Blériot Beach in Sangatte - France

Our opinion on the Blériot Beach

Blériot Beach or Baraques Beach is found at the edge of Sagnatte in the continuation of Calais Beach. This vast sand beach extends for several kilometers toward the south to the neighborhood Salines and to downtown Sangatte. Bordered by immense dunes, this beach is full of history.

The wooden chalets on the beach were built in the 17th century as shelter for the poor in Calais that were affected by the plague. This is where the nickname Baraques (barracks) comes from. At that time and during long centuries after, this neighborhood of barracks had a very bad reputation.

On July 25, 1909, Louis Blériot was the first to cross the English Channel by airplane to Dover, England in 37 minutes. When he died in 1936 the neighborhood Baraque was renamed Blériot-Plage. The neighborhood was renovated and became a great seaside resort.

Note that this beach does not have a lifeguard. There are several free parking lots, one at the exit of Calais and another near rue de la Mer in Blériot-Plage.