St Vaast-La-Hougue

A town full of surprises, Saint Vaast la Hougue in Normandy, north-west France is certainly worth a visit. A small fishing village, this lovely old-world town with its pretty port has plenty of history, starting with its two UNESCO World Heritage fortified buildings - Fort la Hougue and Tatihou. Tatihou is a small island, so you’ll need to book the ferry to see it. In the town, you’ll find old-world charm in the celebrated Maison Gosselin, a characteristic family-owned store since 1889. Stocking everything you could possibly want, they’ll weigh before you pay, a delightful way to shop. If you want to eat out though, there are a number of restaurants including traditional creperies and places to taste the local oysters, freshly farmed. As a port town, it’s no wonder they have a Festival of The Sea where the town’s boats are decked with paper flowers. Unfortunately, this is only once every 10 years! For a day out, it’s a short drive to World War II beach – Utah, where you’ll also find a museum.