Le Crotoy
Encyclopedia
Le Crotoy is a commune
in the Somme
department in Picardie
in northern France
. The inhabitants are known as Crotellois
.
Today, the town is a lively seaside resort whose beach is undoubtedly one of its main assets. It also benefits from the proximity of Marquentera (Park of Marquenterre), an area of natural beauty, with lakes, marshes and a rich flora and fauna.
The beach is highly unusual for northern French beaches in that it faces south.
In terms of wildlife the bay supports a population of seals and shags.
Le Crotoy is one terminus of the narrow gauge "Chemin de Fer de la Baie de Somme" (Somme Bay Railway), which is now largely a tourist attraction. Running around the entire length of the bay, this railway connects Le Crotoy with Noyelles-sur-Mer
, Saint-Valery-sur-Somme
, and Cayeux-sur-Mer
and the sands at Brighton Plage.
Main line trains to Paris take about 2 hours and cost about 48Euro return for an adult. They run from the nearby (15 mins by car) station of Noyelles-sur-Mer
, which is also a station on the "Chemin de Fer de la Baie de Somme" narrow gauge railway.
The bay of the river Somme has interesting tides in that they are both fast and have a high rise and fall. At low tide it is possible to walk across the sand and mud flats from Le Crotoy to Saint-Valery-sur-Somme
. Care needs to be taken as the tides come in very quickly.
(mostly cockles and mussels) and from the coastal saltmarshes, samphire
and sea-aster.
Hunting and shooting, for both game and wildfowl provides food for locals and visitors alike.
Sheep-rearing, on salty pastures, produces a unique flavour. The sheep of the Somme bay have been credited ‘appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC)’ .
(who was imprisoned there), Jules Verne
(who wrote 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea here), the perfumer Guerlain
, the painter Toulouse-Lautrec, and the novelist Colette
.
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Somme
Somme
Somme is a department of France, located in the north of the country and named after the Somme river. It is part of the Picardy region of France....
department in Picardie
Picardie
Picardy is one of the 27 regions of France. It is located in the northern part of France.-History:The historical province of Picardy stretched from north of Noyon to Calais, via the whole of the Somme department and the north of the Aisne department...
in northern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The inhabitants are known as Crotellois
Geography
Le Crotoy is situated on the D143 and D71 crossroads, on the estuary of the river Somme, some 10 miles (16 km) northwest of AbbevilleAbbeville
Abbeville is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Location:Abbeville is located on the Somme River, from its modern mouth in the English Channel, and northwest of Amiens...
.
Today, the town is a lively seaside resort whose beach is undoubtedly one of its main assets. It also benefits from the proximity of Marquentera (Park of Marquenterre), an area of natural beauty, with lakes, marshes and a rich flora and fauna.
The beach is highly unusual for northern French beaches in that it faces south.
In terms of wildlife the bay supports a population of seals and shags.
Places of interest
- The preserved railway, the Chemin de Fer de la Baie de Somme
- Le port and town of Crotoy
Activities
There are numerous restaurants in the village and it is well equipped with shops and a petrol station. Bed & Breakfast accommodation is also available.Le Crotoy is one terminus of the narrow gauge "Chemin de Fer de la Baie de Somme" (Somme Bay Railway), which is now largely a tourist attraction. Running around the entire length of the bay, this railway connects Le Crotoy with Noyelles-sur-Mer
Noyelles-sur-Mer
Noyelles-sur-Mer is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Geography:Noyelles-sur-Mer is situated on the coast, facing the English Channel, on the D11 and D40 junction, some northwest of Abbeville.-Railways:...
, Saint-Valery-sur-Somme
Saint-Valery
Saint-Valery is a small village in northern France. It is designated municipally as a commune within the département of Oise.-References:*...
, and Cayeux-sur-Mer
Cayeux-sur-Mer
Cayeux-sur-Mer is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Geography:The commune is a seaside town, situated on the D102 road, some northwest of Abbeville.-Population:-Places of interest:...
and the sands at Brighton Plage.
Main line trains to Paris take about 2 hours and cost about 48Euro return for an adult. They run from the nearby (15 mins by car) station of Noyelles-sur-Mer
Noyelles-sur-Mer
Noyelles-sur-Mer is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Geography:Noyelles-sur-Mer is situated on the coast, facing the English Channel, on the D11 and D40 junction, some northwest of Abbeville.-Railways:...
, which is also a station on the "Chemin de Fer de la Baie de Somme" narrow gauge railway.
The bay of the river Somme has interesting tides in that they are both fast and have a high rise and fall. At low tide it is possible to walk across the sand and mud flats from Le Crotoy to Saint-Valery-sur-Somme
Saint-Valery
Saint-Valery is a small village in northern France. It is designated municipally as a commune within the département of Oise.-References:*...
. Care needs to be taken as the tides come in very quickly.
Occupations
Fishing predominates, both for seafish and shellfishShellfish
Shellfish is a culinary and fisheries term for exoskeleton-bearing aquatic invertebrates used as food, including various species of molluscs, crustaceans, and echinoderms. Although most kinds of shellfish are harvested from saltwater environments, some kinds are found only in freshwater...
(mostly cockles and mussels) and from the coastal saltmarshes, samphire
Samphire
Samphire is a name given to a number of very different edible plants that happen to grow in coastal areas.*Rock samphire, Crithmum maritimum is a coastal species with white flowers that grows in the United Kingdom...
and sea-aster.
Hunting and shooting, for both game and wildfowl provides food for locals and visitors alike.
Sheep-rearing, on salty pastures, produces a unique flavour. The sheep of the Somme bay have been credited ‘appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC)’ .
Personalities
Le Crotoy has had lengthy visits from some famous figures of French history: Joan of ArcJoan of Arc
Saint Joan of Arc, nicknamed "The Maid of Orléans" , is a national heroine of France and a Roman Catholic saint. A peasant girl born in eastern France who claimed divine guidance, she led the French army to several important victories during the Hundred Years' War, which paved the way for the...
(who was imprisoned there), Jules Verne
Jules Verne
Jules Gabriel Verne was a French author who pioneered the science fiction genre. He is best known for his novels Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea , A Journey to the Center of the Earth , and Around the World in Eighty Days...
(who wrote 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea here), the perfumer Guerlain
Guerlain
Guerlain is a French perfume house, among the oldest in the world. It has a large and loyal customer following, and is held in high esteem in the perfume industry...
, the painter Toulouse-Lautrec, and the novelist Colette
Colette
Colette was the surname of the French novelist and performer Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette . She is best known for her novel Gigi, upon which Lerner and Loewe based the stage and film musical comedies of the same title.-Early life and marriage:Colette was born to retired military officer Jules-Joseph...
.
Population
See also
- Communes of the Somme department
- Réseau des Bains de Mer
- Chemin de Fer de la Baie de Somme