Attractions and Places To See in Réserve Naturelle Nationale Du Platier D'Oye - Top 13

The nature reserve offers various possibilities. The beach, the dunes and beautiful, long boardwalks. Occasionally information boards and a number of bird huts. On the beach many coastal poles and the bunkers of Escardines.

Many coastal poles were planted in the beach. They give the beach a beautiful stamp. They are there to stabilize the dunes and the coast and to protect them from erosion. The poles help to maintain the dune structure and prevent them from being washed away by the wind and the water. They play an important role in the preservation of the natural environment and the protection of the coastal areas.

The Réserve Naturelle Nationale du Platier d'Oye is a magnificent nature reserve located near Dunkirk. This reserve covers an area of 391 hectares and offers a unique ecosystem with a rich biodiversity. Here you can discover 230 species of birds, 20 species of mammals and 361 species of flowers and plants. It is an important stopover for migratory birds along the coast of the Manche and the North Sea. There are three marked hiking trails through the dunes and wetlands, which are popular with botanists, birdwatchers and regular walkers. The reserve is always open and offers a wonderful place to explore nature and enjoy the peace and beauty of the area.

On the beach to the North of Les Ecardines there are some bunkers which belong to the Infantry Stützpunkt Martha. This strongpoint with 2 bunkers laying on the beach was part of the coastal defence and observation. One of the bunkers on the beach is a Regelbau R120 observation bunker with a 21P7 metal cupola on top. It has three entrances and a armoured close defence opening for a MG. A flanking wall lies next to it in the sand. Next to the observation bunker is a Regelbau R630 type bunker. It housed a gun behind a big armoured plate. The armament of Strongpoint Martha consisted of MG’s in the R630 (MG stand for Machine Gewehr – machine guns), a 5cm M19 mortar, a 5cm gun, a 3,7cm Anti Tank gun, a MG-cupola, 2 Mortars and 5 MG’s. This heavily defended strongpoint housed the observation bunker of HKB Murane, as well as the headquarters of the 8th kompagnie. These bunkers, are part of a Luftwaffe Field Division instead of the Kriegsmarine. InfStp. Martha has eight bunkers in total. The other bunkers of this strongpoint can be found further up the dunes.

The R219 casemate at Oye-Plage is a double embrasure gun casemate that was built as part of the Atlantic Wall during the Second World War. This casemate is located on the edge of the marsh and has now been converted into a birdwatching hut, which is a unique combination of history and nature. The R219 casemate originally had two embrasures for guns and was designed to defend the coastline from enemy attacks. The casemate is part of a larger defence complex that also includes other bunkers and ammunition bunkers, such as the nearby R134 ammunition bunker.

The Platier d'Oye nature reserve was formed centuries ago by the sea, the sand and the wind. It covers an area of 391 hectares. It is the most important feeding area for migratory birds on the coast of the Channel/North Sea.

we walked through the beautiful nature reserve and came across a recently abandoned refugee shelter with backpacks/clothes and a lot of junk. This place is located near the sea. confronting!

A paradise for ornithologists, the Oye Platier nature reserve is the first French stopover for many migratory birds. It has an area of 391 hectares. Shaped by the combined action of the sea, sand and wind, it is one of the must-see attractions on the Opal Coast.