Pointe de la Hague - Phare de Goury

Facing the Raz Blanchard, one of the most powerful sea currents on the planet!

La Hague lighthouse, or Goury lighthouse, rises 800 meters off the cape of La Hague (Manche), on the rock known as "the Gros du Raz". It indicates the Raz Blanchard, one of the strongest tidal currents in Europe, between the cape of La Hague and the island of Alderney, as well as the northern entrance of the passage de la Déroute leading to the east coast. from the island of Jersey. fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phare_de_La_Hague
The current speed can be around 12 knots (22 km / h) during high equinox tides. fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raz_Blanchard This is the result of a narrow passage between the English Channel to the north and the so-called Saint-Malo gulf to the south, on shallow waters of less than 50 meters: it there are only 8 nautical miles (15 km) from Pointe Quénard in Alderney to Cap de la Hague; on the other hand, the differences in the time and height of high seas between places quite close together create a slope of the water which is responsible for the flow speed. Thus the high tide is higher and earlier at Carteret than at Cap de la Hague (on average 2 meters and 40 min offset over a distance of 22 nautical miles, or 41 km) and than at Cherbourg (high tide 1 / 2 hours later than at La Hague and 2 m lower, over 14 miles, or 26 km).

The lighthouse of La Hague on the rocky outcrop of Gros-du-Raz marks the Cap de la Hague