Discover Ault: Coast and Heritage

If you’re looking for a hotel in Ault, the beach, scenery and architectural history can help shape your stay. The town combines a beach of pebbles and sand with historic buildings; paths climb uphill to views of the cliffs and sea. Onival, the Bois de Cise and the nearby Hâble d’Ault offer different coastal and landscape experiences.

Coast, views and trails

Ault’s beach consists of pebbles and sand, which is visible at low tide. The beach at Onival is different: supervised sea bathing is available there in summer, from 1 July to 31 August, daily from noon to 7 pm. These hours provide a specific timeframe for a visit during the season.

Near Ault, the Hâble d’Ault lies between Cayeux-sur-Mer and Ault. This protected coastal area is an important bird reserve. For a wider view of the coast, head to the panoramic viewpoint at the top of the Phare d’Ault. The lighthouse is also called the Phare d’Onival; check whether visits are possible before you go.

The Bois de Cise has been listed in the inventory of scenic sites since 1959. Explore it on foot along small paths and wooden stairways. A viewpoint there overlooks the mouth of the Somme Bay. These trails and the viewpoint are distinctive features of the Bois de Cise.

The Circuit de Lamotte starts at the car park behind the church in Ault. Yellow PR trail markers indicate the route, which climbs towards the Bois de Cise and offers views of the white cliffs and the sea. If you prefer to find your own way, you can also follow the Ault-Onival-Bois de Cise tourist trail. A brochure is available from the tourist offices; the trail is free to visit.

Another way to get out and about is to join the walks run by Rando’Ânes au Bois de Cise. A donkey leads walks between cliffs, fields and woodland; the donkeys carry children aged 3 to 10 or backpacks. Dates are seasonal. Check availability before you go.

Buildings and local history

The Église Saint-Pierre is the only church in Picardy with an ecclesiastical belfry. The belfry is listed as a historic monument. The church is built from white stone and dressed flint arranged in a chequerboard pattern. The belfry and façade thus show two different aspects of the building: its distinctive form and the alternating arrangement of materials.

The Chapelle Notre-Dame d’Onival was built in 1886, when the seaside resort of Onival-les-Bains was established. It can be reached by a flight of steps and offers views of Onival beach and the fields below. The chapel is open from April to September, between 10 am and 5 pm; check the seasonal opening hours before your visit.

The Porte du Moulinet also tells the story of earlier buildings and their uses. Samuel Ricard, a former banker from Amiens, had it built in 1893 on the site of a former mill. A long, vaulted brick staircase leads up the hill, where five mills once stood. From the Porte du Moulinet, you can see the heights around Ault.

The Petit Musée focuses on old postcards, photographs, objects and first-hand accounts relating to local heritage. The exhibitions also showcase local traditions and everyday life during the development of the seaside resort and in the periods that followed. Check the latest opening information before your visit.

Discover more destinations: Sailly-Flibeaucourt, Tours-En-Vimeu, Poulainville, Naours, Ochancourt, Saint-Quentin-En-Tourmont, Boves, Huchenneville.

For the regional travel overview: Somme.