The most beautiful landscapes on the Opal Coast

Immaculate cliffs jutting straight out into the English Channel... We're warning you right now, the spectacle of Cap Blanc-Nez is totally unique! Reaching heights of almost 150 metres, these immense cliffs are truly impressive.

We advise you to visit them at high and low tide: depending on the sea, you can take a walk on the small beach below or at the top, on the GR120 footpath. From up there, the view is truly sublime and, weather permitting, you can even make out the English coastline in the distance. At the same time, the cliffs of Dover are only a few kilometres away!

As well as offering magnificent views, the walk on the moor provides an opportunity to take in a little history: there are old bunkers and traces of bombing raids, as well as a memorial monument. On the other hand, the wind is blowing hard, so be sure to bundle up!

As you can see, Cap Gris-Nez is not far from Cap Blanc-Nez, just ten kilometres away. The two form the Grand Site des Deux Caps and are visited by around two and a half million tourists a year. But Cap Gris-Nez has its own special characteristics: first and foremost, it is the area of coastline closest to England, and it is from here that some people attempt to swim across the English Channel, a highly supervised challenge to avoid accidents.

Its name comes from the old Flemish word "Griseness", meaning "Grey Cape". And when you see it, you understand why: where its neighbour is made up of immaculate chalk, this time there is clay and sandstone, and it is much lower (around 25 to 40 metres high). A protected haven for migratory birds, it also has a rich history. It has often been the scene of battles between France and England since the Middle Ages. It's a place of beauty that will amaze you with its strength and grandeur!

Much higher up than the two Capes, between Dunkirk and the Belgian border, Dune Marchand is a nature reserve well worth a visit for its many protected species. Weather permitting and depending on the season, you can see over 330 species of plants and birds, some of which take refuge in the blockhouses on the beach. The dune is also renowned for its amphibians and seals, which come here to breed every year.

For the record, it almost disappeared in 1972, when a Belgian developer decided to turn it into a marina. However, naturalists rallied to save it, and today it is one of the most beautiful landscapes on the Opal Coast!

A major seaside resort on the Côte d'Opale, Le Touquet-Paris-Plage boasts one of the most beautiful beaches in France. And above all, one of the largest: almost 12 kilometres of fine sand, bordered by impressive dunes.

Family-friendly, it is also ideal for unusual sports such as kite flying, sand yachting and kitesurfing, thanks to the wind that often sweeps through the area. Of course, the sea is often too cold for swimming, but the walks are always great fun.

There are also plenty of games for children, especially on the way up to Stella, the seaside resort near Le Touquet. While you're there, take the opportunity to stroll around the town - the walk along the beach is really very pleasant and provides a well-deserved breath of fresh air!

The Côte d'Opale is around three hours from Paris by car via the A16 motorway.

Several of the towns and villages that border it have a railway station, such as Le Touquet-Paris-Plage, so it is easily reached by train.

Readers from the south of France or elsewhere who wish to come by plane will have to land at Lille airport.