Towns & cities · Saint-Valery-sur-Somme
1 Saint-Valery-sur-Somme
A medieval town overlooking the Somme estuary, listed among the most beautiful villages in France.
View full page →3 days in the Bay of the Somme and on the Opal Coast
The Bay of the Somme, with its seals, salt meadows and charming harbours, and the Opal Coast, with its cliffs facing England, make for an open-air break on the northern coast.
Our day-by-day itinerary
The map shows the numbered stops in visiting order, with one colour per day. The line follows the roads where available; otherwise it joins the stops as the crow flies. Distances and times are approximate (by car, without traffic).
Day 1 — Saint-Valery-sur-Somme to Le Crotoy
Saint-Valery-sur-Somme and its upper town, the Bay of the Somme railway by steam train, then Le Crotoy, on the other shore.
Tourist trains · Somme
2 Le Chemin de Fer de la Baie de Somme
The Bay of Somme lies 2 hours north of Paris. The great beaches of Le Crotoy attracted the early days of aviation.
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Towns & cities · Le Crotoy
3 Le Crotoy
A seaside resort facing Saint-Valery, the only town on the Bay of the Somme that faces south.
View full page →Day 2 — Parc Ornithologique du Marquenterre to Les Falaises d'Ault-Onival
The Marquenterre bird park, the Pointe du Hourdel, where seals can be watched at low tide, then the cliffs of Ault.
Zoos & wildlife parks · Somme
4 Parc Ornithologique du Marquenterre
It was created in 1973, in a 220-hectare area of dunes, forests and marshes reclaimed from the sea.
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Natural wonders · Somme
5 Pointe du Hourdel
A small fishing port at the far south of the Somme estuary, the Pointe du Hourdel remains one of the last bastions of fishing on the Picardy coast.
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Natural wonders · Somme
6 Les Falaises d'Ault-Onival
The chalk cliffs of Upper Normandy continue beyond the mouth of the Bresle at Mers-les-Bains as far as Ault and Onival.
View full page →Day 3 — Nausicaa Cap au Sud to Le Cap Blanc-Nez
The Opal Coast: Nausicaá in Boulogne-sur-Mer, then Cap Gris-Nez and Cap Blanc-Nez, facing the English coast.
Aquariums · Pas-de-Calais
7 Nausicaa Cap au Sud
Nausicaá, in Boulogne-sur-Mer, along the beach, is much more than an aquarium: it is the largest European site devoted to discovering and raising awareness of the protection of the marine world.
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Natural wonders · Pas-de-Calais
8 Le Cap Gris-Nez
At Gris-Nez, you will grasp the full meaning of the word passage. Whether in the endless coming and going of boats, the flight of birds or the meeting of water, wind and this greying cliff.
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Natural wonders · Pas-de-Calais
9 Le Cap Blanc-Nez
Mineralogy enthusiasts all know the famous Cap Blanc-Nez site (Boulogne-sur-Mer area, northern France): the chalk cliffs yield a great abundance of marcasite, crystallised in cockscomb form.
View full page →When to go
Spring and autumn are perfect for migrating birds and spring tides. Summer is mild and lively. The wind often blows: always bring a windproof jacket.
Getting around
A car is the most practical option. The Bay of the Somme steam train links Le Crotoy, Saint-Valery and Cayeux in season. Boulogne and Calais are served by train.
Our tips
- Never venture into the bay alone: the tide comes in very fast. Take a guided crossing.
- Check the tide times to see the seals at Le Hourdel.
- Book Nausicaá during school holidays.
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