Le Crotoy has a particularly rich history, marked by the Hundred Years' War. The town is home to many monuments that bear witness to the history of the town at different times. Guided tours are available all year round to discover the town's heritage.
The Jules Noiret Promenade : discover the seaside district of Le Crotoy and its Belle Époque villas on the seafront, including the house of the writer Colette (the Villa des Dunes). Colette stayed in Le Crotoy between 1906 and 1911 with her friend Mathilde de Morny, known as "Missy".
The Guerlain villa: this large house, nicknamed "L'heure Bleue", was built by the famous perfumer Pierre Guerlain in the 19th century. It is not open to visitors, but can be seen from the lighthouse beach.
Jules Verne's villa "La Solitude": located in the town centre, next to the harbour, this beautiful two-storey house was lived in by the writer Jules Verne between 1865 and 1870. He is said to have written his "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" here.
Saint-Pierre du Crotoy church: the current building was rebuilt in 1863 in the neo-Gothic style. The front tower dates from the 13th century. Inside, you'll find an old map of Le Crotoy with its fortress, a 15th-century altarpiece depicting the life of Saint Honoré, and marine ex-votos (models of boats).
The church of Saint-Firmin: located in the hamlet of Saint-Firmin-lès-Crotoy, the building was remodelled in the early 20th century after a fire in 1901. The bell tower topped by a bulbous belfry is the oldest part of the building (16th century).
The remains of the Château du Crotoy : an ancient 12th-century fortress where Joan of Arc was imprisoned between her capture at Compiègne and her execution in Rouen. One of the manor houses built on the site of the former castle was the home of the poet Charles-Hubert Millevoye, a native of Abbeville.
Monument to Joan of Arc: bronze statue by sculptor Athanase Fossé (1880). The pedestal comes from the Maffles quarries (Wallonie picarde). To be seen in the Place Jeanne d'Arc, Le Crotoy's most festive spot.
The Chemin de fer de la Baie de Somme: a number of steam locomotives and carriages are listed as Historic Monuments, including the saloon carriage built for the 1889 Paris Universal Exhibition. The line runs along the Bains de Mer network and serves Le Crotoy, Saint-Valery-sur-Somme and Cayeux-sur-Mer.
The Monument aux Frères Caudron: monument dedicated to Gaston and René Caudron, aviation pioneers born in the Somme. The bas-relief depicts the first flights of the Oiseau Bleu, one of their aircraft.
The Crotoy water tower: the tower is painted in trompe-l'oeil by the painter Paule Adeline. The fresco recalls the activities in the bay and the glorious past of the Caudron brothers. To be seen near the Baie de Somme little train station.
Commonwealth war graves (military cemetery): Le Crotoy's communal cemetery is home to a war grave dedicated to the memory of British soldiers who died in the First and Second World Wars.
Le Bassin des Chasses du Crotoy: built in 1860 by Ferdinand de Lesseps to clean the bay after each tide, the site offers a remarkable view of the Baie de Somme. Every day, 5 hours after high tide, the gates of the Bassin des Chasses open, releasing tonnes of water.
