Cayeux-sur-Mer (, literally ''Cayeux on Sea''; ) is a resort town in the

Somme __NOTOC__ Somme or The Somme may refer to: Places *Somme (department), a department of France * Somme, Queensland, Australia * Canal de la Somme, a canal in France *Somme (river), a river in France Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Somme'' (book), ...

department in

Hauts-de-France Hauts-de-France (; ; ), also referred to in English as Upper France, is the northernmost region of France, created by the territorial reform of French regions in 2014, from a merger of Nord-Pas-de-Calais and Picardy. Its prefecture is Lille. ...

in northern

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

. The town is part of the Baie de Somme - Picardie maritime regional natural park project. Its inhabitants are called the Cayolais.

Geography

The commune is a

seaside town A seaside resort is a city, resort town, town, village, or hotel that serves as a Resort, vacation resort and is located on a coast. Sometimes the concept includes an aspect of an official accreditation based on the satisfaction of certain requi ...

, situated on the D102 road, some northwest of

Abbeville Abbeville (; ; ) is a commune in the Somme department and in Hauts-de-France region in northern France. It is the of one of the arrondissements of Somme. Located on the river Somme, it was the capital of Ponthieu. Geography Location A ...

. The town of Cayeux-sur-Mer is located on the Picardy coast, in the natural region of ''Marquenterre'', south of the Baie de Somme, 16 miles west of Abbeville as the crow flies. It is bordered by the English Channel to the west. The neighboring municipalities are Lanchères, Brutelles, Pendé, Vaudricourt and Woignarue. The nearest cities to Cayeux-sur-Mer are

Amiens Amiens (English: or ; ; , or ) is a city and Communes of France, commune in northern France, located north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme (department), Somme Departments of France, department in the region ...

(41 mi),

Lille Lille (, ; ; ; ; ) is a city in the northern part of France, within French Flanders. Positioned along the Deûle river, near France's border with Belgium, it is the capital of the Hauts-de-France Regions of France, region, the Prefectures in F ...

(75 mi) and

Le Havre Le Havre is a major port city in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy (administrative region), Normandy region of northern France. It is situated on the right bank of the estuary of the Seine, river Seine on the English Channel, Channe ...

(75 mi).

Population

Places of interest

* The boardwalk (quite famous and probably the longest of Europe), with 438 cabins (as of summer 2019) * The station of the

preserved railway A heritage railway or heritage railroad (U.S. usage) is a railway operated as living history to re-create or preserve railway scenes of the past. Heritage railways are often old railway lines preserved in a state depicting a period (or periods) ...

, the Chemin de Fer de la Baie de Somme * The remains of the lighthouse, built in 1835, destroyed in August 1944 by the Germans * "Benoît Champy", a 19th-century lifeboat that one can visit (Intersection Boulevard General Sizaire - Rue de la Halle) * Woodwork decorating the marriage room of the town hall, that originate from a former church * The largest seal colony in France

Resort

Cayeux-sur-Mer is a large seaside resort with its beach lined with characteristic cabins. The boardwalk, lined with around 400 colorful cabins and 2 km long, offers a pleasant setting for walking and relaxation. It is considered the longest in Europe. Further north is Le Hourdel, a small fishing port in the Bay of Somme. It allows boats to reach the estuary and has been home to a fishing port since 183066. The Maison de la baie de Somme et de l'oiseau is located between the town and Saint-Valery-sur-Somme. There are nearly 250 species of migratory birds as well as seals in their natural environment.

Canoe Benoit-Champy

The Benoît-Champy canoe is a 19th-century lifeboat. It has been classified since May 21, 1992 as a Historic Monument. The canoe shelter has been listed since July 25, 2006 as a Historic Monument.

Cayeux-sur-Mer-Brighton-Plage Station

The town is at the end of the tourist line of the Somme Bay Railway linking Le Crotoy - Noyelles-sur-Mer - Saint-Valery-sur-Somme and Cayeux-sur-Mer. Cayeux-sur-Mer-Brighton-Plage station is located south of the town.

Town hall

The town hall of Cayeux-sur-Mer is a brick building with openings framed in white stone. It is built on two levels. The second level of the central part is decorated with a balcony with wrought iron gate. It is decorated with a pediment with a clock. A pinnacle lies at the top of the roof.

Lighthouse

The Cayeux lighthouse was commissioned in September 1951, the old one having been destroyed by German troops on August 31, 1944. It is 28 m high.

St. Peter's Church

The current church of Cayeux-sur-Mer dates from August 3, 1902 and its organs from 191369. It has remarkable stained glass windows and statues.

References

Bibliography

* *

External links

Tourism office

City council

Somme Bay Kitesurf School

Photos of the seaside towns
* https://www.cayeux-sur-mer.fr/loisirs/sorties-et-loisirs/ Communes of Somme (department) Seaside resorts in France {{Abbeville-geo-stub