Camping near Le Crotoy: what to do, what to see, what to visit?
History and culture
Take advantage of your camping holiday in the Baie de Somme to visit Le Crotoy. It’s an opportunity to add a historical and cultural dimension to your stay in one of the most beautiful bays in the world. With its peninsula feel, fishing and yachting harbor, south-facing beach and Belle Epoque villas, Le Crotoy offers a thousand and one ways to enjoy your Baie de Somme vacation. Follow the guide! Discover this emblematic town from your campsite in the Baie de Somme.
A day in Le Crotoy, discovering a rich and surprising heritage
A port city
Just 16 kilometers from our Baie de Somme campsite, discover the town of Le Crotoy. Take a stroll through the town’s streets and walls to admire the port town’s rich architectural heritage. Among Crotellois treasures, the Maison dite “Le Souvenir” (now known as Les Tourelles) is the seaside resort’s most emblematic monument. Built in pinkwashed brick for Gustave Lecocq-Ranson at the end of the 19th century, this former manor house can be seen in rue Pierre Guerlain.
Further afield, you can admire the villa “La Solitude”, where Jules Verne wrote“Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea“, the park and manor house of the poet Charles-Hubert Millevoye, built on the site of the former fortified castle, or the Villa Marguerite, a fine example of Crotello residential architecture borrowing from the Flemish style. Heading towards the fishing port, you’ll come across the Maison de Florentin Lefils, the famous local historian. This grand bourgeois residence is now a guest house.
Stroll along the Promenade Jules Noiret to discover even more of Le Crotoy’s hidden treasures. And if you’re a French history buff, you’ll want to check out the remains of the Château du Crotoy, the 12th-century ramparts and the tower where Joan of Arc was imprisoned in 1430. If we had to list all the places of interest in Le Crotoy, the list would be too long. We recommend that you devote a full day to taking in all the sights.
History: Le Crotoy and celebrities
A popular location
A flourishing trading port in the Middle Ages, and the stronghold where Joan of Arc was imprisoned before her trial in Rouen, Le Crotoy became a popular vacation spot for wealthy Parisian families in the early 19th century. The first bathing establishments appeared, and by the 1880s, Le Crotoy was recognized as one of the most beautiful beaches in La Manche.
In the wake of such famous figures as Victor Hugo, Toulouse-Lautrec, Jules Verne, Colette, the Caudron brothers and Pierre Guerlain, Le Crotoy became a haven for the Parisian intelligentsia. Beautiful villas and chalets of Swiss and Norman inspiration were built here.
Things to do in Le Crotoy: the campsite’s favourites
For a stroll
- Relax on the beachat Le Crotoy, Picardy’s only south-facing beach!
- Stroll along the Jules-Noiret promenade , which stretches 2 km along the beach.
- Gain height from the Butte du Moulin, Le Crotoy’s highest point, and contemplate a unique view of the Baie de Somme, St-Valery and Le Hourdel.
- Cross the Baie de Somme with an experienced nature guide and watch seals basking on the sandbanks at low tide.
- Linger around the Crotoy lookout with its orientation table, offering a magnificent view of the Baie de Somme.
- Travel by steam train on the Chemin de Fer touristique de la Baie de Somme linking Le Crotoy and Cayeux-sur-Mer.
- Take a boat trip on the Commandant Charcot IV to discover the Pointe du Hourdel and the seals of the Baie de Somme.