Barfleur
Commune in Normandy, France
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Barfleur (French pronunciation: [baʁflœʁ]) 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.
Barfleur | |
|---|---|
Barfleur harbour | |
 Location of Barfleur | |
  Barfleur Location within France  Barfleur Location within Normandy | |
| Coordinates: 49°40′16″N 1°15′48″W | |
| Country | France |
| Region | Normandy |
| Department | Manche |
| Arrondissement | Cherbourg |
| Canton | Val-de-Saire |
| Intercommunality | CA Cotentin |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (2024–2026) | Christiane Tincelin[1] |
Area 1 | 0.6 km2 (0.23 sq mi) |
| Population (2023)[2] | 542 |
| • Density | 900/km2 (2,300/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 50030 /50760 |
| Elevation | 4 m (13 ft) |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
History
During the Middle Ages, Barfleur was one of the chief ports of embarkation for England.[3]
- 1066: A large medallion fixed to a rock in the harbour marks the Normans' departure from Barfleur before the battle of Hastings.
- 1120: The White Ship, carrying the sole legitimate heir to Henry I of England, William Adelin, went down approximately a mile northeast of the harbour,[4] setting the stage for the period of civil war in England known as the Anarchy.[3]
- 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.
Demographics
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | 837 | — |
| 1975 | 703 | −2.46% |
| 1982 | 619 | −1.80% |
| 1990 | 599 | −0.41% |
| 1999 | 642 | +0.77% |
| 2007 | 659 | +0.33% |
| 2012 | 641 | −0.55% |
| 2017 | 570 | −2.32% |
| 2023 | 542 | −0.84% |
| Source: INSEE[5] | ||
Geography
The commune is close to the northeastern tip of the Cotentin Peninsula. About two miles (3.2 km) to the north is Cape Barfleur, with a lighthouse 233 feet (71 m) high.[3] 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.
