Port Racine, Historic port in La Hague, France.

Port Racine is a tiny natural harbor on the Normandy coast in the La Hague area, formed by two short stone piers that leave a very narrow entrance between them. The basin is so small that only a few fishing boats can moor inside at any given time.

The site has been occupied since the Mousterian period: remains of dwellings 80,000 to 70,000 years old were found here in 1978 by Gérard Vilgrain and excavated from 1980 to 1985 by Dominique Cliquet. In the early 19th century the privateer François-Médard Racine (1774-1817) built a stone jetty here to moor his ships, giving the port its name. That jetty was replaced in 1870 and a second was added in 1886.

The harbor takes its name from the privateer captain who built it, and locals are proud of that story. Walking along the stone piers, you can watch small boats tied up side by side and fishermen going about their daily work in close quarters.

The harbor is freely accessible and easy to walk around on foot along both piers. Visiting at high tide gives the best view of the boats and the full basin.

The claim to be France's smallest port is disputed with Port Pignot and Port Tatihou; the Manche departmental council counts all three as departmental ports since 1984. In 2015 it had already spent between €480,000 and €730,000 on their upkeep, and which criteria count (water area, dike, landing stage, capacity) remains subjective.