The coastal path from Bray-Dunes to Étaples

Access from Dunkirk station to the start of the walk in Braye-Dunes is described in the first stage , “Braye-Dunes – Dunkirk”.
The walk ends at Étaples station.
The route follows the coastal path (^GR®® 120/E9), with a few occasional deviations. To my knowledge, there is no guidebook. Please note that the route shown on the IGN base maps in Visorando differs in places from that indicated on the IGN Top 25 maps (the latter probably show an old route).
It is possible to set off with minimal equipment, as there are plenty of accommodation and dining options all along the route (hotels, campsites, youth hostels, guesthouses). Be careful, however, at Cap Gris-Nez, as in Framezelles there is only one hotel, a campsite and a few guesthouses, which may not be open outside the tourist season, and you may need to stray slightly from the route to reach the centre of Audinghen. The same issue applies in Hardelot-Plage, where there are three hotels requiring a certain budget, and you will either need to extend the stage to the Mont Saint-Frieux campsite or stray significantly from the route as far as Neufchâtel. During the summer and at weekends, it is advisable to book accommodation in advance.
The path is well signposted. However, it runs along the beach on several occasions and it is often tricky to spot where to leave the beach, as there are very few signposts, and if you stray from the beach to walk on the foreshore, it becomes even more difficult. A GPS or a smartphone with the Visorando app will be a great help.

1. Notable natural sites

* Sandy beaches from Braye-Dune to Dunkirk and from Wimereux to Etaples.

• Coastal cliffs from Calais to Boulogne, initially chalky around Cap Blanc-Nez and Petit Blanc-Nez, then rocky from Cap Gris-Nez onwards.
• Pebble beaches from Audreselles to Wimereux.
• Dune nature reserves: Dune Marchand (Braye-Dunes – Zuydcoote), Platier d’Oye (between Grand-Fort-Philippe and Oye-Plage), Mont Saint-Frieux (past Hardelot-Plage), and the Baie de la Canche nature reserve.
• The Aa estuary, Baie de la Canche

# Architectural heritage

• Dunkirk (town hall, churches, Saint-Éloi, Saint-Éloi belfry, Furnes Canal)
• The fortified town of Bergues
• Traditional houses along the Haute Colme Canal.
• Gravelines (fortifications, former barracks, Saint Willibrord Church, large cistern, belfry, arsenal).
• Traditional houses in Grand-Fort-Philippe.
• Calais (belfry and town hall, the Burghers of Calais, Notre-Dame Church, Watchtower).
• Boulogne (the fortified town and castle, the ramparts, the belfry, Notre-Dame Cathedral, Saint-Nicolas Church).
• Étaples: the museum, the town hall, traditional houses.