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Discover the Somme Bay, "Grand site de France"

BY STAYING AT LES AIRES EN SCÈNE, YOU ARE AT THE GATEWAY TO THE Somme Bay, CLASSIFIED AS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BAYS IN THE WORLD, "GRAND SITE DE FRANCE"...

An exceptional natural site by the water and the towpath, only 2 hours far from Paris and Lille, which offers panoramic landscapes of a remarkable beauty... Cliffs, marshes, dunes, beaches, pebbles punctuate these landscapes with an end of the world feeling, that the changing lights and colours enhance at every moment.

An inexhaustible source of inspiration for many artists: from Degas to Corot, from Jules Verne to Colette..., the Somme Bay is also one of the major sites for migratory birds in France, including the whistling duck, the shelduck, the curlew and the oystercatcher, which cohabit with the salt meadow sheeps. The largest French colony of sea seals has taken up residence here. You can explore these magnificent landscapes by bike from Les Aires en Scènes, following the towpath along the Somme river or why not on the water, by barge...

A little further away, 20 minutes by car or 1 hour by electric bike, you will find charming villages: Le Crotoy, Saint-Valéry-sur-Somme, Le Hourdel... You will see that there is no shortage of ideas for leisure activities and we will be happy to advise you on how to discover our beautiful region.

Les Aires en scènes is an easy and judicious starting point to visit the Bay of the Somme but also the Somme Valley... an ideal valley!

The crossing of the Somme Bay

The crossing of the Somme Bay

Between Le Crotoy and Saint Valéry sur Somme, this walk is undoubtedly the reference nature excursion when it comes to discovering the Somme Bay for the first time!

Indeed, the crossing of the Somme Bay will make you discover landscapes which justify the classification of this one in the 30 most beautiful bays in the world, but also its ecological, economic and traditional aspects.

With your feet in the mud and on the boulders, this walk will combine discovery and adventure.

In a setting shaped by the tide, you too will fall under the spell of the Somme Bay and its bewitching lights.

This walk can be done in one direction or the other depending on certain parameters (tide, steam train...).

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SAINT-VALERY-SUR-SOMME

SAINT-VALERY-SUR-SOMME

Where is one of the most beautiful villages of the Somme Bay? 20 minutes from Les Aires en Scène...

A member of the network of the most beautiful detours in France, Saint Valery sur Somme is strategically located on a limestone promontory facing the Somme Bay. Saint-Valery-sur-Somme has a rich and eventful history. William the Conqueror and Joan of Arc passed through the medieval town.

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Le Crotoy

Le Crotoy

25 minutes from Les Aires en scenes, take the panoramic road towards Le Crotoy. You will be able to see the emblematic silhouette of the two red and white turrets.

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Seal Watching

Seal Watching

Follow your guide Maxime to discover an extraordinary colony of seals, settled on the large sandbanks of the Somme Bay. A protected species, your guide suggests you approach them without disturbing them, providing all the necessary equipment.

The seal colony at the Hourdel tip, small coastal port of Cayeux sur mer, south of the Somme Bay

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The Tréport and the funicular

The Tréport and the funicular

The funicular is open every day of the year.  Its use is entirely free and open to all.  It works like a lift: a simple press of the button on the call station brings one of the four cabins to you.

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THE MARQUENTERRE PARK

THE MARQUENTERRE PARK

Where are the birds of the Somme Bay? At the Marquenterre Park, 30 minutes from Les Aires en scènes. With its 200 hectares of dunes, forests and marshes in the heart of the Somme Bay nature reserve, the park has been a major ornithological site in Europe for 40 years and is a refuge for thousands of migratory birds.

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The hourdel

The hourdel

Where to see the seals in the Somme Bay? At the Hourdel point, at low tide.

Located a few kilometres from Saint-Valery-sur-Somme, the Hourdel is a well-known place to observe the seals of the Somme Bay. Le Hourdel is home to the largest seal colony in France.

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Ault and its cliffs

Ault and its cliffs

Where to see the cliffs? In Ault ...

The charm of its Belle Époque villas is authentic. Onival, a sandy beach at low tide, is ideal for seaside pleasures. You will also find the "hâble d'Ault", a wild and preserved nature reserve which is home to migratory birds, and the Bois de Cise, a natural wood nestled in the hollow of the cliffs and a magnificent viewpoint over the entire Opal Coast.

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Saint-Riquier Abbey

Saint-Riquier Abbey

The Abbey of Saint-Riquier, founded in 625, has been, since 2012, home to a Cultural Encounter Centre dedicated to writing in the digital age

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Bagatelle Castle and Garden

Bagatelle Castle and Garden

This small but extremely refined 18th century folly has retained its original woodwork and some of its period furniture.

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The Grand-Laviers Reserve

The Grand-Laviers Reserve

The Grand-Laviers Bird Sanctuary is located 5 minutes as the crow flies from the Somme Bay, at the gateway to Abbeville. This former industrial site offers an exceptional biotope guaranteeing habitat, food and protection for a multitude of species on more than 40 hectares.

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La Baie de Somme