48 hours in the Bay of the Somme

Hauts-de-France/2023

Space and silence, cliffs, dunes, pebbles, marshes and Flemish skies... Ranked among the most majestic on the planet, along with San Francisco and Halong, the Bay of the Somme is like the end of the world. Far from concrete coastlines, land and sea, freshwater and saltwater battle it out over and over again. Thousands of migratory birds and a colony of seals have found refuge here. Here, road movies can be made on foot, horseback, sand yacht or bicycle. A walk in the fresh air.

The left boot skids out of control, the right sinks dangerously into the mud, and the tide swirls in... There's nothing bucolic about fishing here. Following Reinette, a local figure on the Pointe du Hourdel, on her daily quest is both a raid and a marvel. An endless beach, a strip of marine sky beneath a string of fleeing clouds, ripples of sand drawn by the ebb and flow... On these 250 hectares of concessions, a handful of professional fishermen, like gardeners of the sea, fill their baskets with salicorne, aster, obione, soude (known as "pompon") and cockles, which will delight chefs eager for these iodized flavors. Reinette has paddled these shifting lands all her life and is brimming with recipes for soups, brines and salads. In the Baie de Somme, salicorne can be eaten in a variety of ways. On a terrace with a moules-frites or in the pretty spa at Cap Hornu, Saint-Valery-sur Somme, in the Samaris cosmetics created by Clémence Froissart. Just a few fathoms from the hotel, sea calves laze on islets in the middle of the current. Are they watching the migratory birds that have come to stop at the Parc du Marquenterre, on these 200 hectares of dunes and marshes that have been open to the public for fifty years? It's a providential break for these marathon flyers, who have flown from Iceland or Siberia to Africa, but also a magical stroll for visitors, between discreet observation points and majestic flights. You'll need a refresher course if you want to rub shoulders with the enthusiasts armed with binoculars, capable of telling the difference between an elegant avocet and a melodious linnet! Just outside the park, Le Crotoy stands sentinel at the entrance to this moving land. It's the only seaside resort in the north of France to boast a south-facing beach, and plays the "charming resort" card. Colette, Jules Verne and Toulouse-Lautrec, but also Sisley, Seurat, Degas, Corot, Boudin, Offenbach and Jacques Tati succumbed to its evanescent beauty. Today, it's a favorite spot for sand yachting and kitesurfing. On the other side of the river, Saint-Valery is proud to have welcomed William of Normandy's longships in 1066. The town has retained its drawbridge and high walls, as well as a labyrinth of alleyways populated by tiny fishermen's cottages in bold colors. If you head south along the coast, you'll come across Victor Hugo. The great man fell in love with Ault, and its string of jagged cliffs stretching all the way to the Pays de Caux, and left descriptions that can be read along a landscaped path. Further down, another memory, that of the sea baths and the elegant women who changed in the bayadère-style cabins of Cayeux-sur-Mer. The cabins are still there, dapper, on Europe's longest plank path: 2 km! A little Deauville, only less snobbish. Pierre-François Guerlain, a native of Abbeville and creator of Eau de Cologne Impériale, wanted to attract the high society who flocked to his boutique on rue de Rivoli to the Baie de Somme. Today, it's a playground for families and lovers who come to walk, cycle the 44 km of the famous "Vélomaritime", which gallops from the English Channel to the North Sea, cross the bay on foot, contemplate the birds, camp or explore a charming hotel. At Les Cabanes or Le Piloti, you can even sleep in sophisticated huts, with your feet in the water and your head in the stars. For a laugh, take the Bay of the Somme railroad. These five steam locomotives and 17 wooden carriages, inaugurated in 1887, have been put back on track by a handful of enthusiasts. But above all, you'll make a long stop at the Maison de la Baie de Somme, a place to understand, see and hear the flora, fauna and workers of this enchanting territory. And don't forget to try out a rather unusual food truck, that of Ludovic Dupont, for whom "nature has taste". This fervent defender of plants is also a member of the Baie de Somme Zéro Carbone association, which has been committed to responsible and ethical tourism for nearly fifteen years. His annual Fête de la Gastronomie, held in September, is one of the bay's must-see events. Here, people eat well, but dine early and fall asleep early, replete with wind and exercise. A last stroll at sunset? The tide has just receded, revealing a carpet of glistening sand. Colette, who observed this landscape for five summers, from 1906 to 1910, was concerned: "The Bay of the Somme, still wet, glimmers darkly against an Egyptian sky, raspberry, turquoise and green ash. The sea has gone so far that it may never come back...". G. B.