discovering the seals, the stars of the bay

Harbor seals are the stars of the Bay of Somme. These 150 kilo mammals sunbathe on the wet sand. And they have their admirers, ready to do anything to contemplate them. For 25 years, Olivier Peilleon, guide, has fallen in love with this very shy marine animal. So, he makes a last briefing to the tourists, before departure. “What is recommended is to keep 300 meters so as not to disturb them, he explains. That said, you will see that we are in the channel, we don’t have 300 meters. If there is a seal on the sandbanks, we have no choice, we have to pass.”

Let’s go for an iodized and muscular ride. After nine kilometers of paddling, they are finally here. Tourists, camera in hand, hold their breath: no question of scaring the seals. “It’s fantastic, rejoices a woman. To see them so close, to almost feel like you can touch them, there is no word for it.” Formerly hunted, seals are now protected. In 40 years, the colony of the Baie de Somme has even become the largest in France. To discover the other treasures of the Baie de Somme, all you have to do is look up at the sky. Here is a paradise for migratory birds.