Wimereux: Fort de la Crèche
Located to the south of Wimereux, in the Pas-de-Calais département, Fort de la Crèche proudly commemorates centuries of history.
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Built over an old Napoleonic Fort
It was the Emperor Napoleon who, in 1806, was the first to understand all the potentiel of this strategic position. He then had Fort Terlincthun built at the Pointe de la Crèche, and the construction of this majestic building took two years, being completed in 1808.
In the past it consisted of an earth levee surrounded by a stone wall, but today there is nothing left of Fort Terlincthun. This fort was built further to Napoleon's desire to invade England. Terlincthun protected the entrance to the port as well as the sea fort which was at the tip of the point. All that is left of this second fort, similar to Fort de l’Heurt, are the foundations. Some decades later, the Crèche coastal battery was built in 1879, to replace the sea fort and Fort de la Crèche. Built to defend the coast, the "Séré de Rivières" fort was an integral part of a great complex including the Tour d’Ordre and Cap d’Alprech batteries in Portel, and the Mont de Couppes battery.
Remains of the World Wars
Fort de la Crèche in Wimereux played a leading role during the First World War. Its strategic position facing the sea, that Napoleon had already appreciated, made it one of the places through which supplies passed and wounded soldiers were evacuated. La Crèche coastal battery defended the port until 1918. Between the two wars, Wimereux fort underwent a series of improvements and the battery was significantly modernised. All of its weaponry was replaced with 194mm cannons (there were four in all), which each had two ammunition bunkers.
As for the surrounding wall, it was partially demolished to make way for the four new cannons. During the Second World War, and notably during the Battle of France, Wimereux's Fort de la Crèche was the site of fierce fighting. It was on 23 May1940, after the arrival of tanks, that the battery's sailors surrendered. La Crèche coastal battery then passed into the hands of the Kriegsmarine. It was renamed "Marine Küsten Batterie Crèche I". In 1944, Fort de la Crèche was taken back from the Germans by a Canadian regiment.
Scenery that serves as a setting for some beautiful walks
Today, Wimereux's Fort de la Crèche is open for visits. The property of the Conservatoire du Littoral, it still shows some traces of its tumultuous past, between land, sea and conflict. After your visit to the Nausicaá aquarium, this is the ideal place to come for an invigorating walk along the shore. Park your car not far from the beach and then walk to the Pointe de la Crèche. You will get a magnificent view of the bay all along your walk. To the right, you'll be able to admire Wimereux beach, and to the left stands out the outline of Boulogne-sur-Mer. If the weather's good, you'll even be able to see the white of the English cliffs!
This walk to La Crèche coastal battery alternates between the typical vegetation of Pas-de-Calais and impressive cliffs. Horses, meadows, blue horizon as far as the eye can see… Don't forget your camera! When you arrive in Wimereux, why not take the opportunity to have a look at the typical architecture of Wimereux? These lovely late 19th-century villas are an integral part of this Nord-Pas-de-Calais seaside resort's decor.