Gravelines: The Complete Guide

CC BY-SA 3.0 / Azariel

Gravelines, perched on the edge of the river Aa in the Pas-de-Calais department of Hauts-de-France, offers a delightful blend of waterfront promenades and compact urban charm. Begin your visit with a stroll along the Vauban-era ramparts, where wide grassy promenades unfurl beside the canal’s gentle flow. As you walk, keep an eye out for the small sailing boats moored along the quay and pause atop the stone bastions to admire the glint of the North Sea just beyond the town’s green bulwarks.

Once you’ve worked up an appetite, meander into the heart of the “town within walls,” where narrow cobbled lanes guide you past pastel-hued houses and cozy cafés. On the Place d’Armes, sample a local pâtisserie—perhaps a flaky tarte au maroilles—accompanied by a café crème, then browse the artisanal shops tucked into former guardhouses. The compact centre is easily explored on foot, so take your time discovering hidden courtyards and the understated beauty of the town’s church facades.

For a touch of maritime adventure, set out on a leisurely boat cruise through the Aa’s network of canals. Local operators offer hour-long tours that thread under low stone bridges and past reed-lined banks, with commentary on the birdlife that thrives in the surrounding wetlands. As evening falls, return to the ramparts to watch the sunset gild the battlements, then enjoy a riverside dinner of fresh mussels or fish-and-chips at one of the quay-side bistros before the lights come up over Gravelines’s serene waterways.

History of Gravelines

Gravelines in Antiquity and Early Middle Ages

Archaeological evidence suggests a small fishing settlement at the mouth of the river Aa as early as the Gallo-Roman period, serving as a waypoint for coastal trade. With the gradual silting of the estuary in the 5th and 6th centuries, the site contracted, but a modest community persisted, centered on a wooden church and a handful of dwellings. By the Carolingian era, Gravelines is thought to have had a fortified chapel, offering sanctuary to local villagers against Viking raids along the North Sea coast.

Gravelines in the High and Late Middle Ages

In the 12th century, control of Gravelines passed to the Counts of Flanders, who recognized the strategic value of its river mouth. Stone walls and a simple keep were erected to protect burgeoning trade in wool and salted herring. The town’s first charter, granted in the early 13th century, codified local rights and markets. Over the next two centuries, Gravelines flourished as a modest port, exporting textiles and fish, even as its ramparts were tested by regional conflicts between Flanders and France.

Gravelines during the Renaissance and Early Modern Period

With the rise of artillery warfare, Emperor Charles V commissioned the military engineer Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban in the mid-16th century to transform Gravelines into a bastioned fortress. The resulting star-shaped citadel—with its ditches, hornworks and ravelins—became a model defensive work. Under Habsburg and later Spanish rule, Gravelines withstood several sieges during the Eighty Years’ War before being ceded to France by the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659. The Vauban fortifications remained garrisoned through the 17th and 18th centuries.

Gravelines in the Revolutionary and 19th Centuries

The upheavals of 1789 saw Gravelines’s military role diminish as part of the national reorganization of fortresses. Many rampart defences were dismantled, and the town expanded beyond its walls. The 19th century brought canalization of the Aa and improved road links, revitalizing local shipbuilding and fishing. A modest industrial zone grew along the riverbanks, while civic pride led to restoration of the medieval church and the erection of a town hall on the main square.

Gravelines in the 20th and 21st Centuries

During both World Wars, Gravelines’s proximity to the coast made it strategically significant, and its Vauban ramparts were re-activated as gun emplacements by occupying forces. Post-1945 reconstruction modernized the quay area and converted former barracks into cultural venues. In recent decades, the restored citadel has become a focal point for heritage tourism, with annual reenactments and guided tours. Today, Gravelines balances its historic fortifications with nature conservation of the surrounding marshes and the unexpected appeal of its North Sea shoreline.

Visiting Gravelines for the first time and wondering what are the top places to see in the city? In this complete guide, I share the best things to do in Gravelines on the first visit. To help you plan your trip, I have also included an interactive map and practical tips for visiting!

This website uses affiliate links which earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

1. Gravelines Ramparts

Gravelines’s star-shaped Vauban ramparts are best explored on foot, following the grassy promenades that trace the outer ditch. The elevated walkways offer panoramic views of the town’s moats, the river Aa and, on clear days, the North Sea beyond the dunes. Free to access; open 24/7.

Along the ramparts you’ll discover interpretive panels explaining the fortifications’ defenses, from hornworks to bastions. Pause at the bastions’ earthen slopes to watch kite flyers or to picnic on the grass, imagining centuries of soldiers standing guard over the narrow channels below.

2. Gravelines Tour du Leughenaer

Perched at the town’s northeastern corner, the Tour du Leughenaer is a circular guard tower dating to the 15th century, part of Gravelines’s original medieval defenses. Free to enter; open daily 9 am–7 pm.

Climb the narrow spiral staircase to reach the rooftop terrace, where arrow slits frame views of the canal network and the incoming tides. Inside, a small exhibit recounts the tower’s role in early warning against pirates and raiders, making it a tangible link to Gravelines’s maritime past.

3. Gravelines Musée de Flandre

Housed in a former customs house on the Quai Leleu, the Musée de Flandre showcases Flemish and Picard art from the 15th to the 19th centuries. Admission €5; reduced €3; open Tuesday–Sunday 10 am–6 pm.

Exhibits range from oil paintings by local masters to decorative arts—tapestries, ceramics and period furniture. Temporary exhibitions often focus on regional textile traditions or contemporary interpretations of Flemish themes. A peaceful courtyard café offers light refreshments amid sculpture displays.

4. Gravelines Église Saint-Wulfran

This Gothic church, begun in the 13th century, is distinguished by its soaring vaulted nave and richly carved choir stalls. Free to enter; open daily 9 am–6 pm.

Inside, admire the 16th-century rood screen and colorful stained-glass windows depicting local saints. The church’s acoustics make it a favored venue for organ recitals—check the noticeboard in the narthex for upcoming concerts held on Friday evenings during summer.

5. Gravelines Fort des Dunes

Just 4 km north, Fort des Dunes is a 19th-century polygonal fortress built to guard the coastal approach. Free to visit; open daily 9 am–6 pm.

Wander the casemates and ammunition magazines, now silent stone corridors echoing the footsteps of soldiers. Informational panels trace the fort’s use in both world wars, and the surrounding heathland trails offer dramatic sea views from the ramparts’ edges. Guided tours (€4) run at 11 am and 3 pm in summer.

6. Gravelines Voie Verte Cycling

The Voie Verte follows a disused railway line along the Aa, offering a flat, car-free route for cyclists and walkers. Bike rentals start at €10 per half-day; rental shop open 9 am–6 pm.

Choose a short 5-km out-and-back to visit outlying villages, or tackle the full 25-km stretch toward Saint-Omer. Benches and picnic tables appear at regular intervals, and panels highlight local flora—look for marsh marigolds in spring and goldenrods in autumn.

7. Gravelines Canal Boat and Kayak Tours

Launch from the Quai Saint-Gilles for guided boat cruises or kayak rentals on the Aa’s canal network. Boat tours €12 adult/€6 child; departures daily at 10 am, 2 pm and 4 pm (April–October). Kayak rentals €15/hour; open 9 am–6 pm.

Paddle under low stone bridges and past reed-lined banks, with commentary on the area’s birdlife—herons, egrets and warblers are common. Sunset cruises offer especially romantic light as the ramparts glow in the golden hour.

8. Gravelines Jardin Public

Established in the early 20th century, the Jardin Public offers manicured lawns, rose beds and a small aviary. Free entry; open dawn–dusk.

Stroll along shaded alleys lined with plane trees and admire the fountain at the garden’s heart. Children delight in the historic merry-go-round, while benches around the bandstand invite quiet reading or people-watching during summer music events.

9. Gravelines Plage et Dunes

Gravelines-Plage lies 3 km west of the town centre, where wide sandy beaches meet undulating dunes. Free access; beach patrol seasonal from June to August, 10 am–6 pm.

Enjoy sunbathing, swimming in designated zones or kite flying on the open sand. Beachfront cafés serve refreshments and local beers, and a beach volleyball court provides extra fun. The adjacent dune trails reveal native grasses and occasional seals on sandbanks at low tide.

10. Gravelines Parc Naturel Régional Caps et Marais d’Opale

Within 6 km of town, this regional park encompasses coastal marshes, dunes and hedged fields. Free entry; trails open year-round.

Explore marked footpaths that traverse salt marshes teeming with migratory birds—oystercatchers, redshanks and geese. Observation hides on the marsh’s edge offer discreet wildlife viewing, while interpretive panels explain traditional oyster farming and salt extraction practices that shaped the landscape.