THE FORT OF AMBLETEUSE

Built between 1682 and 1690 on the seafront, on the beach, this fort is the work of Vauban. Its horseshoe shape allowed to protect the construction site of a war port, decided in 1680 by Louis XIV and which was never completed. In 1802, when the Camp de Boulogne was being built, Napoleon decided to resume the project, but it was once again abandoned. During the Second World War, the German army took over the site and made major changes to it. It was then once again left untouched. Bought in 1967 for a symbolic franc by the association of the Friends of Ambleteuse Fort, then restored, it now houses a cultural centre and a museum dedicated to the protection of the coastal heritage. This fort is the only one remaining on the coasts of the Eastern Channel and the North Sea. Assailed by the waves during storms, at high tide, it offers a most grandiose spectacle.

From Wimereux, it is possible to walk to the fort of Ambleteuse by taking the Sentier de la Baie de Saint-Jean/les Dunes de la Slack. This loop of about 3 hours and 11 kilometres is accessible whatever your level of fitness. It's a great walk, but beware of the tides on the way back. It is also possible to park at the Estuary car park and then follow the Slack to its mouth to discover this place and enjoy the natural setting with many birds and of course the spectacle of the sea in front of you.