Lighthouses and tides, from Granville to Saint-Malo

In summer, many French people head for the coasts of Normandy and Brittany. Nothing like the blue Mediterranean of the south: the tides are huge, the fog rolls in without warning, and lighthouses watch over the channels.

The series follows this coast: the Le Loup lighthouse, alone in the sea mist, a lighthouse on the rocky shore of Granville, rocks battered by the waves. Off Granville, the Chausey Islands can only be reached by boat; there, a pyramid-shaped stone monument stands among the greenery and a house sits on the rocks. The series ends at Mont-Saint-Michel, beneath the Gothic arches and stained glass of the abbey, then in Saint-Malo.

The bay of Mont-Saint-Michel, between Normandy and Brittany, has one of the largest tidal ranges in Europe: at high tide, the Mont becomes an island again. These royalty-free photos suit stories about the sea, lighthouses or travel in France, and can be downloaded for free on Pexels.