Somme Bay :

Somme Bay, located between La Pointe de Hourdel to the south and La Pointe de Saint-Quentin-en-Tourmont to the north, stretches over 7,200 hectares. Its estuary is 14 km deep and 5 km wide making it the largest estuary in the north of France.

It has won recognition for the diversity of its ecology and birdlife. Since 1999 it has been a member of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World Club in the select company of bays like Halong Bay and Mont Saint Michel. It is an ideal spot to watch the migration of different species of bird and is also home to a seal colony.

It is composed of two distinct habitats, the “slikke” (covered by the sea twice a day) where fishermen on foot find a variety of shellfish and in particular large beds of cockles, and the “Schorre” (which is only covered by sea at the highest tides) which has sheep which graze on its salt marshes, giving their flesh such a distinctive flavour that it is called “Prés Salés”.

Somme Bay is also known for its waterfowl hunting, in particular from duck blinds (huts constructed alongside the different lakes where hunters can wait for their game without being seen and where they can attract wild ducks with the cries of domesticated ducks known as “callers”).

Find out more: www.somme-tourisme.com

Saint Valéry sur Somme

Saint-Valéry-sur-Somme used to be called Leuconos. It was a Greek trading post, a port and then a Roman camp. It was named after Gualaric (Valéry in French), a preacher from Le Vimeu. Saint-Valéry-sur-Somme was host, in 1066, to William the Conqueror who, having set off from the mouth of the river Dives with a large fleet, then capsized on its banks after a bad storm. He spent a number of weeks there, waiting for the right winds to allow him to set off once again to try to conquer England.

The town was a very important military prize bitterly fought over during the Hundred Years War between 1346, the date of the first English attack, and 1470 when Louis XI gave the order for the town to be burnt down for having supported the Burgundians. Meanwhile, Joan of Arc, who had been taken prisoner by the English, crossed the town in 1430, before being led off to Rouen to be burnt at the stake in the market place. The Fortified Medieval City enjoys an elevated position. It walls that date back to the 9th century were largely rebuilt from the 14th century on. The William the Conqueror Gate, flanked by two circular crenellated towers, offers stunning views over Somme Bay.

Find out more: www.saint-valery-sur-somme.fr/

Le Crotoy

This commune was originally called by the Celtic name Creta dating back to 663. It was not until 1209 that it received its definitive name. It is a delightful little port, perched on a peninsula jutting out into Somme Bay. It retains some remains of its fortified walls dating back to 1346 which were commissioned by Edward II.

It also retains ruins of a castle where Joan of Arc was imprisoned from 21 November to 20 December 1430 by the English before being sent to Rouen to be tried and condemned to death by being burnt at the stake on the market place. It has been the place of residence of a number of celebrities, including Jules Verne who wrote his “Geography of France and her colonies” and “20,000 Leagues under the Sea” there and Pierre Guerlain, the famous perfumer, who chose the site to build a hotel. Nowadays, Le Crotoy is visited by nature lovers and you can discover the flora and fauna of Somme Bay in an original fashion: on board a steam train.

Find out more: http//www.tourisme-crotoy.com

MARQUENTERRE PARK

Marquenterre Park, situated between Quend-plage-les-pins and Le Crotoy, is an ornithological park established in 1973 by Michel Jeanson, in a wild area of some 2300 hectares classified as a "nature reserve of Somme Bay".

It is a particularly well-known site for nesting, breeding and resting of 400 different species of birds and also an area of market gardening and of Henson horse breeding. There are signposted paths and observation posts which allow the visitor to explore a small area of the park. This is to ensure tranquillity for the birds and also its diverse biotopes, polders, dunes, salt marshes and brackish water marshes.

Find out more: www.baiedesomme.org/marquenterre

Cayeux sur mer

The history of this resort is intimately connected to that of shingle and indeed ‘Cayeux’ is the word for shingle in the Picard dialect. It has a very typical beach with board walks which make it very easy to reach the numerous beach huts which border its shingle beach. You have to wait for low tide to discover its beach of sand. The tiny fishing port of Le Hourdel has a fleet of “sauterelliers”, tiny fishing boats used to fish for grey shrimp in Somme Bay.

Find out more: cayeux-sur-mer.fr

LA MAISON DE L’OISEAU IN LANCHERE

La Maison de l’Oiseau opened in 1984 close to the Pointe de Hourdel, at the southern most tip of Somme Bay. In a reconstruction of the birds’ natural habitat, it gives visitors an opportunity to view more than 400 species of naturalised birds and to attend displays of falconry.

Find out more: www.maisondeloiseau.com/

Somme Bay : nearby Relais & Chateaux properties