The Great
Outdoors
Two wild coastlines, a medieval hilltop, and trails that connect England to Brittany. Boulogne is not a destination you pass through. It is one you explore.
© cote-dopale.com
Dunes de la Slack
Total immersion in the Regional Natural Park. Starting from Wimereux, this loop takes you through wild dunes and pine forests with striking contrasts between golden sand and greenery. The sea-air walk to clear your head after the crossing. Accessible on foot from the centre of Wimereux, 10 km north of Boulogne.
© P. Ledez / OTBCO
The Imperial Trail
In the footsteps of Napoleon's Grand Army. This historic circuit around Wimille offers panoramas of the Column of the Grand Army and the Boulonnais countryside. A mix of heritage, sunken paths and striking views. The Column was built to commemorate the camp where Napoleon drilled his army for the planned invasion of England.
© Totemus / P. Ledez / OTBCO
Old Town Ramparts Loop
An accessible walk around the fortified ramparts of Boulogne, one of the best-preserved medieval hilltop towns in northern France. Discover the basilica, the castle-museum, cobblestone streets and sweeping views of the harbour and the Channel below. Ideal for a cultural morning straight off the boat.
© Studio Giftig / Ville de Boulogne-sur-Mer
The Open-Air Museum
Walk the streets with your eyes wide open. Walls, gable ends, street furniture and even the university columns wear the work of local and international artists, turning Boulogne into a free open-air gallery. One of its frescoes, by Studio Giftig, was voted third most beautiful mural in France in 2025. The collection grows every year and is yours to explore at your own pace, any day, for free. Download the Street Art Cities app to locate every piece, or join a guided tour through the tourist office.
© La Vélomaritime
La Vélomaritime
The iconic coastal axis that connects Boulogne to Calais and beyond. Follow the cliffs of the Deux-Caps with Cap Blanc-Nez and England visible on the horizon. This is EuroVelo 4, 1,600 km from Roscoff to Dunkerque. From Boulogne, SailLink connects EV4 to NCN1 and the British cycle network at Dover. The crossing is part of the route.
© Jérémy Janin
Gris-Nez Loop
Departing from Ambleteuse, this gravel circuit passes via Mont de Couple for a 360° panorama before descending towards the coast at Cap Gris-Nez. A perfect mix of small roads and tracks for gravel bikes or MTB. The closest point in France to England is visible from the clifftop on clear days.
Les Deux-Caps.
England on the horizon.
Cap Blanc-Nez and Cap Gris-Nez are the two chalk headlands that define the Opal Coast. On clear days, the White Cliffs of Dover are visible from both summits, 30 km across the Channel. This is the Grand Site de France des Deux-Caps, a protected area of 7,500 hectares and 23 km of exceptional coastline. Start at the Maison des Deux-Caps in Audinghen: bike hire, GPX routes, and a team that knows every path.
Maison des Deux-CapsHeritage & Culture
Basilica & Crypt
Notre-Dame de Boulogne and one of the largest crypts in France, an impressive underground maze beneath the hilltop basilica. Free entry to the basilica, guided tours of the crypt.
Visit info © Quentin Wadoux Culture · CastleCastle Museum
Inside the medieval ramparts: Egyptian collections and local maritime history housed in the 13th-century comtal castle. One of the most eclectic museum collections in northern France.
Visit info © Pas de calais tourisme Maritime Heritage · Fishermen's QuarterMaison de la Beurière
La Beurière was the fishermen's quarter of Boulogne. This 1870 house preserves a family's daily life exactly as it was: furniture, linen, nets. A quiet and moving portrait of the community that built this port.
Visit infoMemory & WWII
Fort de la Crèche
A coastal fort overlooking the sea, a striking witness to WWII coastal defences. Fascinating guided tours of bunkers and batteries with panoramic Channel views.
Visit site © WWI Cimeteries Memory · Anglo-French HistoryTerlincthun British Cemetery
On the hillside above Wimereux, overlooking the Channel: over 4,000 Commonwealth soldiers buried within sight of the English coast. A deeply moving place, and a reminder of how close these two shores have always been.
CWGC infoNature & on the water
Maison des Deux-Caps
The visitor centre for Cap Blanc-Nez and Cap Gris-Nez. GPX routes, interactive exhibition, classic and electric bike hire. Accueil Vélo labelled. The best starting point for exploring the Opal Coast on two wheels or two feet.
Plan your visit ©Cite Mer/Pas de calais tourisme Non-profit · Sailing & sea fishingCité Mer
A Boulogne-based non-profit (loi 1901) that has been making the sea accessible to everyone since 2006. Sailing trips and sea fishing outings open to individuals and groups, alongside educational programmes for residents of priority neighbourhoods. A different way to spend a half-day on the water.
Book a trip © YCB/P.LEDEZ OTBCO Sailing school · Yacht Club BoulonnaisLearn to Sail · YCB
The historic yacht club of Boulogne-sur-Mer, right next to the SailLink pontoon. Sailing courses for beginners and improvers, dinghy and keelboat. A natural next step if the crossing leaves you wanting to take the tiller yourself.
Courses & info