Wimereux on France’s Opal Coast is a child-friendly destination for a relaxing beach holiday with the whole family. Whether you’re looking for sun, sea, and sand or prefer a lovely walk along the coast, this blog outlines the six best activities in and around Wimereux.
Wimereux on the French Opal Coast
Wimereux is a charming coastal town on the Opal Coast in northern France, just north of Boulogne-sur-Mer and only a few hours’ drive from the Netherlands. The name Wimereux derives from the Wimereux River, which flows through the town and into the sea. It is a true seaside gem, known for its beautiful Belle Époque villas, elegant beach promenade, and relaxed atmosphere. This charming seaside resort is particularly popular with French holidaymakers, while it remains relatively undiscovered among other nationalities. It is therefore an ideal destination for those seeking peace, charm, and the sea, without the crowds.
French Opal Coast (Côte d’Opale)
When we tell friends we’re going to the French Opal Coast, we get a lot of blank faces. Unlike Normandy and Brittany, this region has barely been discovered by foreign tourists. Incredible, because the Opal Coast (Côte d’Opale) is closer to the Netherlands and Belgium than Brittany and is also beautiful. You’ll find high chalk cliffs, charming towns, and rolling countryside.
Our experience with a baby and toddler in Wimereux
After my parents returned from a holiday to Wimereux a few years ago, thrilled with their enthusiasm, we decided it was a great destination for our young family. We’re visiting the Opal Coast in June with our 3-month-old daughter and 2.5-year-old son. This spot is truly the ideal location for a family beach holiday. Wimereux and the surrounding area are very child-friendly, with a vast sandy beach at low tide and a beautiful aquarium nearby! We’re also fortunate with beautiful summer weather.
My parents are joining us on this holiday, which gives us extra freedom because they’re looking after the kids. We can go for a run on the promenade together, walk towards Boulogne-sur-Mer, or take a trip to Cap Gris-Nez with just our daughter, while our son plays on the beach with Grandpa and Grandma.
Our son is having a blast at the beach, splashing around and playing in the water. And in the evening, we all enjoy a meal of mussels together on the boulevard. Yes, a week in Wimereux is the ideal beach holiday in France, close to our home. Next June again?
Another excellent spot near the French coast is the beautiful village of Grimaud! Please read all about this flower village in our blog!
The six best things to do in Wimereux with and without kids:
Below, we’d like to describe six fun activities for Wimereux and the surrounding area. Including child-friendly things to do on the French Opal Coast!
1. Build sandcastles on the beach and swim in the natural pool
Yes, if there’s only one thing you can do in Wimereux, it’s the beach. Wimereux is situated on a beautiful, long sandy beach, which is several hundred meters wide at low tide. At high tide, there’s no beach because the sea reaches right up to the stones of the boulevard. Fortunately, you can also enjoy a stroll, grab a bite to eat, or, as the French do, lie a towel on the quay walls and sunbathe. In summer, you’ll find hundreds of small beach huts on the boulevard that people rent to change clothes. Or where regular visitors to Wimereux take out a beach chair to sit out of the wind.
The beach here is very child-friendly for families. There’s a natural pool with boulders in the sea where children can still swim at low tide or practice windsurfing. Windsurfing lessons are readily available. Our 2.5-year-old son enjoys playing in the sand with a bucket and spade and in the shallow water of the remaining tidal pools.
Tip: Use this website to see what time the tide is in Wimereux. If it’s high tide, take the kids to the sand playground at the end of the boulevard. Click here for the location.
2. Enjoy the Belle Époque architecture in Wimereux
Many villas and houses in Wimereux and along the Opal Coast are built in the Belle Époque style. Belle Époque refers to an era around 1900 when the French economy was booming, and the French elite built large beach villas for summering. Because Wimereux and the French Opal Coast were popular with the British upper class at the time these villas were built, you can see British influences in many of the villas. The beach villas are colourful with many ornate details on the balconies and roofs. It reminds us a bit of the French versions of Villa Villekulla, the home of Pippi Longstocking!
In Wimereux, you can’t miss this architectural style, and you’ll find most of these beautiful Belle Époque villas along the boulevard. You’ll also find the stately Le Grand Hôtel here, an imposing building that was once Wimereux’s premier hotel. Now, this building houses mostly holiday apartments. Be sure to explore some side streets off the boulevard or walk along Rue de Carnot, the main street lined with even more beautiful houses.
3. Walk from Wimereux towards Boulogne-sur-Mer (part of the GR120)
Wimereux is located along the GR120 hiking trail. This is a beautiful hiking trail along the entire Opal Coast. If you’re in Wimereux, you can easily walk a short or longer section of the GR120.
One morning, we walked with our daughter in a baby carrier towards Boulogne-sur-Mer. We didn’t want to go too far, so we walked to this viewpoint and back. This route is also called the Sentier de la Crèche (Children’s Trail) and starts at this point just before you enter Wimereux. It’s a beautiful route through the dunes with views of the beaches of Boulogne-sur-Mer and Wimereux, with high cliffs in the distance. The round trip is 3 km, a pleasant distance, and the route is flat. Although it’s not recommended with a stroller, we saw plenty of young kids walking along the way, making it a fun activity in Wimereux with kids.
Want to hike a bit further? Consider walking all the way to Boulogne-sur-Mer (5km), or even further south or north. If you would like to read more about the GR120, you can click here.
4. Shop in Wimereux and buy French delicacies
For a small town like Wimereux, there are a surprising number of great shops! With beautiful children’s clothing, the cool surf brand Deus Ex Machina, and lavish beachwear. And of course, local delis. Here are our favourite shops in Wimereux:
- Au Volier Blue: Clothing store with two locations (this one and this one) featuring surf and skate brands like Deux Ex Machina, Carhartt, and Salty Crew. Clothing for both women and men.
- Titaibi: Clothing store for women with unique items and luxury brands. Click here for the location of this store in Wimereux.
- Les Toiles de Mer: Shop with mainly really nice children’s clothing. Think beautiful white and blue striped sweaters and yellow raincoats—complete with a French seaside vibe! Click here for the location.
- Ma Normandie: Cheese shop with truly amazing cheeses, and very reasonably priced! Click here for the location of this cheese shop in Wimereux.
- Chocolaterie Beussent Lachelle: Good chocolate shop with locally produced chocolate. Click here for the location of this delicatessen in Wimereux.
- La Cave de Wimereux: This wine shop offers delicious wines as well as local beers.
- Les Affiches Wim’: This poster shop has colourful posters of many French cities, as well as some Belgian and Dutch locations. The owner also designed this year’s Tour de France poster.
5. Visit the world-famous capes: Cap Gris-Nez and Cap Blanc-Nez
Not far from Wimereux are two famous capes: Cap Gris-Nez (the grey nose, named after the grey colour of the stone) and Cap Blanc-Nez (the white nose, after the white chalk cliffs). Both places are worth a visit. Here’s some more information:
Cap Gris-Nez
Cap Gris-Nez is the closest to Wimereux. If you’re at the top of the cliff, with a bit of luck, you can see the white cliffs of Dover, England. You’re here on the narrowest part of the English Channel, the stretch of water between England and France. We had a good view of England!
At Cap Gris-Nez, you’ll find a beautiful lighthouse and lovely hiking trails. The walks are almost all stroller-friendly and not too long. Because you’re at the top of the cape, over 50 meters high, you can’t see the rocks themselves. Things are different at Cap Blanc-Nez. The landscape, with rolling green hills dotted with sheep, beaches, and the blue sea beyond, is beautiful to behold. You can see the entire cape in an hour. This place is great to visit with kids.
Click here for the parking lot at Cap Gris-Nez. We were recommended Restaurant La Sirene; you can walk there from the cape.
Cap Blanc-Nez
We already loved Cap Gris-Nez, but Cap Blanc-Nez is even better (so visit them in that order)! Cap Blanc-Nez is much higher (over 134 meters) and can be visited from both the top and the bottom. At the top, you’ll find an impressive obelisk-shaped war memorial. A footpath also runs to the beach at the foot of the cape. This is part of the GR120. You’ll also have fantastic views of the surrounding area, the rolling landscape, the bay with its beach, and, on a clear day, you can even see the coast of England.
Admire Cap Blanc-Nez from below by going to the beach below the cliffs at low tide. It wasn’t until we were standing here that we realised just how impressive this cliff is! Hundreds of seagulls perch on the thick, low white chalk. The colour contrasts beautifully with the golden sand and green grass atop the cliffs. Kids will love playing in the tide pools or taking a stroll along the beach. Be careful: at high tide, the sea reaches the cliffs in some places. So keep a close eye on things!
Park here at the top of Cap Blanc-Nez (wheelchair and stroller accessible), or park here at the bottom of the cape (another fifteen-minute walk to the beach, including a few steps, so not entirely wheelchair- or stroller-friendly).
Restaurant tip: On the way back from Cap Blanc-Nez, stop at restaurant l’Estival. Enjoy the outdoor seating, and the mussels are delicious!
6. A child-friendly day trip to Boulogne-sur-Mer: visit Nausicaa!
A fifteen-minute drive from Wimereux lies the larger town of Boulogne-sur-Mer. It’s a charming old town that’s worth a visit. It boasts a lovely old village perched on a hilltop with beautiful city walls, castles, and a large cathedral. A little further down lies the newer part of town with charming shops and a large harbour.
But the absolute best thing about Boulogne-sur-Mer is the magnificent Nausicaa aquarium. Nausicaa is the largest aquarium in Europe and is truly breathtaking. There are three different exhibition routes, and we found the first one the most impressive. An escalator takes you down into a kind of underwater world full of jellyfish, sharks, and giant manta rays. There’s a wealth of information presented in a beautiful and child-friendly way. We could have wandered around here for hours!
A visit to Nausicaa is a fantastic activity with kids when you’re in Wimereux or Boulogne-sur-Mer. Admission is €32 for adults, €23 for children (ages 3-12), and free for kids under three. Tip: Buy your tickets online well in advance, as space is limited and fills up quickly during holidays and weekends.
You’ll soon be able to read all about Boulogne-sur-Mer in our travel guide!
About 45 minutes south of Wimereux, you will find the mondaine town of Le Touquet-Paris-Plage. Definitely worth a visit. Read all about this beautiful seaside resort in our Le Touquet-Paris-Plage blog!
Best restaurants & hotspots in Wimereux
Wimereux has a surprising number of fun and trendy restaurants! You can, of course, enjoy delicious mussels on the beach, but you’ll also find a seafood bar, several coffee/tea shops, and a lovely brunch restaurant. Below are our favourite restaurants and hotspots in Wimereux!
La Dérive – Digue de Wimereux: dining with a beach view!
This hotspot at the end of the boulevard offers delicious food. From the outside, the restaurant doesn’t look great, but once you climb the stairs, you’ll find yourself in a beautiful space with a panoramic view of the boulevard and the beach. So cool! We had the salmon tartare, and it was delicious. La Dérive is child-friendly, with highchairs and kids’ dishes available. Click here for the location of this restaurant in Wimereux.
Nicole Artisan Glacier: the best ice cream in Wimereux!
When you think of the beach, you naturally think of delicious ice cream. This ice cream parlour makes the most delicious ice cream flavours and beautiful ice cream cakes right here in Wimereux. They have two locations in the village itself (one on the main street and one by the beach), but you can also find them in Boulogne-sur-Mer and other places. The ice creams aren’t cheap, but they’re worth the money!
L’Atlantic restaurant: the most chic restaurant on the boulevard of Wimereux!
For the most beautiful spot on the beach in Wimereux, L’Atlantic is the place to be. Honestly, the service is a bit lacking, but the food completely makes up for it! We ate here on the Fruit des Mer boulevard, watching the people walk by. They also serve excellent coffee, and the dessert and cheese bar is impressive. Prices are a bit higher, but the food is truly amazing! Click here for the location of this restaurant in Wimereux.
Datcha Boutique Tea Room: Clothing, Home Decor & Tea
The English influences in Wimereux are reflected in the tea selection. This tea room offers a variety of teas that you can sample in the charming courtyard. Datcha also has a lovely shop. We bought beautiful aprons with embroidered fish and crabs here as a souvenir of our superb holiday! Click here for the location of this hotspot in Wimereux.
Other great restaurants in Wimereux that we’d like to visit next time:
- La Bourriche Wimereusienne: This oyster bar with its cosy terrace is high on my list for our next visit to Wimereux! Click here for the location of this restaurant in Wimereux.
- La Maison Bohème: This brunch restaurant is supposedly excellent! Click here for the location of this hotspot in Wimereux!
Tips for staying in Wimereux (hotels, cottages, B&Bs)
There are plenty of hotels and apartments in Wimereux, and the surrounding area also features several holiday parks, such as Evancy Residence La Marina (apartments in the Boulogne-sur-Mer), Evancy Equihen Plage (just outside of Boulogne-sur-Mer), and Resort Berck-sur-Mer (located much further south than Boulogne-sur-Mer). Click here for an overview of all hotels in Wimereux.
Below, we would like to recommend three different accommodations in Wimereux.
Le Central Wimereux €€
The photos on Booking.com don’t do this child-friendly apartment in the heart of Wimereux justice! We stayed here with my parents and our children, and it was wonderfully spacious, bright, and with tons of toys. Perfect! A 5-minute walk from the beach. From €190 per night.
Paul et Virginie €
These charming apartments are centrally located and just a few minutes’ walk from the beach. They’re situated on a charming square with a restaurant and teahouse. There’s a small studio and a larger two-bedroom apartment. Prices start from €137 per night.
Hotel Atlantic €€€
This luxury hotel is located by the sea, so you have a perfect view of the ebb and flow of the tides and the sometimes wild waves! The rooms are spacious and luxuriously furnished. I’ve already mentioned the restaurant of the same name, and it serves delicious food. Prices start from €211 per night.
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