Bray-Dunes – Dunkirk

Start from Bray-Dunes beach, on the Belgian border. See the ‘Practical Information’ section for access details.

(S/E) Walk along the beach heading west, following the^GR®120(red and white markings).

(1) Join the promenade on the sea wall. Before reaching the end of the promenade, turn left onto Rue des Bains, then take the first right (Boulevard Georges Pompidou).

(2) At the end of the boulevard, join the Dune Marchand path; follow the markings from 1 to 20, ignoring any side paths. The path eventually joins the beach at Zuydcoote.

(3) Walk along the beach heading west.

(4) Join the promenade on the seafront seawall at Leffrinckoucke. Continue on and walk along Malo-les-Bains.

(5) At the memorial at the end of the sea wall, carry straight on across the metal footbridge over the canal. Take the first right, then turn right again at a flight of steps leading down under a road, then turn right once more to walk alongside the canal.

(6) Cross Avenue des Bordées on your right and continue along the path opposite. Ignore the various paths leading to a monument, then, just before reaching a fenced-off park, turn right onto a footpath. At the end of this, cross the sculpture garden.

(7) On leaving the park, turn right onto Avenue des Bains. You’ll come to a large junction.

(8) Then turn right onto Rue du Leughenaer and continue to Place du Minck. At the end of this, turn left onto Rue Jean Jaurès. Walk past the town hall, then continue in the same direction along Rue Clemenceau until you reach the belfry, opposite Saint-Éloi Church (E).

To get to Bray-Dunes from Dunkirk station, there are two options:
- by bus: take the C1 line to the terminus at Leffrinckoucke-Fort-des-Dunes, then the 20 line towards Adinkerque station; get off at the “Plage Bray-Dunes” stop and walk to the border along the beach (3/4 of an hour by bus and half an hour’s walk)
- By taxi (about a quarter of an hour, costing €30), and you’ll also need to walk to the border via the beach.
- Another option to try: get dropped off at the “Le Perroquet” campsite in Bray-Dunes (at the “Frontière” bus stop), spend the night at the campsite and set off the next day along the beach, as the campsite has access to the beach near the border.

Difficulty rating according to the FFRP: effort = 2; technical difficulty = 2; risk = 1.

Dune Marchand Nature Reserve between Bray-Dunes and Zuydcoote
The seafront at Malo-les-Bains.
In Dunkirk: the town hall, the Saint-Éloi belfry, and Saint-Éloi Church.