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La Marie Grouette du Bandyck

Men of Marck
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Departure: MARCK Arrival: MARCK
Duration 03h00
Distance 12km
Starting from the Aigrettes farm in Marck, this 12 km (3h) trail runs alongside the canal and the drainage ditches, following the legend of Marie-Grouette, all the way to Calais-Marck airport.
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Starting from the Aigrettes farm in Marck, the circuit runs alongside the Marck canal, passes in front of the Beau Pays gardens and an ornamental park, goes around the equestrian center and then the Calais-Dunkerque airport, before returning to the Aigrettes farm along an old World War II blockhouse.

Following the coastline towards Marck, the natural area of ​​the Dunes du Fort Vert reveals dunes, marshes, polders and foreshores in this photo. ©Nohcab

The Wateringues

The network of ditches and canals (watergangs or wateringues), totaling over 1 km, keeps this polder territory dry. Shaped since the 500th century on the Aa delta (Calais-Dunkerque-Saint-Omer) and entirely managed by human hands, this ingenious pumping system allows water to be evacuated from the inland areas to the North Sea. Nevertheless, it remains a fragile mechanism, limited in its ability to withstand extreme weather events and rising sea levels. Legend has it that a wicked witch named Marie-Grouette haunts these canals and snatches children who get too close. You might just encounter her if you're not careful!

Flock of birds photographed on the Hemmes de Marck. ©Nohcab

The natural area of ​​the Dunes of Fort-Vert

Formerly a hunting ground belonging to a wealthy Calais family, the Dune du Fort-Vert is now a nature reserve managed by the Pas-de-Calais Departmental Council (EDEN62). The only wooded feature in the landscape, this fossilized dune is a major migratory stopover along the Opal Coast. It houses a bird ringing station unique in France, allowing for the inventory of nearly 10,000 birds each year. Part of the site is open to the public.

The Dunes of the Green Fort
Observatories of the Dunes of Fort Vert of the Coastal Conservatory. ©Timothé Lovergne
Duck in the wetlands of the Dunes of Fort Vert in Marck ©Timothé Lovergne

The Egrets Farm

Starting point of the hike, the Ferme des Aigrettes, Maison de la Nature et de l'Environnement de Marck, is at once a preserved space for nature, a traditional farm and a center for educational discoveries with the Cousteau social and cultural center.

The Aigrettes farm in Marck ©North Coast

Calais-Marck Airport

Located in the immediate vicinity of the Channel Tunnel, Cité Europe, and the A16 and A26 motorways, the airport is dedicated to flight training, private, and business aviation. No scheduled flights are operated, only on-demand commercial flights, but the airport maintains an international status that allows it to handle up to 100,000 passengers per year. The restaurant At the Vol au Vent, on the airfield, offers the possibility of a gourmet break.

Calais-Marck Airport
Aerial view of Calais-Marck airport ©Edeis
A North American T6 from Texas at Calais-Marck airport. ©François Devin