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Manche property guide

Manche is a French department in Normandy in north-western France meaning La Manche or the sleeve that is another name for the English Channel. It is about 5,938 sq km with a population of 481,471.

Latest properties in Manche: click here

You can have a look at our Town Property Guide in the Manche:
Avranches property guide
Carentan property guide
Coutances property guide
La Haye du Puits property guide
Periers property guide
St Lo property guide

Climate:
The climate is primary oceanic with mild winters not often reaching below zero and in the summer the temperature is about 25°C. Precipitation is significant varying from 700mm on the coast to 1300mm on the open field in the south.

On the west coast can be felt the Gulf Stream. There is sea breeze on the coast that along with the tides contributes to temperature changes during a single day.

Geography:
The northern part of the Manche is called Cotentin Peninsula or Cherbourg Peninsula. There are the Marshlands Nature Park and also the River Vire Valley. It is a low plateau with coastal plains in the east. On the South is positioned Mortainais area with the Bay of Mont Saint-Michel which is a tourist place. It is known for its Romanesque and Gothic beauty and the ancient monastery. There are some low hills in the south and a large bay on the west as well as fantastic beaches. A few miles on the west are positioned the islands of Jersey and Guernsey .

This part of France is mainly forest – 12.8% of the territory is wooden.

Near Cap de la Hague and Nez de Jobourg a lot of birdwatchers gather.

There are even some marshy landscapes like the Parc Regional des Marais du Cotentin et du Bassin.

Towns:
On the south is the capital of the Manche named Coutances. Coutances is a milestone on the way to Mont-St-Michel. There is the famous cathedral Notre Dame with beautiful public gardens. They look very beautiful when illuminated at night.

Avranches is close to Mont-St-Michel and they also have common history. Close to this is the Baie du Mont Saint Michel that has been nominated as a UNESCO Heritage Site. A lot of fishermen gather on the rivers La See and Selune.

Granville is known for its traditions in seafaring and piracy. This walled town was built in 1439 by the English in order to conquer the Mont-St-Michel.

The lower part of the town is a seaside resort with a lot of casinos, seafronts and gardens.

Valognes is a pretty town with diverse historical and cultural heritage. It is positioned in the middle of Cotentin Peninsula close to the port of Cherbourg and the D-Day landing beaches.

History:
On the summit of the peninsula is the port Cherbourg . The Englishmen occupied the port of Cherbourg from 1418 to 1450 at the end of the Hundred Years’ War. Peasants angry about the salt taxes against them initiated a revolt for liberation. In World War II the Cherbourg port was liberated by the Allies.

Cherbourg has been used by the Navy since the 19 th century. There are a lot of restaurants for the visitors on the Quai Caligny or the market square Place General de Gaulle.

A lot of shops are found on the streets like Tour-Carree and rue de la Paix.

This area is positioned near the sea around the La Manche on the north and west. This was a strategic place during the Second World War. Another massive breakwater construction, the Digue, was started under Louis XVI and finished under Napoleon I.  

Gastronomy:
In this town you will find the superb beverages like Calvados and Cider and the top quality Foie-Gras that is a local production. The place is also known for the famous rice pudding – La Teurgoule.

Useful information:

Normandy Regional Tourism Board:
www.normandy-tourism.org

Gites in Normandy
www.rent-gite-in-france.co.uk
www.cottages4you

Hotels in Normandy
www.hotelclub.com

Car rental
www.hertz.co.uk

Maps of Normandy:
www.ign.fr
www.maps.google.fr

Travel from the UK

By ferry: Ferries go to Cherbourg from Portsmouth or Poole, to Caen from Portsmouth and to Dieppe from Newhaven.
www.brittany-ferries.co.uk

By air: Easyjet flies from Belfast, Liverpool Newcastle and London Luton to Paris. Ryanair flies from Shannon, Dublin and Glasgow to Paris.
www.ryanair.com
www.easyjet.com
From there it is easiest to travel by train to Normandy.

Our team of sale advisers at Sextant Properties will be happy to help you to find a property in Manche . We have a large network of estate agents in the Manche. All of them are registered French estate agents and speak both French and English. Whatever kind of property you are looking for: farmhouse, longere, barn, gite, B&B, country house, mill, castle or chateau, we will do our best to find a property in Manche matching your requirements. To find out more about our properties for sale in Manche do not hesitate to contact us.

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