This picturesque medieval town, sited on one side of the beautiful Baie De Somme, is steeped in history....a wonderful place to rent a holiday house in the Burgundy region of France.

 

It was here that Jeanne d’Arc spent her last night before being removed to Rouen, just one and a half hours away. Yet this isn’t its only claim to fame; it was one of the ports from which William the Conqueror set sail for the Norman invasion. Poets and writers from Anatole France , Victor Hugo and Jules Verne all stayed here, as did Napoleon! Formerly a bustling sea port, St Valery makes an ideal holiday destination. Close to the ports of Calais and Dunkerque  and to Belgium and Holland , it provides is an ideal base for exploring the area with Paris, Honfleur and Amiens all close at hand.

 

The town, approached by the sea road, is host to a multitude of bird life. Indeed the bay is now a protected area of outstanding beauty, attracting people from all over the world! In years gone by artists and painters alike were attracted to the special qualities of high iodine content in the air, which apart from being good for ‘taking the air’ also gave an evanescent quality to the light. There are plenty of things to do in this old fishing town, from boat trips and catching sight of the large seal colony, to taking the steam train round the bay and exploring the seaside town of Le Crotoy.

 

This friendly fishing town provides a warm welcome. When staying in a holiday rental apartment in St Valery, France you will find a host of good restaurants from the Gastronomique to more reasonably priced family menus including a variety of options for children. There are two large supermarkets at either end of the town and a good choice of local shops selling regional produce including the much vaunted ‘Ficelle Picarde’ a speciality pancake! Explore the old fishing quarter and discover what made this town so popular in all its diversity, taste the sights, sounds, scents and flavours of the region-you’ll be glad you came!