The Pointe du Hourdel circuit

From Port du Hourdel, there is a coastal route that returns along the ponds and passes by the Maison des Oiseaux.
Important note from one of our friends: please note that parking at Le Hourdel is subject to a charge, even in low season. However, the car park located between (3) and (4) was free when we went on our walk. It was therefore possible to start the walk from this new starting point.

Details

162162
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 11.11 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 10 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: No
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 6 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 6 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 13 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 3 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Take the bus to the large car park at Port du Hourdel

(S). Look for the large sign showing these places and indicating the coastal path linking Le Hourdel to Cayeux-sur-Mer. Follow this path marked with the double coloursGR® (red and white) andPR® (yellow). You will soon reach the blockhouse, which now stands with its feet in the water.

(1) Walk along the sea to the old D102 road, which is now closed to traffic on this section. Leave it and turn right onto the path, then take the dirt track to reach the dune overlooking the sea.

(2) Head south to the roundabout car park on the D102, after leaving theGR® trail on your right.

(3) Take thePR® on the grassy pavement on the left. Continue to the hamlet of La Mollière d'Aval, then to the Vierge crossroads.

(4) Turn left onto the track leading to the large sandpit.

(5). Follow the same path to the Vierge crossroads.

(4). Continue south-east, taking great care when crossing the D3. Continue along the quiet road that serves La Mollière de Terre, pass a large farm and reach a new crossroads.

(6) Change direction and head north-east to the car park (signposted) at the Maison des Oiseaux, then walk to the house.

(7) Return to the car park, cross the Canal de Cayeux on the footbridge and head north to rejoin the D3, crossing it again with caution.

(8) Continue north-east, follow the large pond to its end.

(9) Take the track that runs alongside a factory and return to the bus at the Hourdel car park (E).

Waypoints

  1. S : km 0 - alt. 7 m - Parking terminal at Port du Hourdel - Baie de la Somme
  2. 1 : km 1.01 - alt. 8 m - The blockhouse
  3. 2 : km 3.72 - alt. 7 m - The sea wall
  4. 3 : km 4.01 - alt. 7 m - The GR PR crossroads
  5. 4 : km 5.16 - alt. 6 m - The Virgin
  6. 5 : km 5.59 - alt. 5 m - The pond
  7. 6 : km 7.46 - alt. 5 m - The bird sanctuary
  8. 7 : km 8.36 - alt. 4 m - The Bird House
  9. 8 : km 9.22 - alt. 5 m - The D3 crossroads
  10. 9 : km 10.49 - alt. 4 m - The end of the pond
  11. E : km 11.11 - alt. 7 m - Parking terminal at Port du Hourdel - Baie de la S

Notes

No water supply.
Tables are available at the pond for picnics.
Be careful when crossing the main roads, especially during the tourist season.

Worth a visit

The port of Le Hourdel.
The large villages on this coast: Cayeux-sur-Mer, Saint-Valérie-sur-Somme, Le Crotoy.
And, of course, the famous Baie de Somme.

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 71 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.2 / 5
User 20889541

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 20, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

The return journey via the quarry bypass is long and rather uninteresting

Machine-translated

sylvain55
sylvain55

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 07, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The stars say it all.

Machine-translated

aronde
aronde
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

it's a shame there's hunting

Machine-translated

cpepper
cpepper

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 16, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Nice walk with the added bonus of seeing seals

Machine-translated

MIMIKNAKI
MIMIKNAKI

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 27, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

PARISH SPECIFIC TO BRITTANY

Machine-translated

MIMIKNAKI
MIMIKNAKI

PARISH SPECIFIC TO BRITTANY

Machine-translated

totol 54
totol 54
• Edited:

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 27, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

At the end of the ponds, go over the gate to the quarries and take the path on the left, as the environment must have changed since the description.

Machine-translated

Gid78
Gid78

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 22, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful walk in the Baie de Somme, easy and flexible, as we left and returned along the coast, making a diversion via the marina at Le Hourdel. We parked our car at the Cayeux lighthouse as everything else had to be paid for. The route passes from the sea to the countryside and then to the coastal village. We avoided routes 3 and 8 as well as 8 to 9 because we didn't find the area very pleasant.

Machine-translated

MIMIKNAKI
MIMIKNAKI

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 15, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

SEVERAL LOOPS ARE POSSIBLE PARISH SPECIFIC TO BRITTANY

Machine-translated

philippedesgr
philippedesgr

Just step away from the port of Le Hourdel and you'll rediscover the calm and exhilaration of the sea and the views from the dunes: calme et volupté....

Machine-translated

Ffl47
Ffl47

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 01, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Lots of people at Le Hourdel to see the seals, but not many otherwise. Pleasant tour

Machine-translated

philippedesgr
philippedesgr

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 20, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

An interesting nature outing, as it allows you to discover a site that is unique in France, in particular this sedimentary spit which, thanks to the contributions of coastal currents, stretches for almost 20km and is up to 1km wide. Highly recommended for outdoor enthusiasts....

Machine-translated

Robert 62
Robert 62

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 20, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

I find your site well documented, I appreciate the accuracy of your routes, I follow the routes I've already done with my Garmin gps bike or hiking with a cardio or on my phone for now, I do not need a subscription.
Thank you for your attention.
R. Harboux

Machine-translated

Béatrice et Alexandre
Béatrice et Alexandre

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 30, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Interesting in its first part. Average in the second half: too much driving, rather bleak countryside.

Machine-translated

fzutterman
fzutterman

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 11, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Very interesting route along the sea, moderately interesting between 3 and 8 (vast fields), totally uninteresting from 8 to 9 because it runs alongside the quarry area (dirt, noise). A solution should be found to avoid this area altogether (via the greenway?). Also worth mentioning: there is a small path that avoids a stretch of tarmac between 3 and 4. For a description of this path, see the itinerary "De Cayeux au Hourdel, retour par la mer et les phoques à marée basse".

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.