Spectacle Des Marees Sur La Plage De Jullouville Credit Otgtm Pauline Vidinic 36675 1920pxTidal show on Jullouville beach
©Tidal show on Jullouville beach|Pauline Vidinic
High tidesUnderstanding this spectacular natural phenomenon

Experience the high tides

Destination Granville Terre et Mer

An extraordinary phenomenon of nature, the tides always offer a relaxing spectacle. High tide, low tide, high tide, low tide… This to-and-fro is repeated eternally, every day, according to the cycles of the moon and sun. Still, it deserves a little explanation!

How do the tides work?

On Destination Granville Terre et Mer, you may have to walk a long way to get to the water’s edge… Then, about six hours later, the sea is at the very top of the beach. This to-and-fro is the tide. It’s the Moon that causes the tides, drawing the oceans towards it like a magnet. The Earth is constantly turning on itself, and the Moon revolves around the Earth. This creates more or less regular cycles, resulting in shifts in tide times every day. When the moon is over an ocean, it attracts it, creating a kind of “hump”. On either side of this hump, depressions are created: this is low tide. When the moon has passed over the ocean, the hump relaxes and spreads out over the shoreline: this is high tide.

What do we call

A big tide?

The influence of the Moon and Sun on the Earth

As we saw earlier, the Moon is the main actress in the great tidal spectacle. The Sun has the best supporting role! Tides are more or less strong according to the astral calendar. This translates into a coefficient that indicates whether the tidal range, i.e. the difference between the height of water at low and high tide, is greater or lesser. This is due to the Sun’s gravitational pull on the Earth, which is half that of the Moon. So, depending on the position of the two celestial objects, they can either add up their forces, or oppose them. When the Moon and Sun are in agreement, the tide is more powerful, and we’re in spring tide. When all the stars are perfectly aligned, it’s spring tide! On the other hand, when the Moon and Sun oppose each other, their forces cancel each other out, resulting in neap tides. Proof that love can unleash the elements!

Europe's highest tides, an ideal phenomenon for

Fishing on foot

In France, the bay of Mont-Saint-Michel, in the Destination Granville Terre et Mer area, has the highest tidal range in Europe: 14.5 metres, the equivalent of a four-storey building! It’s the ideal place to discover or go fishing on a regular basis. Set off on foot along theforeshore and collect a few shellfish for your own consumption. It’s always a great experience and a guaranteed culinary delight at the end. Be careful, however, to respect the regulations and practice this activity gently to preserve the resource. To be perfectly frank, big rakes in the sand are not much appreciated here…

2024 calendar

Highest tides

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