World War II on the Coast of Northern France

The Opal coast

Around 100km of fine-sand beaches, walking paths, capes and bays makes up the Opal Coast, but that’s not all – though far from the Front, the Côte d’Opale is packed with First World War memorial sites.

Because of its proximity to the UK, the Opal Coast became a landing zone for Brits in 1914. During the four years of the conflict, the British based themselves around three main ports, Boulogne-sur-Mer, Calais and Dunkirk, and three medical complexes, Wimereux, Boulogne-sur-Mer and Etaples.

Begin your coastal discoveries with the military cemetery at Wimereux, which stands out for the fact that its steles are placed flat on the ground rather than upright, as well as by the presence of nurses’ steles, reminding us that there was a vast medical complex here with 10 hospitals. It’s here you’ll find the stele of Canadian poet John McCrae, best known for his work ‘In Flanders Fields’.

Continue to the military cemetery at Boulogne-sur-Mer, where there was a large hospital in World War I, and where more than 5,800 soldiers are buried.

Conclude your tour at the famous British military cemetery in Etaples, where the Brits built their largest hospital complex in 1915.

The Somme Bay

Though far from the Front, the Picardy coast was deeply marked by the war. Like the Côte d’Opale, the Somme Bay served as a logistical zone for the Allies, with a port for unloading provisions installed in Saint-Valery-sur-Somme, for example. Go back in time with a ride on the Baie de Somme’s little steam train to see the port of Saint-Valery-sur-Somme – an original way to discover the Picardy coast.

As a family or with friends, maximise the experience with a visit to the Musée des Frères Caudron in Rue. Aviation pioneers René and Gaston Caudron played a key role in World War I by equipping several Allied squadrons. They also created the world’s first flying school, in Le Crotoy.