Baie de Somme

October 16, 2021 to October 18, 2021

Saturday, October 16

I’d no sooner made my way back from Munich to Paris than I was off again – this time to Baie to Somme with my friend Christine (who is not to be confused with Christiane, who you met earlier in Bologna). Christine and I met over 30 years ago when we both were living in Montana – she now lives in Burgundy and we somehow manage to get together whenever I come to France.

This year Christine had planned an outing to the Baie de Somme, where the River Somme flows into the English Channel. Located on the Picardy Coast, the Baie de Somme is the largest estuary in France and is internationally recognized for its rich ecological environment. One of the best ways to appreciate the bay is to walk across it – and that was the adventure Christine had planned for my first weekend back in France. She met me at my Paris apartment and we headed north to the small town of Le Crotoy, which sits on the eastern side of the bay. We arrived at 5 pm and after a quick “show and tell” from our Airbnb host Pascal we made the short walk to the bay.

The expanse of the bay was striking – an environment of mud flats and salt marsh that wound northward along the coast to the English Channel and stretched west to the town of Saint-Valerie-sur-Somme. A sand beach lay between us and the estuary, exerting an irresistible pull on each of us. We abandoned our plans for a nice dinner, picked up some sandwich makings, and walked along the beach until sunset.

We headed into Le Crotoy to pick up a baguette and ham for a light meal after our walk

Heading out along the beach. The western shore of the bay is barely visible on the left

Christine really wants to walk to the far point - to the sea - but I'm betting we don't get that far

The sun is beginning to set behind the western shore of the bay

Children and their dog were having a rollicking time splashing in the pools left by the receding tide

Sunday, Oct 17

Our traverse of Baie de Somme started with a morning train ride from Le Crotoy to Saint-Valerie-sur-Somme followed by a mid-afternoon walk across the bay back to Le Crotoy with an experienced nature guide. It is impossible to cross the bay without an experienced guide - there are no paths or waymarks as the tide rises twice a day and erases all evidence of prior journeys. Additional hazards include quicksand and numerous channels, many with deep and/or fast currents.

The Chemin de Fer de la Baie de Somme is a narrow-gauge tourist train with belle epoch carriages driven by a steam engine and operated by volunteers. Along the way to Saint Valerie, our guide Dawn gave us a brief history of the train, the carriages, and the Association of amateurs that took over the rail line in 1970. After arriving at the station in Saint-Valerie, our group of fifteen dispersed with instructions to meet on the jetty at 2:45 to begin our traverse of the bay.

Christine and I went off in search of a good seafood restaurant, but we had failed to make reservations. We finally found a table at a place that looked promising - we had a nice bowl of fish chowder but the aile de raie (skate wings) was deemed to be only fair by Christine's standards.

We arrived at the station as the volunteers were loading coal into the steam engine

The engine makes a little test run to make sure all systems are go

Image not found :( — All aboard our vintage train cars

No, this is not a train robbery! The train stopped for a short break at Noyelles sur Mer, where the lines going to Le Crotoy and Saint Valerie intersect, with each trains changing direction. During the break, the engines on each train are relocated to the opposite ends of the train. You can disembark and watch the excitement, but you have to remember which train to re-board.

Luckily, there are signs to tell you which train is yours

Once our group of fifteen assembled at the designated meeting place and donned their appropriate (or not) footwear, our guide Dawn led us down a muddy slope to the water’s edge. A gentleman wearing flip-flops promptly fell on his butt and subsequently exchanged the flip-flops for a pair of deck shoes – which I wasn't sure was an improvement. I was sporting a pair of knee-high Wellingtons that Christine had borrowed for me. At size 42, they were a bit large and required some effort to keep securely on my feet.

Le Crotoy sat 3km across the bay but, as Dawn pointed out, we could not walk there in a straight line due to channels and strong currents. Instead we would be taking a zig-zag route of about 6-7 km, lasting roughly three hours. Dawn was quite good at explaining things – both here and along the way where she gave quite a bit of interesting information on the bay, it’s history, and the flora and fauna that flourished in the estuary. She had a wonderful, engaging style - conversational rather a recitation of facts. Of course it was all in French. I was able to glean the gist of everything, but Christine was careful to interpret/reinforce warnings about quicksand and the importance of “walking like a crab” when going up or down the multitude of muddy slopes.

The crossing starts with a walk across two channels before heading off in the seemingly wrong direction. Dawn goes first, testing the water's depth and strength of the current before deciding we must wait another ten minutes or so for the tide to recede just a bit more. After a second test, we all remove our footwear, roll up our pant legs, and wade in. I’d been quite concerned about falling into the water and drenching my camera and phone but thankfully the bottom was smooth and the currents were not strong. We all crossed safely and, after some comical efforts at re-booting while standing, we were away. I’ll let the pictures tell the rest of the story.

The starting point for our traverse across the bay to Le Crotoy, which is barely visible on the left

An unknown bay-crosser gives an inking of what's to come

Dawn heading out to test the waters, carefully moving to and fro to find a passable route through the channel

Once we're safely across the first channel, we get a lesson on how to extract ourselves from quicksand. I seem to be more interesting in eating my glove.

Following footsteps in the sand to catch back up with the group

We had many channels to cross, but luckily had a guide to help us find our way over

We passed two man-made ponds dug into the molliéres by hunteres - each complete with decoys and a floating hunting blind

A panoramic look back at our crossing. As we reached the far shore, we encountered hunters and their dogs heading out for in waning sunlight.

Back where we started earlier this morning

The day was capped off with dinner at a wonderful low key, seafood restaurant with a Michelin “good view” rating. We shared starters of mussels and smoke salmon and each had the sea bass entrée – all outstanding. It was a fitting end to a fascinating and unique day immersed in the wonders and diversity of nature.

The Eurovelo Four route passes through both Le Cotroy and Saint-Valerie-sur-Somme. If you find yourself nearby, I urge you to take a day off the bike and experience the Baie de Somme for yourself.

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Rich FrasierOne more interesting thing to add to my list. I had never heard about this area before. Thanks!
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3 years ago

Rachael AndersonWhat a beautiful place and it’s great to hear from you again. I can’t wait to get back to France.
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3 years ago

Suzanne GibsonYou have managed to fit yet another fantastic adventure in your travels!
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3 years ago