|
IN BRIEF
|
Often seen as just a passage between Amiens and Lille, Pas‑de‑Calais truly deserves a proper stop. Between Vauban’s heritage in Arras and Montreuil and the call of the coastline of the Opal Coast, we take you to two must-sees: the Bay of Authie, a wild haven where dunes, salt meadows, and seals play with the tides, and Vimy, a powerful witness of the Great War. And to spice up the trip with an info that always surprises: this department has no fewer than 895 communes… Enough to multiply discoveries along the caps, towns, and memories.
Ready for an escape between dunes, memories, and surprising numbers? Pas-de-Calais offers you two irresistible stops — the wild Bay of Authie and the powerful memorial of Vimy — along with a crucial piece of information about its communes. Add to that the Opal Coast, the caps Blanc-Nez and Gris-Nez, Le Touquet, and the heritage of Vauban in Arras and Montreuil: it quickly becomes clear that here, it’s not just about passing through… we stop, we contemplate, and we want more.
Sometimes we imagine it as a simple link between Amiens and Lille. Miscast! Pas-de-Calais shines with a dense historical heritage — places and fortifications inherited from Vauban in Arras and Montreuil — and a coastline that sweeps hearts away. The alluring Opal Coast unfolds its beaches, cliffs, and dunes to the caps Blanc-Nez and Gris-Nez, while Le Touquet plays the chic French resort.
For an urban break with historical charm, the departmental capital doesn’t lack in response: its baroque squares, its undergrounds, and its museums make it a “wow” outing. Want to prepare your day on-site? Head to this practical guide to visit Arras in a day and capture the essence of the city.
The Bay of Authie, the wild little sister of the Bay of Somme
A natural border between Somme and Pas-de-Calais, between the Picardy Coast and the Opal Coast, the Bay of Authie is a preserved estuary where the Authie river meets the English Channel just a stone’s throw from Berck-sur-Mer. Classified within the vast ensemble of “Picardy estuaries, large beaches, and dune masses,” it reveals a mosaic of landscapes: white and gray dunes, salt meadows — the famous “mollières” —, fine sand beaches, and foreshore revealed by the tide like an open-air theater.
Fauna and flora thrive here: watch for the grey seals basking at low tide, and follow the ballet of birds along the dune cordon. In terms of activities, you can alternate between walks, bike rides, horseback hikes, and kayaking outings to see the bay from another angle. And if the swell calls you, surfers will find their happiness on the coast: this address book of the best surf spots in the Channel and the North will set you on the right wave.
Vimy and other testimonies of the Great War
Impossible to mention Pas-de-Calais without talking about Vimy. On the ridge, the main Canadian memorial of 1914-1918 honors the troops who fought during the 1917 battle. Between cemetery, sculptures, and frozen trenches, the site commands respect and silently reminds us of the scale of sacrifice.
A few kilometers away, Arras complements this memory tour with the Wellington Quarry: a fascinating network of underground tunnels, created by the tunnellers to prepare for the 1917 battle. The visit plunges beneath the city and into history, supported by numerous memorials and cemeteries dedicated to British and New Zealand soldiers. All of this is set against a backdrop where classical architecture, partly inherited from the time of Vauban, coexists with the traces of the front.
To vary the atmospheres, extend your trip to Montreuil and its star-shaped ramparts, then resume the coastal road: Belle Époque villas, lively promenades, cliffs, and pastures as far as the eye can see. If the colorful facades of the villages inspire you, take a look at this stroll dedicated to French villages with colored facades, and for a more southern escape, this selection of adorable picturesque villages in Provence.
An essential piece of information about Pas-de-Calais
It is not the most populated department in the country — that accolade goes to its neighbor Nord — but it is the one that hosts the largest number of communes: around 895 on the count! By comparison, the Aisne has nearly 816, and Somme about 782; together, these departments total almost 2,500 localities, out of roughly 34,955 that France has. Compared to some neighboring countries like Italy or Spain, we approach a “quarter” of their number of communes… Just that. So, is France too fragmented? Rather, let’s say that diversity is cultivated commune by commune!
To prepare your stay, maps, walking ideas, and good plans can be found on the official site: www.pas-de-calais-tourisme.com.
