Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue Anchorage

Drop the hook off this charming fishing and sailing village on the northeast tip of the Cotentin Peninsula, where you're well-placed to explore the fortified La Hougue peninsula on foot — a loop with serious coastal views and a good slice of Norman history. The Hougue tower, open since 2008, is worth the walk, and the village itself has that unhurried, salt-weathered feel that the Val de Saire does well.