employees). Norlanda in Caen, France’s first nautical enterprise zone.