Small town of the Somme, in the heart of the bay, Le Crotoy takes place eighty kilometers from Amiens, on the shores of the Channel Sea. It is located two hours from the Belgian border, near Saint-Valery-sur-Somme and Noyelles-sur-Mer.
Old, the town is illustrated in the second half of the eleventh century by becoming the starting point of several ships of William the Conqueror during his conquest of England. Alternatively French and English during much of the Hundred Years War, Le Crotoy is embellished with a fortress in 1340 according to the will of Edward III. Partisan of Protestantism and Henry IV under the wars of religion, it then became an important seaside resort from the middle of the nineteenth century, welcoming such famous personalities as Victor Hugo, Toulouse-Lautrec, Jules Verne or Pierre Guerlain.
Even today, Le Crotoy attracts many visitors attracted by the natural charms of the city and its unique architecture.
The church of St. Peter has a tower-facade of the thirteenth century, and in its interior, an old plan of custom with its fortress, an altarpiece of the fifteenth and ex-voto in the form of ships. While strolling in the commune, you will also be able to admire the church of Saint-Firmin, the vestiges of the old ramparts of the fortress of XIIe century, or the numerous villas of the 19th and the 20th century, like that of that of Jules Verne who does not visit unfortunately, the house Millevoye, or the old chalet Félix-Suzanne-Madeleine with bow windows.
Listed in the general inventory of cultural heritage, Villa Marguerite is not lacking in interest. Built at the beginning of the 20th century, it reveals a very fine example of Flemish-style Crotello architecture with a gable. In bricks on metal structure, it is also decorated with ceramics Art Nouveau style. Do not miss out on Gustave Lecoq's former villa, which has become a hotel-restaurant.
Located in the public garden, in front of the bandstand, the monument to the Caudron brothers dates from the 1950s. Its bas-relief reveals the first flights of the Blue Bird, the plane of the two men. The city is also home to a statue of Joan of Arc by Athanase Fosse inaugurated at the end of the nineteenth century to commemorate the passage of the holy Crotoy.
You can make beautiful walks on the fishing port with fishmongers stalls, or on the marina with its boat for sightseeing.
But it is especially for its natural heritage that Le Crotoy is appreciated by tourists. After a tour to the Bassée ponds to admire the swans, mallards or herons, you will be able to cross the delicious bay of the Somme famous for its seals and its unique landscapes. Guided hikes from Crotoy are proposed to discover this area.
It is also possible to discover the educational hut in the heart of the Crotoy marsh.
