Unusual places on the Opal Coast | 7 original outing ideas

If you ask yourself what the most unusual day out on the Opal Coast is, it’s hard to answer, there are so many options! Nature, culture, sport, gastronomy, and more. Every year, the coast of Hauts-de-France attracts more and more visitors, and it’s easy to see why. The richness of our heritage is huge, and it’s tricky to draw up a ranking or a selection, there’s so much the region has to offer. In this article, we give you 7 ideas for spending your free time in an original way. 7 routes that take you on a journey through history and landscapes, and never fail to spark enthusiasm and wonder.

The Two Capes seen from the sea

How about an original vantage point to admire these monumental chalk cliffs?
By boarding La Florelle from Boulogne-sur-Mer, you’ll enjoy an unforgettable panorama over the Two Capes, the bay of Wissant and the hills of the Boulonnais.
By booking, and depending on weather conditions, it’s a lovely idea for the whole family or with friends!

🛥️Boarding 200 m from Nausicaá
📞Booking on 06.48.49.42.26

La Petite Chapelle Notre-Dame des Dunes | Dunkirk

A place steeped in history and emotion. In the Middle Ages, the Duke of Burgundy wanted to build fortifications around Dunkirk to defend the town, battered by long periods of war. A workman finds a wooden statue of the Virgin and Child in the sand, along with a spring of pure water. It is 1403, and this discovery is seen as a sign of divine protection: an oratory is then built and becomes an important place of devotion and pilgrimage. The chapel was rebuilt and extended over the centuries. In 1953, it took on its current form. A fountain was unveiled in 2004, as a symbol of the original spring. The inside of the chapel, richly decorated with wooden ex-votos — those ships suspended in the air — and also with messages engraved in marble, bear witness to the gratitude of sailors and their families towards the benevolent Virgin during their voyages at sea.
Its blue vaulted ceiling with gold stars, its marble and gilded altar, its compass rose, its stained-glass windows, and the many objects left there over the centuries bring a deep sense of reflection and calm.

🛐1, place de la Petite-Chapelle — Dunkirk

Canoeing and kayaking down the Liane

The Liane is a river that flows — from its source at Quesques (62) — through the Parc naturel régional des caps et marais d’Opale. 38.2 km long, it flows into the Channel at Boulogne-sur-Mer. You paddle along and discover the town in a different way thanks to this nature outing. Here, you take your time, reconnect with the elements, and it does you good. You can hire equipment and find out more by contacting Boulogne Canoë Kayak.

🚣BCK — 7 boulevard Chanzy, Boulogne-sur-Mer
📞03 21 31 98 60

A rare waterfall in Wimille

Yes indeed, waterfalls aren’t found on every street corner in our beautiful region. And yet, in a bucolic setting, alongside a former estaminet, lies the Denacre waterfall. You can admire it on this walking trail between Boulogne and Wimereux. This walk is genuinely accessible to everyone and will dazzle you with its many panoramic views. A real hidden gem!

The Mimoyecques fortress

Located between Calais and Boulogne-sur-Mer, this former Second World War bunker was built in 1943 by the Germans to house a battery of V3 cannon, aimed at London. Heavily bombed, the fortress would never be able to fire these deadly shells.
Since 2010, the site has been open to the public from mid-April to mid-October. Visitors discover weapons collections and explore the tunnels. This place steeped in the past is one of the unmissable historical museums to visit to immerse yourself in this dark chapter of our era, to understand the strategic importance of our region and to honour a duty of remembrance.
Closed during winter, the tunnels then become a sanctuary for the many species of bat that hibernate there. Indeed, the fortress is a remarkable natural site that combines the region’s historical and natural riches.

Forteresse de Mimoyecques
D249 between Landrethun-le-Nord and Leubringhen
📞03 21 87 10 34

The Coupole d’Helfaut

A must-see in the Saint-Omer region, La Coupole is at once a museum, a planetarium and a resource centre spanning a period from the Second World War to the conquest of space.
The immense bunker, the underground passages and the colossal concrete dome make it an impressive and unique landmark, visited by thousands of tourists from all over the world.

Beyond its role in passing on memory, history and science, La Coupole embodies humanist values that make it a place for reflection, raising awareness and civic education.

La Coupole
Rue André Clabaux (D210)
62570 Wizernes — France
📞03 21 12 27 27

The Calais Game Tour

An original trail game to discover or rediscover the town of the six Bourgeois. Taking part couldn’t be simpler: download an app on your smartphone and the adventure begins.
Quizzes, challenges, games… alone, with family or with friends, this unusual visit will give you a fun, friendly and cultural experience. Head to the tourist office of the dragon town for all the practical details, or click ici.