Cap Blanc Nez
Chalk cliffs, hiking trail and Escalles naturist beach reachable at low tide at the foot of Cap Blanc Nez, in Pas-de-Calais.
- Chalk cliffs at 134 m
- View over the English coast
- Naturist beach at the cape's foot
- Access by Div'in bus
- Marked hiking trail
- Address
- Sentier du Blanc Nez
62231 Sangatte, Pas-de-Calais
A cape before anything else
Cap Blanc Nez isn't really a beach, it's a headland of white chalk overlooking the Channel at 134 metres high. People come here mostly for the scenery and the hiking, not to lay a towel on the sand the moment they arrive.
The site is officially classified as nudism allowed, but in practice nude swimming and sunbathing happen lower down, at the foot of the cape.
Escalles beach, down below
At low tide, a passage called the Cran d'Escalles lets you climb down from the cape to Escalles beach, a genuine naturist beach where the regulars settle in. That's where the nudist crowd gathers, rather than up on the cliffs.
Access and atmosphere
A marked hiking trail crosses the site, well used by walkers and photographers who come for the sunsets and, on clear days, the view over the English coast. The Div'in bus serves the area, handy if you're coming without a car.
Source: OpenStreetMap and its contributors (ODbL licence). See on OpenStreetMap.