What to do in Baie de Somme: Top 3 must-sees to visit2026 ranking

This information center is a good first stop before heading out to the bay. It showcases the different species you might spot. It is ideal for learning more about the bay's seals. The visit is pretty quick, and I recommend doing it to get all the info.

This area is rich in biodiversity. You can observe many different species of birds but also colonies of seals, especially during the warmer months. To give yourself the best chance of seeing them, choose a tour with a guide. I loved it.

Marquenterre Park is a must-visit spot in the Baie de Somme. This natural area is home to many bird species that you can observe without disturbing them. There are plenty of really well-designed information signs. Don't hesitate to come with your family.

This information center about the natural richness of the Baie de Somme is a good stop to make before heading out to see the bay in person, just a few miles away. You will learn how to identify the 2 species of seals found at the estuary, the different bird species, and the various habitats. You will also learn more about the forces, both natural and human, that shape the bay as it is today: the sandbanks, the salt marshes, the pebbles, the cliffs, the dunes... There is an outdoor trail with a pond inhabited by birds, with binoculars provided so you can observe like a real ornithologist. The idea is good, but honestly, the only birds I was able to see were ducks, geese, and other moorhens..…

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The Somme estuary is a large wetland area with sandbars or mudflats that are submerged at high tide, pebble dikes, and salt marshes (meadows that get flooded a few times a year during high tides). With the right gear, you can spot many bird species, harbor seals, and gray seals. Make sure to bring good binoculars or a spotting scope. Also, bring boots because you might end up walking on mud. By the way, to cross the bay, you are required to be accompanied by a local guide if you don't want to get trapped by the "sucking" mud or the rising tide.

Spacious nature park without being huge, which perfectly succeeds in protecting the birds that come to rest there during their migration or nest in a preserved environment, and in including educational (paid) visits with explanatory signs, or even guides, along paths that wind through the heart of the park, leading to very well designed observation posts. There are quite a few visitors, but it is not crowded, and the place stays very clean. It just goes to show, it is possible to do tourism while respecting natural heritage. Bravo!