Let's discover Saint Valery sur Somme, one of the three ports of the Bay of the Somme with Le Hourdel and Le Crotoy. Located south of the mouth of the Somme in the Hauts de France region, this medieval city is also a city of art and history with an exceptional maritime past and a rich architectural heritage. Let's discover this city of the Bay of the Somme where Joan of Arc and William the Conqueror are no strangers: city walls with the William Towers, Saint Martin's church, the fishing and marina quay, the cobbled streets of the city and the colourful houses of the maritime districts...
Discovering the medieval city
During your stay at our campsite in the Baie de Somme, discover the cultural and historical treasures of Saint Valery. On the façade of the "Porte du Bas", also known as the Porte de Nevers, you will notice the 2 bays of the old drawbridge. The Porte Guillaume with its two 11th century towers is certainly one of the oldest vestiges of the medieval city. The Tour de Pierre was used as a prison and was host to Joan of Arc before she was locked up in the Rouen jail. Harold Earl of Kent was imprisoned in 1053 in the Harold Tower. It was from Saint Valery in 1066 that William the Conqueror set out on his quest for England. This was followed by the Battle of Hasting and the defeat of Harold. Strolling through the streets of the old walled city and at the highest point of the town, you will discover a converted manor house (now privately owned) which was the old castle demolished during the French Revolution. The church of Saint Martin with its pebbled chequered walls typical of the buildings on the Picardy coast is also worth a visit...
Walk in the sailors' quarter of Saint Valery sur Somme called the Courtgain
Walking down the flowery lanes towards the port between the narrow coloured houses you reach the sailors' quarter which originated at the end of the 18th century. Admire the Bay of the Somme from the top of the Chapelle des Marins. Also, on the heights of Saint Valery sur Somme do not miss the Calvaire des Marins where the fishermen's wives waited for the return of their men and the fishing boats protected by the statue of the Roche Madone, patron saint of fishermen. Every summer, the Fête de la Mer pays tribute to the sailors who died at sea. On this occasion, the facades of the houses are superbly decorated and numerous activities await you in the port.
