Visiting Wimereux: the pearl of the seaside resorts

Today I'm taking you to discover Wimereux. This popular seaside resort on the Opal Coast has plenty to offer: its magnificent beach and long sea wall are perfect for lovely walks. Its architectural richness arguably makes it the pearl of the coast. What is there to do in Wimereux? Relaxing, sport, walking, shopping, and more. Here's everything you need to know to spend an unforgettable time, a stone's throw from Boulogne.

Outdoor activities: Wimereux has the wind in its sails

Board sports

In Wimereux, thanks to the wind sweeping the coast, you're ideally placed to practise all the board sports and other water activities:

• surfing;
• sailing;
• kitesurfing;
• wing foiling;
• kite flying;
• etc.

Le club nautique de Wimereux also runs plenty of courses (sand-yachting, catamaran sailing), equipment rental and, above all, great ways to escape and recharge through solo or team exercises:

• 'longe-côte';
• paddleboarding;
• kayaking;
• etc.

Walking and cycling trails

The Two Capes site nearby offers plenty of waymarked hiking and cycling trails, taking you to places rich in protected wildlife and plant life:

• La Pointe aux Oies;
• the Slack dunes;
• the cliffs of the Two Capes site;
• the Imperial Path, which sets off from the foot of the Grande Armée column, runs through Wimereux and reaches Boulogne in a 14 km loop.
• etc.

📍find here all the most beautiful legs of the route around Wimereux, to discover breathtaking panoramas.

The walk along the sea wall, 1,500 metres long, offers you a charming postcard view of the resort and its seafront: the pretty white-and-blue beach huts dotted along this space for relaxing and meeting people. Here, you settle onto the benches and admire the sea, the slow passage of the boats. You stop at a terrace to sample local fish and seafood specialities, or simply take a break and treat yourself to a welcome sweet treat!

The sea wall is also home to photo exhibitions and the setting for a breathtaking spectacle during the spring tides.

Wimereux golf course — Opal Coast

The history of France's oldest golf course is closely tied to Napoleon and his ambitions of conquest. Over time, the grounds served first as stables for the horses used to build the fortified harbours, then as a military training camp. Its real turning point came when the site was transformed into a racecourse. Wimereux's rise is linked to this activity, as well as to hotel owners looking for a new playground to attract the gentry. The Second World War put an end to the golf course, which was reborn in 1959. Since then, the development of the clubhouse and the green mean that Wimereux golf course today offers players an exceptional setting.

Shopping in Wimereux

Wimereux's high street, meanwhile, is lined with plenty of small shops where you'll find everything: a fishmonger, a butcher, a bakery, a grocer, as well as numerous fashion boutiques, local specialities, restaurants, art galleries, artists' exhibitions… in short, you'll be spoilt for choice to satisfy every craving!

Discovering Wimereux and its Belle Époque villas: a walk through the past

But what, to my mind, makes Wimereux's main asset is the architectural richness of this town. With la balade des villas, you set off on an exceptional exploration of the town and its history. In the 19th century, Wimereux experienced a meteoric rise thanks to the craze for seaside resorts. Villas and luxury hotels sprang up to satisfy the wanderlust of wealthy industrialists, shipowners, merchants, artists… The wealthiest of the era had villas built, each more elegant and original than the last. Even today, these grand old ladies grace the town with their charm, their colour, their extravagance. They form a thread running through the town's wealth, but also the use and historical significance of some of them (the villa Les Mauriciens was turned into a British military hospital during the First World War). Discovering their secrets couldn't be simpler: a QR code is displayed on the façade. With your smartphone, the villa's whole history and its anecdotes are just a scan away, offering you a journey through time and through the streets of the town.

Wimereux offers a unique blend that appeals to travellers in search of authenticity and wonder. Historical heritage, varied activities, sport, thrills, family days out, culture, and more. Whether you're drawn to tales of the past, the pleasures of the beach or its buried mysteries, this charming coastal town has everything to enchant you and leave you with unforgettable memories.