©Nohcab Beaches of Calais and the Opal Coast
From the foot of the chalk cliffs of Cap Blanc-Nez to the vast wild spaces of Les Hemmes de Marck, the Calais XXL coastline, in the heart of the Opal Coast, boasts seven beaches, each telling a different story of its relationship with the sea. Here are the most beautiful beaches of the Opal Coast: some are hard-earned, subject to the rhythm of the tides. Others teem with life in season, offering watersports, family walks, and sunsets over the Strait of Dover.
Cran d'Escalles Beach
The cove at the foot of the cliff
To reach it, you have to descend, following a path from the heights of Cap Blanc-Nez, and let the landscape gradually unfold. The cove appears framed by white chalk: a pristine stretch of sand, nestled between the cliffs, with the Pas-de-Calais region on the horizon and, on a clear day, the English coast. It's one of the few beaches in the area where you find yourself literally at the foot of the cliff. Be aware: at high tide, the beach disappears completely. See [link/reference]. tide times Before leaving.
Cran d'Escalles Beach
©Nohcab Cap Blanc Nez Beach
To the west of Calais, the coastline stretches out in vast expanses of sand, dune ridgespromenade-like seawalls that live to the rhythm of the spectacular phenomenon of high tides at certain times. The spectacular spaces of Cap Blanc Nez, are part of the major natural site of the Opal Coast classified as a Grand Site de France (like the Pont du Gard, the dune du Pilat or the cliffs of Etretat).
The beach, sheared by the cliffs
At the foot of these cliffs, the beach is not visible from the road: you have to go down from the D940 car parkFollow the path and let the chalk cliffs rise up above. At low tide, the beach opens onto a vast expanse of sand and pebbles that can be explored on foot or horseback. The view extends to the white cliffs of Dover, less than 35 kilometers away. Overlooking them, the Dover Patrol monument serves as a reminder that these waters were also a theater of war. Hiking, horseback riding, shellfish gathering: the uses are many, but safety dictates one absolute rule, Consulting the tides before any descent.
The Beach of Cap Blanc Nez
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©Nohcab Sangatte Beach
The spot for wind sports
Nestled against the first cliffs of Cap Blanc-Nez, Sangatte beach marks the transition between the sandy coastline of Calais and the chalk landscapes of the Opal Coast. Its geography makes it one of the most popular spots in the region for kitesurfing, windsurfing, and sailing. A 2,4-kilometer seawall runs along the beach to the semaphore station, ideal for a stroll by the sea. The coastal path also allows you to reach Cap Blanc-Nez on foot to the west, or to follow the dune ridge towards Blériot-Plage.
Sangatte Beach
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©Nohcab Coming to the beach with your dog
Several beaches along the Calais XXL coastline welcome dogs, some year-round. Sangatte beach and the large natural areas to the east, such as Huchette and Hemmes de Marck, are particularly well-suited for walks with a pet. Regulations vary depending on the municipality and the season.
Holidays with your dog: the information
Baraques Beach
Also called Blériot-Plage, the place where Louis Blériot took flight
It was from this coastline that the history of aviation took a decisive turn. On July 25, 1909, Louis Blériot took off from a field located on the site of the current college and reached Dover in 37 minutes, the first crossing of the English Channel by airplane.
A stele marks the takeoff point on Aviation Street. The beach itself has changed: the old wooden chalets have given way to a new generation of more contemporary cabins, and the Aviator beach bar has become the natural meeting place. Behind it, the dune ridge of Fort Mahon and Fort Lapin create a path that blends nature and history.
Baraques Beach
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©Nohcab Calais THE beach
A fine sandy beach to discover all year round
Without a doubt, the panorama of the Calais seafront has few equals, and we're not just talking about the Calais Dragon Past the hundreds of chalets stemming from a centuries-old tradition and its immense beach where swimming is supervised, eyes inevitably fall towards a horizon marked by the presence of car ferries providing the link with England, of which it is not uncommon to see the white cliffs of Dover some thirty kilometers opposite Calais.
Discover Calais LA Plage
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©Fred Collier The perfect playground for families
To reach this pier from the city center, take the pleasant Risban seawall on foot, where you'll run alongside the port and its activity on one side, and the fortress of the Fort Risban and Calais Dragon on the other! As for the seawall, it runs along the seafront for almost 1,5 kilometers, joining the neighboring town of Blériot-Plage.
Throughout the year, the Calais seafront is a popular spot for locals to enjoy both walking and sporting activities. With the complete reinvention completed in 2021, The beach is one of the most suitable on the coast for family seaside activities! Soft mobility, sports activity areas, children's playgrounds, skate parks for all ages, rest areas, viewpoints, beach bars... everyone will find something to suit them, giving the Calais seafront a real Calaisfornian atmosphere.
Top 8 things to do with the family in Calais
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©Nohcab Huchette Beach
East of Calais, towards the Oye Plage tidal flat nature reserve, the vast natural area of Green Fort Dunes and the Hemmes de Marck: at low tide, it is possible to walk 3 kilometers to reach the shore! Needless to say, this beach is a dream location for horse riders and those who practice land sailing, kite buggying, etc., while still leaving enough space for walkers, shore fishermen, and observers of fauna and flora.
The most secluded beach
Accessible only on foot via the Taaf Dyke, in the heart of the natural area of the Dunes of Fort Vert, Huchette beach is one of the wildest and most secluded areas in the region. The journey begins at the Oldenburg Battery, a remnant of the Atlantic Wall which serves as a natural entry point to the site, before the landscape opens onto a mosaic of hunting ponds and dune heaths. At low tide, the sea can recede up to 3 kilometers from the shore, revealing an unusually vast intertidal zone. Further out over the waves, the silhouette of the Walde LighthouseBuilt in 1859 on screw piles, the last of its kind in France, it marks the border between the English Channel and the North Sea. Colonies of grey seals regularly rest there, observable from a distance from the beach.
Access to Huchette Beach
©Timothé Lovergne 
©Timothé Lovergne The beach of Hemmes de Marck
The playground for wind sports
East of Calais, the Hemmes de Marck beach stretches across a protected natural setting, nestled between dunes, marshes, and wide tidal flats. It's not a swimming beach: it's a living space, entirely governed by the rhythm of the tides and almost always swept by the wind. Land sailing, kite flying, speed sailing—the base located on Avenue de la Mer offers supervised introductory sessions, accessible to all levels. The site is part of the natural area of... Green Fort Dunes, particularly popular with birds during migration season, with viewpoints and observation points along the trails.
Hemmes Beach in Marck
©Timothé Lovergne 
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