About this place
Located 5 km from its pristine white chalk twin, between the towns of Wissant and Audresselles, Cap Gris Nez is characterized by its brown and ochre sandstone and its gentle slopes.
The Gris Nez cliff has been sculpted by the pounding waves and rises 45 meters above the ocean. From the top of the cliff, we can see the English coast; in fact, this cape is only 28 kilometers from England.
Gris Nez is Europe’s busiest migratory flyway; this site is highly prized by ornithologists. As the natural boundary between the English Channel and the North Sea, it serves as a sanctuary for millions of birds from Northern Europe and the British Isles.
At the tip of the peninsula, dotted with German bunkers, stands a lighthouse 28 meters tall with a range of 45 kilometers, as well as a sophisticated underground base, CROSSMA, which is responsible for monitoring this strait—the busiest in the world, with more than 500 ships passing through it every day.
A memorial plaque commemorates the sacrifice of Lieutenant Commander Ducuing and his sailors, who fell on May 25, 1940, while defending the semaphore station against Guderian’s tanks. You can also see the ruins of an English fortress that King Henry VIII had built in the 16th century.
At low tide, it will take you a good two hours to cross the bay and reach Blanc Nez, lulled by the sound of the waves and a refreshing breeze.