Pas-de-Calais

On a clear day, you can see the white cliffs of England from Cap Blanc-Nez. Yet the Pas-de-Calais feels anything but a transit area. The northernmost part of France is a region for hikers who prefer to walk along the water. The Opal Coast owes its name to the ever-changing colors of the sea and sky. Here, you’ll hike along wide beaches, chalk cliffs, and dunes. Along the way, you’ll pass through fishing villages like Audresselles and seaside resorts like Wimereux. The GR120 hiking trail follows the coast and passes by the Grand Site des Deux-Caps, featuring Cap Blanc-Nez and Cap Gris-Nez. Bunkers and monuments serve as reminders of the region’s wartime history. Inland lies the Saint-Omer marsh, a UNESCO biosphere reserve that you can explore by wooden boat. From the Netherlands, you can travel there by train via Brussels and Lille.