Fishing Villages: Form Follows Function

Traditional fishing village architecture developed from practical needs rather than aesthetic theories. Houses cluster tightly for mutual protection against storms, their narrow streets breaking wind force while facilitating community interaction. In Brittany's ports, houses present tall, narrow facades to minimize taxable street frontage while maximizing interior space. Granite construction, though expensive, proved economical over centuries of salt spray and Atlantic storms.

The Mediterranean's fishing villages developed different solutions. Here, winter storms matter less than summer heat, leading to architecture emphasizing shade and ventilation. Collioure's houses, painted in ochres and pastels, reflect heat while their shuttered windows control light and air. Flat roofs, unthinkable on the Atlantic coast, provide additional living space and platforms for drying nets and fish.

Normandy's fishing ports show regional variations within functional consistency. Honfleur's tall, narrow houses—some seven stories high on tiny footprints—maximized precious port-front land. Their slate-hung facades protect timber frames from driving rain, creating the distinctive gray texture that inspired Impressionist painters. Ground floors housed maritime businesses, upper floors living spaces, and attics storage for sails and nets.

Modern fishing ports struggle to maintain architectural character while adapting to changed economies. Refrigeration eliminated the need for immediate processing, containers replaced barrels, and pleasure boats outnumber fishing vessels. Yet successful adaptations exist: Douarnenez converted canneries into museums and workshops while maintaining the port's working character. Saint-Jean-de-Luz enforces design codes ensuring new buildings respect traditional Basque architecture's red and green color schemes and distinctive rooflines.