Cap Blanc-Nez Cape

Address: Cap Blanc-Nez, Audinghen, Pas-de-Calais, Hauts-de-France, France

Hours: Open 24/7

Admission: Free

Cap Blanc-Nez is a chalk headland on the Côte d’Opale in Pas-de-Calais, northern France, rising to about 134 metres above sea level. It is a prominent coastal landmark on the Strait of Dover.

The site is valued for its panoramic sea views and the long cliff-top walks along the escarpment. Trails along the top of the cliff give direct views across the Channel and down the steep chalk face; the landscape is characterised by white chalk with bands of flint.

The cliffs are formed from Cretaceous chalk and are part of the same white-cliff geology that continues across the Channel. The headland has long been a navigational reference for shipping in the Dover Strait and has been crossed by coastal routes for centuries.

Cap Blanc-Nez sits near the villages of Wissant and Escalles in northern France, facing the Strait of Dover and the United Kingdom across the Channel. It lies on the Pas-de-Calais coast of the Hauts-de-France region.

• Elevation: Rises to roughly 134 metres above sea level, making it one of the highest chalk headlands on the French side of the Strait of Dover.
• Viewpoint: On clear days the white cliffs of the English coast, including the cliffs near Dover, can be seen across the Channel.

Cap Blanc‑Nez is on the Côte d’Opale near the village of Escalles. From Calais it’s approximately a 20 km drive southwest: take the A16/A26 connections and follow the D940 coastal road to the Cap Blanc‑Nez parking and viewpoint (about 20-30 minutes from Calais). From Boulogne‑sur‑Mer it is farther east along the D940 (roughly 30-40 km).

Park at the official viewpoint and follow short walking paths from the car park to the cliff edge and coastal trails; roads are sealed to the main viewpoint.

• Arrive early morning or late afternoon for the clearest views across the Channel - on a clear day you can see the white cliffs of Dover from Cap Blanc‑Nez.
• Access the site via the coastal D940 road and use the official parking at the top; follow marked paths and respect fenced cliff edges and signage - there are WWII-era bunkers and memorials in the area that many visitors overlook.