Not well known or unknown, the Bay of the Somme is classified as one of the most beautiful in the world. With its 7200 hectares, this large estuary of the Somme presents vast expanses that follow one another with its steep clifs, its dunes, its pebles and its salt marshes. Here, the sky and the sea merge. The light changes at every moment and is an inexhaustible source of inspiration for painters and writers. The sunsets offer a magnificant spectacle. They gradually set the bay ablaze, giving the ever-changing sea pink, orange or red reflections.
Thousands of migratory birds find refuge there. The Parc du Marquenterre is a havent of peace for many wild birds that come to emigrate. With its 200 hectares of dunes, forests and marshes in the heart of the Bay of the Somme nature reserve, this park is a paradise for ornithology in Europe. You can discover the wild life of the birds that have made this site a privilege stopover between Scandinavia and Mauritania. The bay is also home to more than 600 grey seals and sea caves. At the small port of Le Hourdel, discovering the seals in their natural world is an unforgetable experience.
At high tide, when all the sandbanks are covered by the sea, the seals leave to fish for food along the Picardy coast or in more remote areas. At low tide, the sea retreat and the sandbank are accessible again. The seals then return to the sandbanks to rest, restore their bluber layer, nurse their pups and establish their social relationship. |
