Barfleur

Barfleur is a commune and fishing village in Manche, Normandy, northwestern France.

History
During the Middle Ages, Barfleur was one of the chief ports of embarkation for England.


 * 1066: A large medallion fixed to a rock in the harbour marks the Normans' departure from Barfleur before the battle of Hastings.
 * 1120: The White Ship, carrying the sole legitimate heir to Henry I of England, William Adelin, went down approximately a mile northeast of the harbour, setting the stage for the period of civil war in England known as the Anarchy.
 * 1194: Richard I of England departed from Barfleur on return to England following his captivity by Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor.
 * 1692: Action at Barfleur, part of the battles of Barfleur and La Hougue
 * 1944: Barfleur was occupied by the Germans during WWII. As allied forces approached following the D-Day invasion, the German commander evacuated the city prior to any confrontation to ensure that it would not be damaged, as he liked the city so much.

Geography
About 2 mi to the north is Cape Barfleur, with a lighthouse 233 ft high. It is twinned with Lyme Regis in the UK. A Brittany Ferries vessel is named after the village and operates from nearby Cherbourg-Octeville to Poole in the UK.

Barfleur is very close to being the exact antipode of New Zealand's Antipodes Islands.