What to see and do while camping in the Baie d’Authie
Baie de Somme’s little sister
If you liked the Baie de la Somme, then you’re going to love the Baie d’Authie, its “little sister” located between Fort-Mahon-Plage and Berck-sur-Mer in the Hauts-de-France region. Although it’s said to be more discreet, or even wilder according to some, it attracts almost 500,000 visitors every year between the Côte d’Opale and the Picardy coast. Discover this emblematic town from your campsite in the Baie de Somme.
Visit the Authie Bay: walks and hikes
Calm and serenity
Located 35 km from our **** campsite in Saint-Valery, between the Somme and Pas-de-Calais, the Baie d’Authie is the perfect place to recharge your batteries in one of Picardy’s most beautiful natural sites. The bay stretches for 100 km from Fort-Mahon to Berck-sur-Mer. One of the estuaries that bathe the Picardy maritime plain, Baie d’Authie offers a veritable cornucopia of colors and landscapes, lights and scenery that change with the tides and the seasons.
Here, everything exudes calm and serenity. Many impressionist and naturalist painters have stayed here: Tattegrain, Chambon, Lepic, Daubigny, Trigoulet… Today, it’s hikers who have the time of their lives on the signposted trails that criss-cross the 2,000-hectare Baie d’Authie. Naturalist guides accompany you through the fragile yet remarkable habitats of this “Natura 2000” listed site.
For botanical enthusiasts, Baie d’Authie is full of treasures. Typical salt meadow flora include evening primrose, mugwort, obione and sea lilac. With a bit of luck (and patience), visitors with a passion for ornithology will be able to observe the white storks nesting around the Dune de l’Authie at Fort-Mahon-Plage. However, it’s more common to spot little egrets,elegant avocets and peregrine falcons.
A hike not to be missed : the Sentier des Dunes de l’Authie. Departure from the Authie parking lot in Fort-Mahon-Plage, distance: 2.5 kilometers. Duration: one-hour walk punctuated by interpretation panels.
Meet the seals of Authie Bay
Local wildlife
Between the dunes and the Authie channel, calf seals also have their own little habits. They are particularly fond of sandbanks at low tide. With the aid of binoculars, you can observe them discreetly, particularly fromBerck’s Épi 17. The Baie d’Authie seal colony is one ofthe largest in France. It can reach up to 400 individuals at the right times of year, particularly in summer.
Baie d’Authie is mainly home to harbor seals, but it’s also possible to spot gray seals, recognizable by their more elongated snout. They come to rest on the sandbanks at low tide to warm up. It’s important to keep a safe distance when observing them, so as not to disturb them.
