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St Germain sur Ay is a small French village situated on the west coast of the area of France known as the Cotentin peninsula and is just 4 kilometres from a fine white sandy beach. Situated next to the salt marshes, with a wealth of flora and fauna St Germain sur Ay comprises of a village (bourg) and beach resort (plage). Some pictures of St Germain sur Ay |
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Some other local beaches |
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| Lying midway between Barneville-Carteret and Coutances on the 'route touristique' St Germain sur Ay is virtually opposite Jersey and enjoys a similar climate. Ferries to Jersey run from both Portbail and Carteret in season. There are a number of local markets within the area:- St Germain sur Ay : Thursday and Sunday morning in season; Lessay : Tuesday morning; Portbail : Tuesday morning; and La Haye du Puits : on Wednesday morning throughout the year. |
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Pictures of some of our local markets |
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The area immediately around St Germain is known as Le Havre de St German sur Ay and is one of largest and reputedly one of most beautiful areas of the west coast of Cotentin. Being marsh land it has not been altered by buildings and is still used for sheep grazing. Its entrance from the sea is guarded by an old lookout post (the Corps de Garde) on a little rocky headland, which is now a chapel, (see pictures). Several times a year the marshes are flooded at high tide. La Haye du Puits (8 kms) was considerably damaged during the last world war; but it has been rebuilt as a lively, bustling little market town. The façades of the shops in the main square are painted in pastel colours. Lessay (7 kms) with its wonderful Abbey church dating from the time of William the Conqueror, comes alive with a start on the second weekend in September every year, when the population of 2,000 is swollen to over 400,000 by visitors to the annual Holy Cross Fair. The Champ de Foire at Lessay, for those three days, becomes the biggest shop in Europe with over 1500 stalls on the 32 acre site. During July and August there are a series of musical concerts and organ recitals in the Abbey. Other items of interest gallery:
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