1/28/20: Équihen-Plage seems like a town in a children’s story. Situated on the north coast of France, the lovely little beach town is home to one very quirky tradition: many of the residents live in upside-down boats.

Around the turn of the last century, Équihen-Plage was a very popular fishing spot, attracting professional fishermen from all over Europe. But once a boat had outlived its usefulness as a sea-going vessel, the thrifty fishing families would drag them ashore, flip them upside down, and turn them into houses. In the early 1900s, the area was known as Quartier des Quilles en l’Air: the neighborhood of keels in the air.

Though many of the boathouses were destroyed during the Second World War, the locals were determined to rebuild their legacy. Gradually, they were able to restore some of the unusual homes and build a few new ones, too. Today, the village is an Instagrammer’s dream.

If you want to visit the beautiful Équihen-Plage, check out these vacation cottages on VRBO.