Port-Marie Beach

The granite from Chausey Islands was quarried for over 800 years, from the 11th century until the 1940s. This stone was used to build Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey, reconstruct Saint-Malo after World War II, pave Paris sidewalks, and construct London port quays. At its peak in the 19th century, around 500 quarry workers lived on the islands, and ruins of their houses remain visible on 37 islets today.

The Chausey archipelago is the only breeding site in France for the red-breasted merganser (harle huppé), a diving duck species. The islands host 15% of France's oystercatcher population and over 200 bird species. Access to most islets is prohibited from January 1 to July 14 to protect nesting seabirds, with visits only allowed from July 15 to September 30.

French writer and diplomat Jean-François Deniau famously called Chausey 'the most beautiful anchorage in the world after Bora Bora.' The archipelago spreads over nearly 40 km² at low tide but shrinks to just 68 hectares at high tide. Fewer than 30 people live year-round on Grande Île, and 38 of the island's 44 hectares are privately owned – staying overnight is considered a rare privilege.