With the ebb and flow of the tides
The Baie de Somme is where sky, sea and land meet, as the tides ebb and flow. Its vistas shift as the sea rises and falls; the light and the colours are forever changing as the waters rush into the estuary as fast as a galloping horse.
At low tide, the sea seems to melt into the horizon and the wind sweeping across the sand ripples it, leaving tiny ridges like so many strange landscapes. This is when the Atlantic harbour seals occupy this vast expanse, to the delight of those watching them.
The Baie de Somme has the highest tidal coefficients of the English Channel. They may attain an amplitude of 10 meters during the spring and autumn equinoxes. This is when the salt marshes are bathed by the rising waters as high as the base of the dikes.
While this phenomenon may be an unforgettable spectacle, this does not make it any less dangerous. For your own safety, please do not venture out onto the bay alone, and do check the tide tables and keep your watch within easy reach…
Before going out onto the bay, consult the tide tables, an essential reference for any coastal inhabitant or visitor. It lists the times of the tides, their height and their coefficient for each date. The third figure, ranging between 20 and 120, shows the difference in sea level between high and low tide. Above 100, it indicates an equinoctial tide.
To check the weather forecast: 08 92 68 02 80
*Download the year 2010 tide table (PDF / 54 ko)(french only).
* Predictions for Cayeux-sur-Mer – and corrections for Le Crotoy, Saint-Valéry-sur-Somme and Le Hourdel. Reproduced with permission N° E101/2006 from the hydrographical and oceanographic department of the French navy - © SHOM. Reproduction not verified by SHOM.
Download tide safety message (PDF / 310 ko) (french only).
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