Your first sight of the Pont de Tancarville is awe-inspiring. This 1400m bridge, opened in 1959, seems to launch itself straight off the cliff top and dive into the Marais Vernier beyond. Its towers are 125m high and the centre span 608m in length. Even at high tide, there is 48m clearance above the water. It is obvious when crossing the bridge that all the land as far as the eye can see was once under water.
Here, too, is the entrance to the Canal de Tancarville which was built to allow barges a short cut to the docks and to unload onto larger freighters for international transportation. Until recently, the river did not flow through here at all but negotiated a huge oxbow loop, skirting the tall limestone cliffs of Pointe de la Roque in the far distance right. To cut out about 4 miles of bendy river, the neck of the loop was snipped and the bridge built over the straightened section. For the athletic, there is a path up the cliff to the bridge to allow for views or photographs of the whole area.
A road on the left allows another opportunity to visit the Château de Tancarville built in various sections since 10th century. It was constructed in mainly three stages which can be clearly identified, even from a distance. On one side of the terrace stands a 12th century square tower, and the 15th century Eagle Tower, the only part still intact, stands opposite.
Raoul of Tancarville was granted a certain number of privileges by his pupil, William the Conqueror, for maintaining this strategic link in his complex system of defenses. The latest section of the château now contains a very plush (expensive) restaurant - Relais de la Pierre Gante. From there or its balcony, eating can be very pleasant overlooking the entire valley.
In the Gray family chapel of St Peter's church at Chillingham in Northumberland, there are to be found the medieval tombs of Sir Ralph and Lady Elizabeth Gray. It was Sir Ralph's uncle, Sir John Gray, who was declared Count of Tancarville after he captured the Château on behalf of Henry V and he did just so in 1419 after the 1415 landings. It is not certain whether the Eagle Tower and the other later fortifications were started by him, or by the French afterwards to make sure he didn't come back.
