Manche

Overview

Key facts

• Type of place: department.

• Location: It is the large peninsula jutting into the English Channel in northwestern France.

• Department code: 50.

• Bordering departments: Calvados, Ille-et-Vilaine, Mayenne, Orne.

• Prefecture: Saint-Lô.

• Sub-prefectures: Avranches, Cherbourg-en-Cotentin, Coutances.

• Number of communes: 477.

• Population: 496,883 inhabitants (2017).

• Area: 5,938 km².

• Density: 84 inhabitants/km².

• Highest point: Gathemo (367 m).

• Lowest point: sea level.

• Coastline: 350 km.

• Highlights (out of ★★★★): Nature ★★; Culture ★★; Relaxation-holidays ★★

• Website: http://www.manchetourisme.com

History of Manche

Geography and environment

Culture and economy

What to see in Manche

• What to see in Normandy and Manche

Manche is home to one of France’s most visited sites, the Mont Saint-Michel and its bay. While this can sometimes overshadow the department’s other attractions, it still offers a range of seaside resorts (including the Côte des Havres), several medieval abbeys, and, in places, beautiful coastal or bocage landscapes.

What to do in Manche

Climate and weather

Manche has an oceanic climate. Winters are mild, and summers are cool, making it one of the French departments with the lowest summer temperatures. It is also a region where rain is very common, especially inland, often in the form of drizzle. The wind blows regularly along the coast (sometimes as storms), contributing, along with the tides, to rapid weather changes within a single day.

Sea temperature throughout the year

Transport

Getting there

Getting around

Accommodation

Food

Further reading