Goury Port (Port de Goury)
About Goury Port (Port de Goury)
Goury Port sits at the northernmost tip of the Cotentin Peninsula, where locals say "the land stops and the sea begins." This small fishing port was built in 1843 to shelter boats from the Raz Blanchard (Alderney Race), one of Europe's strongest tidal currents with speeds reaching 12 knots. The 90-meter protective jetty offers dramatic views of the offshore Phare de Goury lighthouse, constructed 1834-1837 on a rock barely 10 meters wide. France's oldest lifeboat rescue station (SNSM) has operated here since 1870, with its distinctive octagonal building featuring a rotating launch platform. The port maintains 40 moorings and remains an active fishing harbor. Visitors can walk the jetty, observe the powerful currents, and explore the coastal GR 223 trail that connects to nearby Nez de Jobourg cliffs and Port Racine. During autumn and winter, the site attracts storm-watchers who come to see waves crash against the lighthouse.
Interesting Facts
In 1823 alone, 27 ships wrecked in these waters, including the American packet ship 'Paris' from New York. This catastrophic year prompted the French government to fund the lighthouse construction and establish the rescue station.
The Phare de Goury was the first French lighthouse built on such a tiny offshore rock—just 10 meters in diameter. Engineer Charles-Félix Morice de la Rue designed an innovative side-mounted staircase to fit within the narrow structure, and remarkably, no workers died during the dangerous three-year construction.
The SNSM rescue station's octagonal building features a unique rotating platform that allows the lifeboat to launch in two different directions depending on wind and sea conditions—a clever engineering solution for the unpredictable Raz Blanchard currents.
The Raz Blanchard is being studied as a potential site for tidal energy turbines. Its currents are so powerful and consistent that engineers believe it could generate significant renewable electricity, turning this historically dangerous passage into a clean energy source.
Planning Your Visit
Opening Hours
Location & Practical Info
Address
4 rue du Port, 50440 La Hague (Auderville), France
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