Opal Coast
Visit Tardinghen
The small village with a view of the Blanc-Nez
- Blanc-Nez view
- Dunes
- Shipwreck
- Hiking
Tardinghen in brief
- How long
- Two hours: Châtelet beach and the view of the Blanc-Nez.
- When to go
- All year round. The wreck only shows at the biggest low tides — check the calendar.
- Parking
- A small car park by the beach. The village has fewer than two hundred residents.
- From
- Lille 1 h 35Paris 3 hCalais 25 min
Ideally placed between the two capes, Tardinghen is a small village with a magnificent view of Cap Blanc-Nez. It draws fans of wild walks in the dunes or on its unspoilt beach, and Tardinghen sits next to Ambleteuse, Wissant, Audinghen and Audresselles.
Because the surroundings have stayed so natural, walks here reveal fairly rare wildlife and plant life, and, in fine weather, the English coast too.
The 3 highlights
What to do in Tardinghen?
La plage du Châtelet
A wild beach among the dunes, with the best view of Cap Blanc-Nez and none of the crowds at Wissant.
L'épave du Lord Grey
A ship's carcass that surfaces on the sand, visible only at the biggest low tides.
Les dunes et le sentier littoral
Right in the heart of the Grand Site des Deux Caps, rare wildlife and plant life, and the English coast in clear weather.
And also
- La Ferme de l'Horloge
- The Deux Caps brewery
3 activities to book
What activities to do in Tardinghen?
Our favourite
For the beach between the two capes
La baie de Wissant à pied
From Tardinghen, the beach can be followed to Cap Gris-Nez on one side and Wissant on the other.
2 h · at low tide
For the birds
Le marais de Tardinghen
A wetland behind the dunes, well known to birdwatchers.
1 h · binoculars
For the wind off the capes
Le char à voile sur la plage de Wissant
The neighbouring Wissant beach is one of the coast's sand-yachting spots.
Supervised session · booking required
Our 2 restaurants
Where to eat in Tardinghen?
Our favourite
For an estaminet with a sea view
Le Presbytère Estaminet
Route de Watermel, in the village, on the rise overlooking the bay.
158 route de Watermel, Tardinghen
For the evening, without moving
Pizzas Jean-Lou
On the same street, the simple option in a village with few addresses.
Route de Watermel, Tardinghen
Our 2 places to stay
Where to stay in Tardinghen?
Our favourite
To sleep between the two capes
La Grange du Flot
A village stay, a few minutes from both the Blanc-Nez and the Gris-Nez.
Gîte · Tardinghen
For a peaceful base
Les gîtes du grand saule
In the village, away from the resorts, with the dunes within walking distance.
Gîtes · Tardinghen
Getting there and parking
By car on the D940, between Wissant and Audinghen. Tardinghen sits at the centre of the Two Capes site.
The beach is reached via a small road, then a path through the dunes. Parking is limited: come early in summer.
The questions people ask before coming
When can you see the wreck of the Lord Grey?
Only at the biggest low tides: the rest of the time it's underwater. Check the tidal coefficient before making the trip.
Is Tardinghen worth the detour?
For an hour or two, yes: it's the best spot in the area to look at Cap Blanc-Nez without the crowds at Wissant, and the beach has stayed wild.
Are there shops in Tardinghen?
Very few: the village has fewer than two hundred residents. Wissant, five minutes away, has every shop you need.
Information about the town
Right in the heart of the Grand Site des 2 Caps, the village of Tardinghen is a must on any tour of the Opal Coast. Certainly not the village where you'll linger longest on the coast, but breakfast or dinner at the restaurant Le Presbytère, with its lovely sea view, plus a short walk through the village, are well worth building into a good time on the coast.
Do you know Tardinghen? Your review
No reviews yet. Yours will be the first.
The form is unavailable at the moment. Send your review to the editors, we’ll publish it here.