アレストの天然記念物・トップ8

A gravel path. A bit monotonous and technically challenging to ride on a bike. Wide tires are essential, and suspension is helpful. The view is fantastic. The cliffs of Ault are in front of you, the sea is to your right, and the nature reserve (salt marshes) is to your left, with many seabirds, horses, and other wildlife.

The bay of summer, on our trip it was low tide.

At Cape Hornu you can enjoy a panoramic view of the bay and its wildlife. You can follow the path along the coast, passing by the Chapelle des Marins, a small chapel dedicated to sailors who lost their lives at sea. You will also discover the charming town of Saint-Valery-sur-Somme, with this medieval street plan, its ancient ramparts and its colorful houses. It's a great way to experience the beauty and history of this area.

Crotoy marsh at La Bassée Crotoy marsh at La Bassée / Somme Bay nature reserve / Marquenterre ornithological park / The Marquenterre dune massif, the mollières de l'Authie and the bordering enclosures / The Crotoy marsh and the adjacent foreshore, Le Crotoy

Cap Hornu is a cape located near Saint-Valery-sur-Somme, on the south bank of the Bay of Somme. The name Cap Hornu comes from the Picard word “hornu”, which means “horned” or “pointed”, and refers to the shape of the cape. The cape was also known as Cap Saint-Valery in the past. The history of Cap Hornu is closely linked to that of Saint-Valery-sur-Somme, which was a strategic port and a medieval town that witnessed many historical events. In 1066, William the Conqueror departed from Saint-Valery-sur-Somme with his fleet to invade England. In 1431, Joan of Arc was imprisoned in Saint-Valery-sur-Somme before being transferred to Rouen. In 1568, a massacre of Huguenots took place in Saint-Valery-sur-Somme after a battle between Catholics and Protestants

Le Hâble d’Ault is a land of lowlands isolated from the sea by a bead of pebbles. The pebbles find their origin in the slow and spectacular dismantling of the cliffs of the Pays de Caux, from Cap d'Antifer to Ault. The pieces of flint will be rolled up, eroded by the waves and gradually take this characteristic rounded shape. A wetland historically shaped by and for waterfowl hunters, the Hâble d'Ault and its gravel pits are home to mallards, shovelers, summer teals, pochard and tufted scaups, mute swans, crested lapwings, wagtails, sandpipers and knights gambettes ... The pebble areas are home to pioneer habitats rare in continental Europe, and plants adapted to the absence of soil, such as the nationally protected sea cabbage. https://www.conservatoire-du-littoral.fr/siteLittoral/173/28-hable-d-ault-80_somme.htm

Nice pond with ducks and swans. There is the possibility to have a picnic. Swimming is prohibited.

The Bay of the Somme or Somme Bay (French: Baie de Somme) is a nature reserve in the Somme department in northern France. This bay has an area of 70 km² and extends from Le Hourdel to Saint-Quentin-en-Tourmont. The bay is formed by the estuary of the Somme, which flows into the Channel here. A smaller river, the Maye, also flows into the bay here. The bay consists of mud flats and salt marshes, and the fresh water is carried north by the Fleuve marin côtier, a coastal current along the Picardy estuaries. The bay is rich in life forms, both marine animals, water birds, seals and the like. Sea lavender, sea wort and samphire are some of the characteristic plants on the salt marshes. The bay is also important from a cultural history point of view. For example, William the Conqueror set out from Saint-Valery-sur-Somme to conquer England. https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baai_van_de_Somme