← All places
Religious building

The Notre-Dame des Dunes Chapel

Dunkerque, Opal Coast

About this place

Commonly known as the “little chapel,” it was built in 1815 on the site of a 15th-century oratory, in honor of a miraculous Virgin Mary whose wooden statuette had been found near a freshwater spring during the construction of Dunkirk’s ramparts.

A rare testament to Dunkirk’s origins, the chapel later became a place of worship and devotion for seafarers, particularly fishermen. After undergoing numerous expansions and renovations, the chapel today consists of a main nave with two wings running perpendicular to it, as well as a magnificent vaulted ceiling well known for its constellation of stars.

Today, every August 15, the Blessing of the Sea ceremony takes place. During this ceremony, the statue is carried in procession by the Bazennes (the wives of fishing boat captains).

Inside the chapel are numerous ex-votos and model boats suspended from the ceiling, in gratitude for the Virgin’s protection.
In addition, a fountain was dedicated in 2004, symbolizing the freshwater spring that was miraculously discovered at the time.

Photos of this place

No photo of this place yet

Been to The Notre-Dame des Dunes Chapel? Your photo would be the first to illustrate this page — credited to your name or pen name.

Submit a photo

What to do nearby?

Upcoming events in Dunkerque.

category.Découverte 26 August → 24 November

Dynamo Private Tour

Dunkerque

Follow in the footsteps of the heroes of 1940. Take a tour—in your own car or one of ours—of the must-see sites of Operation Dynamo. From May 26 to June 4, 1940, Dunkirk was the scene of the largest military evacuation in history: 338,000 Allied soldiers managed to escape from the “Dunkirk encampment” aboard a fleet of more than 800 ships.Our guide will show you the sites in the Dunkirk area that commemorate the Battle of Dunkirk and Operation Dynamo. The battle, which left a deep mark on our region, was long considered a debacle best forgotten. In recent years, international experts have agreed on the significance of the event, now recognized as one of the turning points of World War II. It is no coincidence that Christopher Nolan, the director of “Dunkirk”—in theaters July 19—chose the following subtitle: “The event that shaped our world.”The tour itinerary includes: the port (the East Jetty and the jetty’s end), downtown Dunkirk, the beach, a stop by the “Princess Elizabeth,” the British Memorial, and the British cemetery... We’ll also be able to show you a few locations where the film “Dunkirk” was shot. Price: Package starting at 150 €
Culture 26 August → 24 November

"Guynemer, Jean Bart Neighborhood" by Loredana Marini

Dunkerque

This exhibition is the result of a photographic project spanning more than two years, led by Belgian photographer Loredana Marini. The project began as part of an artistic workshop held at Château Coquelle with students from Septantecinq, the École Supérieure des Arts de l’image in Brussels, and later as part of an artist-in-residence program at Château Coquelle, Loredana Marini presents a photographic series focusing on the residents of the Guynemer and Jean Bart neighborhoods in Saint-Pol-sur-Mer, an area undergoing urban renewal. “My involvement with the neighborhood began in October 2023. Even before going there, I had been searching for a long time. I wanted to photograph a public housing neighborhood. It was obvious. This choice also stemmed from my own experiences. I’ve always lived in working-class neighborhoods. For me, there was something deeply sociological about this project, but also something personal, almost intimate. I’ve often felt that those who talk about these places without ever having lived there know nothing about them. They know neither the smells, nor the sounds, nor the exhaustion.(…) The first time I arrived there, it was a day in October. I was dropped off in the neighborhood. I remember it very well: the warmth of the autumn sun on the brick walls, that low light. A familiar feeling, as if I’d been here before, as if I already knew this place. (…) In this neighborhood in transition, it seemed important to me to take a closer look. So I wouldn’t forget. When I return two years later, I still feel just as alone. A bit like I did at the beginning. But today it’s real: the buildings are coming down, one after another. I often think back to that first day in October. To that light on the bricks. To that walk through the neighborhood. To that moment when I realized that this neighborhood, in some way, was also telling my story.”—Loredana Marini, November 2025.
Culture 26 August → 24 November

Actually, Abstract!

Dunkerque

On August 26, 2026, come and be amazed by the exhibition “En réalité, Abstrait!” at the Lieu d’Art et Action Contemporaine in Dunkirk. For a €6 admission fee, explore works that question reality through abstract forms. An artistic experience not to be missed on the Opal Coast.

Other places to discover

Religious building

Calvary

Saint-Aubin

A covered wayside shrine made of brick, featuring a small gate with blue wrought-ironwork. It is set within a small enclosure containing two other shrines and a tree. A remarkable tree stands opposite it, marking the crossroads.
Religious building

The Carillon of the Bourbourg Church

Bourbourg

Featuring 50 bells, the instrument plays automatically or when struck by the carillonneur. Today, it is one of the most beautiful carillons in France.
Religious building

Notre-Dame des Flots Chapel

Gravelines

The chapel stands proudly amid the dunes of Petit-Fort-Philippe. Built in the 18th century and destroyed in 1789, it was rebuilt on the seashore in 1829. The 18th-century statue of the Virgin Mary is brought out onto the forecourt—an exceptional occurrence—for a Mass in memory of those lost at sea and for the Icelanders every September.
Religious building

St. Joseph Chapel

Saint-Aubin

A square-plan chapel built of brick and blue stone (base and facade).
Religious building

St. Paul's Abbey

Wisques

Located in the small village of Wisques, 7 kilometers from Saint-Omer, Saint-Paul Abbey offers a fascinating tour, both historically and architecturally. The abbey, also known as “the great castle,” was built on the site of the former Wisques Castle, which was constructed after the Hundred Years’ War. All that remains from that period is the keep, crowned by two turrets and four towers (late 15th century), a small courtyard to the west, and the large Saint-Bertin Tower (early 15th century). The building was later expanded in the 18th century with a residence and a porch that are quite characteristic of the region. The Benedictine brotherhood settled there in the 19th century. In 1930, a series of modern elements were added. The “poet of brick,” Dom Bello, a Dutch architect heavily influenced by the Amsterdam School, added a cloister and a refectory with elegant proportions, making subtle use of the building materials. Joseph Philippe completed the complex with a chapel (in 1957) and then a guesthouse (in 1968). Originally intended to be a monastic library, Joseph Philippe’s chapel is remarkable for its choir, which features a magnificent brick drapery. In addition to guided tours, visitors can admire the ceramics crafted by the monks and sold in the shop located near the pottery workshop. Finally, visitors can attend Masses sung in the Gregorian chant tradition.
Religious building

Notre-Dame Church

Calais

Having survived bombings and several construction projects, Calais’s oldest building now stands on Rue de Croy. When construction began in the 13th century, Adrien de Wissant had the church built on the site of the current transept. Extensive expansion projects were then undertaken through the 16th century, and it was during the English occupation that the upper sections of the nave, the choir, and the bell tower were built. Built in the Tudor style, this church drew on its British influences to reach its final form in the 17th century; a chapel and a Baroque altarpiece were added at that time. A testament to medieval architecture, the Church of Notre-Dame de Calais also features a massive tower supporting the bell tower at the intersection of the transept and the nave. As you head toward the north side of the nave, you’ll notice a cistern with a capacity of 1,800 m³ that was used to collect rainwater; it was built by Vauban in 1691 to meet the population’s needs in the event of a siege. It was in this building that General de Gaulle and Yvonne Vendroux were married in 1921. Nothing could prevent the Allied bombings during World War II, which occurred one week before the city’s liberation; as a result, the bell tower collapsed onto the transept, and the altarpiece sustained severe damage. Since then, the church has undergone extensive restoration, which will allow visitors to appreciate the full originality of its architecture.

Nearby — our partners