Bay of Somme
You are here
Somme BayGrand Sitede France
© Destination Baie de Somme

The Somme Bay, "Grand Site de France"

  • 72sq.km
  • 45km of cycle paths
  • 300species of migratory birds

One of the most beautiful bays in the world 

Grand Site de France 

Officially listed as one of the most beautiful bays in the world alongside San Francisco and Ha Long, the Somme Bay is a stunning natural site. Panoramic landscapes, an end-of-the-world feel, with alternating cliffs, beaches, dunes, pebbles and marshes all adding to an extraordinary landscape, a far cry from other concrete-clad coasts. This is where the sea and the sky smudge together. Where the light is ever-changing. As are the colours. The Somme Bay has long been an endless source of inspiration for painters and writers, including Degas, Corot, Jules Verne and Colette.

Thousands of migratory birds take refuge here. The largest French colony of harbour seals too. 

Vue aérienne Baie de Somme©SMBSGLP
vu sur les falaises, Somme©crtp-nbryant
Visite Guidée Le Hourdel, BaiedeSomme©SommeTourisme
Vélo Le Crotoy, Somme©Nicolas Bryant
Pause en famille devant falaises, Somme©Nicolas Bryant
falaises, Ault Somme©Nicolas Bryant

​Bay spirit 

A beautifully preserved coastline 

The Somme Bay is a fragile site, striking a careful balance between nature and humankind. Stakeholders committed to preserving the bay's natural features and sharing its values and spirit have made it a model for development. As such it has been awarded the status of Grand Site de France like the marshes near Poitiers and the gorges in Ardèche and the Pointe du Raz.

The "Grand Site de France" values 

* Protecting biodiversity
* Providing facilities in keeping with the spirit of the place
* Ensuring visitors are properly catered for
* Upholding tradition and preserving the residents' living conditions
* Promoting eco-friendly activities

Website

For the thrill-seekers: Land-sailing, dugouts, kite-surfing, Henson horse-riding etc.
Cayeux kitesurfers, Somme©Nicolas Bryant
baie_vue_du_ciel©altimage_smbs-glp.jpg©Altimage_smbs-glp
canoe©r.jacq_smbs-glp.jpg©R Jacq_smbs-glp

Ecomobility: a priority

 

- Horse-riding, walking, cycling, sailing: alternative ways to explore the region!

Visitors to the Somme Bay can leave their car in the car park, since there are plenty of alternative facilities including 44 kilometres of cycle paths and 8 round-trip hikes, a steam railway with four stations, hiking trails and boat trips.

 

- Committed players 

With cycle paths, round-trip trails, certified accommodation and bicycles for hire, the Somme makes cycling tourists feel really welcome. The network and the Cycling Welcome Charter ensure a great break.

 

 

Let's talk ToOlivier Hernandez

Nature Guide

"I have always been a nature enthusiast since I was a kid. I've worked in several nature research and protection centres in Picardy and elsewhere in France. I now work as a nature guide and photographer on the Picardy coast and sometimes elsewhere. I love sharing my sense of wonderment for the delights of Mother Nature. I invite tourists to contemplate nature from a fresh angle, to come to greater insights, admiration, respect and poetry."