Whilst Merlimont-Village is busy all year round, Merlimont-Plage is more of a summer holiday village. Three quarters are second homes, there’s a well-stocked camping offer but also pretty seaside villas; something for every budget and every taste here. Well-groomed but not bourgeois, calm and yet overflowing with activities, Merlimont-Plage is above all a family resort. Its superb beach, its nautical pleasures, its natural spaces; it has so much to offer families in search of relaxation. And a cherry on top: Bagatelle Park, our own little Disneyland…
Bagatelle, the grand-daddy of French theme parks
Why not start there? Created in 1955, Bagatelle is the oldest amusement park in France, which is worth some consideration… There is not a child in the region who has not “counted the sleeps” before a day at Bagatelle. Set in 26 hectares of greenery, this mini Disneyland on a human scale has never stopped evolving. Today, it offers 40 attractions, entertainment and shows as well as three restaurants.
On the Merlimont-Plage seawall stand some lavish seaside villas
Originally a small fishing port, Merlimont-Plage developed with the arrival of the railway and a bourgeois clientele from Paris. During the inter-war years, graceful villas sprouted in the centre of the resort and on the seawall promenade. Les Aïeux, Martin Martine, Vent du Large or Les Goélands still stand proudly facing the sea, pampered by their owners who have dressed them in soft shades of beige, grey, off-white or even azure blue. “Doing a Seawall”, as we say here, remains an eternal pleasure…
Highlighting water sports
With a central beach supervised in high season and a seafront running between Stella-Plage and Berck, Merlimont-Plage is a little paradise for water sports enthusiasts. Sailboats, jet skis, sea kayaks, stand up paddle boards, pedal boats but also trips out to sea… the Nautical Club has more than one string to its bow.
Nature walks on an exceptional sand dune system
But Merlimont-Plage is also a walker’s paradise as it offers invigorating strolls along its dunes, one of the most beautiful in France! Several paths have been laid out in this vast sand garden, allowing you to explore the dunes and discover rare species such as the crested lark or the Curtis violet.
Among these paths, the Parabolic Dune Trail, which passes through the heart of the nature reserve, has been built on stilts; the best way to protect the natural environment whilst giving access to all, including pushchairs and people with reduced mobility.
And for a change from the golden dunes, the Sentier de la Forêt offers an 8km walk in the shade of pine trees planted at the beginning of the 20th Century, part of which is classified as a national biological reserve.
Active holidays in Merlimont-Plage
Otherwise, families on holiday in Merlimont-Plage also enjoy a game of fishing on foot armed with a net and bucket at low tide. This activity, which is more for fun rather than to catch your lunch, is organised in season by the tourist office, which offers many other activities, concerts and courses.
Sandcastle competitions, miniature golf, baby gym or trout fishing…to each their own way of getting some fresh air.
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