Marquenterre
Marquenterre Bird Sanctuary
The bay of the Somme is situated at a crossroads on the migrationary paths for thousands of birds each year. All shapes, colours and sizes and making varying amounts of noise.
The park is easily found from the A26 Autoroute coming off at Rue, from there it is signposted.
You can hire binoculars if you wish (Jumelles in French).
Once inside the park there are three routes according to what you want to do and how long you have. The longest route is needless to say the more interesting taking you further out on to the bay. Allow yourselves a good couple of hours at a steady pace to see and visit some fifteen hides along the way. From here you can learn about the birds and their habitats from numerous panels.
My knowledge of wild birds is approximately zero (If there is plastic round it, it is probably a chicken!) but I have passed three visits here enjoying the sheer number of birds during the height of the season.
The walkways are reasonably well covered but on a hot day you will be exposed to the sun so cover up and take water with you.
There is a small shop and cafe situated at the entrance gate.
See also