Pointe du Roc (Roc Point)

Pointe du Roc is a rocky promontory extending into the English Channel at the northern edge of Granville, historically known as Cap Lihou. This schist spur rises 40 meters above sea level, stretching approximately 1,200 meters long and 100-200 meters wide, with Granville's Upper Town (Haute Ville) built along its spine. The English fortified this point in 1439 during the Hundred Years' War to isolate Mont Saint-Michel, digging a 7-meter trench that temporarily made it an island. Today visitors can walk the scenic coastal path around the entire promontory, passing the 1828 Granville Lighthouse (Phare de Granville) with its distinctive red top and grey granite tower, as well as 12 surviving WWII German bunkers from the Atlantic Wall fortifications. On clear days, the panoramic views extend to Jersey, the Chausey Archipelago, and distant Mont Saint-Michel. The site is freely accessible 24 hours a day and makes an excellent starting point for exploring the medieval ramparts and narrow streets of the Upper Town.