La Baie de Somme, member of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World Club

The Somme Bay is the largest estuary in Northern France. Its very wide opening towards the Channel, over 5 kilometres from north to south, offers, depending on the tides and seasons, remarkable landscapes where sky, land and sea melt into each other in subtle shades and lights.

Hundreds of species of birds visit here during migrations, some for a few hours, others for a whole season; some live here all year round, like the Common shelduck, because here they find an abundant and varied supply of food on the shore, around the lakes and marshes, in the dunes and the salt meadows.

The Somme Bay is constantly evolving and is a great place for walks. It includes approximately 1500 ha of grasslands and a sandy, marshy area, of which 3000 ha are a nature reserve. The site is an extraordinary place for observing not only the flora and bird-life in all their diversity, but also the seal colony that has made its home there.

Whether on foot, horse-back or in a sea kayak, a guide will always been on hand to accompany you. We do not advise you to explore the Bay alone; local clubs will be able to provide you with a professional guide.

Opération "National site" :

Exploring the Bay :

By walking
By cycling
By horse riding
By kayaking
By ULM
With the Commandant Charcot Boat
By railway

The bird, "King of the bay"

Around 340 species of bird have been recorded in the Somme bay over the last two centuries, and the site is of international importance

This wealth of bird-life is due to the bay's privileged position, the first still natural large site in France on the migration path of birds en route to their wintering territories in warm countries.

The Somme bay is also an important stopping-off point for the White spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia). A variety of species, very rare in Europe, breed here, like for example the Great bittern (Botaurus stellaris) or the Garganey (Anas querquedula).

To see birds in their natural habitat visit the Bird House in Lanchères.

Le Marquenterre Bird Park, situated in the northern part of the Somme Bay Nature Reserve, offers a number of itineraries for observing birds.




Seals in the Somme bay

The Somme bay has always been home to a seal colony. Harbour seals are perfectly adapted to living in estuaries. Threatened by hunting, they had almost disappeared in the 1950s. Now, thanks to protection measures, a colony has once again established itself in the Somme Bay.

The harbour seal is a small seal between 120 and 170 cm in length and weighing between 50 and 100 kg. It has a fairly rounded shape. It has a small head and short nose. The colour of its fur and its markings vary from one individual to another (from brown to grey).

The life of the seal depends on the tide cycle; they spend low tide on the sand and take to the water when the sea rises.

In the last century, the harbour seal was plentiful in the Somme Bay: several hundred individuals lived there up to 1850. Then, heavily affected by hunting, the numbers in the colony plummeted. Its presence was irregular from the 50s onwards. In 1979, a group tried to establish itself, most likely seals from more northerly colonies, but it disappeared in 1982 for reasons unknown. Since 1986, the species is once again a regular visitor to the Somme Bay.

Other colonies exist in France: Mont Saint-Michel Bay and les Veys Bay, the sand banks at Dunkerque. However, the Somme Bay has the largest number with 74 individuals in 2000, and several births.

Observing the seals
Seals are vulnerable animals, threatened by a variety of factors: pollution, disturbances. It is essential, in order that they continue to visit the Bay, that they are not disturbed either on foot or in a boat.

We advise you therefore not to go onto the sand banks to try to get close to them. Also, the Somme Bay is very dangerous because of the amplitude and speed of its tides.

You can watch the seals from dry land. Certain points are more favourable for watching them: Le Hourdel, le Cap Hornu, le Crotoy and Saint-Valery-sur-Somme. The ports in the Somme Bay are also visited by the seals during spring tides, at high tide.

Organised trips across the Somme Bay also provide a good opportunity for observing the seals.

Find out more about the seals in the Somme Bay

Nature and traditions in the Somme Bay.
Permanent exhibition of the environmental and traditional riches of the Picardy Coast. Presentation on waterfowl hunting.

Open from 3 pm to 6 pm everyday in July and August (except Tuesdays) and on week-ends from 1/06 to 30/09. Located on the first floor of the Town-Hall in Saint-Valery-sur-Somme.

Admission free.