Though the smallest town in the Manche department, Barfleur remains an active harbor surrounded by a fertile sea. Two coves surround the harbor of the municipality listed among the Most Beautiful Villages of France. In August 1988, Barfleur, its port, and the maritime public domain up to a depth of 1,640 ft (500 m) were listed among sites in need of protection. The flood (rising tide) and the ebb (falling tide) reveal or hide the rocks of the foreshore. They are home to a wide variety of mosses, algae, and lichens as well as a diverse fauna of birds and shellfish.