Sainte-Marguerite-Sur-Mer: Coast, Nature and Heritage

If you are considering Sainte-Marguerite-Sur-Mer as a destination for a hotel stay, its coastline, natural environment and cultural heritage offer different points of reference to help you choose. The beach is shaped by the tides and seasonal supervised swimming; at Cap d’Ailly, the focus is on landscapes and nature. Phare d’Ailly adds a historic building to these impressions. This can help you decide which of these aspects is of particular interest for your trip.

Beach, tides and summer swimming

At low tide, the beach at Sainte-Marguerite-Sur-Mer reveals both pebbles and sand. The composition of the beach therefore depends on a specific point in the tidal cycle. There is a small children’s playground on the seafront promenade. Sea or lake swimming at Plage-Baignade Sainte-Marguerite-sur-Mer is supervised in summer. Supervision is seasonal; check the exact dates before your trip. These are different aspects to consider when planning: the pebbles and sand describe the beach at low tide, while supervision applies to summer swimming at the designated bathing area.

Cap d’Ailly: landscape and route

The Cap d’Ailly area includes mature pine forest, deciduous woodland, Atlantic wet heathland and a network of ponds. It is also home to numerous protected species. The Cap d’Ailly Espace Naturel Sensible covers 60 hectares and features exceptional landscapes, fauna and flora. The area’s natural features thus range from forest and wet heathland to ponds and protected species.

The route through Cap d’Ailly passes numerous temporary ponds and goes through woods of oak, chestnut, holly, beech, aspen and pine. The “De la plage au Cap d’Ailly” route passes through the Bois de l’Ailly, one of the area’s three Espaces Naturels Sensibles. Its coastal section follows the GR21 for approximately 1.5 kilometres. Follow the local signs in the cliff area. The distance given refers to the coastal section of the route; it is not the total length.

Phare d’Ailly and historical traces

The current Phare d’Ailly is a square tower made of Mignac stone and granite, which was commissioned in 1958. In November 2010, the lighthouse was listed as a Monument Historique. The building can therefore be considered in terms of both its specific shape and materials and its protected status.

The lighthouse is generally not open to visitors. However, the municipality of Sainte-Marguerite-sur-Mer occasionally organises guided tours, particularly on Heritage Days. Check local announcements before making plans. Another historic trace lies on the beach: a Second World War blockhouse collapsed there in 1993 and remains in place. It offers a different perspective from the lighthouse: here, a wartime relic stands alongside a building that was commissioned in 1958 and later listed as a Monument Historique.

Discover more destinations: Touffreville-La-Corbeline, Isneauville, Tocqueville-En-Caux, Saint-Denis-Le-Thiboult, Dieppe, Le Havre, Saumont-La-Poterie, Amfreville-La-Mi-Voie

Return to the regional travel overview: Seine-Maritime.