Lefaux combines a protected coastal landscape with a distinctive architectural history. Les Garennes de Lornel consists of extensive coastal dunes along the estuary: dry or wet, open or wooded dunes. Lefaux is also part of the Baie de Canche National Nature Reserve, which is open to the public. This gives you two clearly distinct areas to focus on when planning your trip: nature and trails on the one hand, the church and tower on the other. Alongside these landscape features are buildings with precise dates, whose history can be understood through their construction dates, styles and design.
Dunes and nature reserve
Les Garennes de Lornel features a range of dune types: dry and wet, as well as open and wooded. Soil moisture and vegetation are two distinct characteristics that help describe the coastal landscape in more detail. This offers a more varied picture than a single, uniform idea of dunes. Nature lovers will also find Lefaux within the Baie de Canche National Nature Reserve. The reserve is open to the public. The protected-area setting and the specific dune types complement one another: the reserve places Lefaux within a broader natural context, while the Garennes shape the landscape locally.
Compare trails and outings
The GR du littoral runs for 10.7 km through the Baie de Canche area associated with Lefaux. The Sentier de la butte aux signaux is a 2.9 km trail in this area. The difference between the stated distances is 7.8 km, making the Sentier the shorter of the two named routes. Nature guides also organise outings in the National Nature Reserve that last two to three hours. This gives you two different measures to compare: the trails are described by distance, while the outings are described by duration. If you are planning to explore nature during your stay, you can first consider whether a route with a stated distance or a guided outing with a specified duration better suits your plans.
Saint-Jean-Baptiste Church
Saint-Jean-Baptiste Church is a Neo-Gothic building, constructed in 1884 to plans by Clovis Normand. The Neo-Gothic style revives Gothic forms, so the term describes the building in both stylistic and historical terms. A series of stained-glass windows dating from 1892 adds a distinct theme to the architecture: it is dedicated to the life of John the Baptist. The construction date and the stained-glass decoration are two different historical details. Visitors interested in sacred art will find the windows’ dedication a specific way to engage with the church, in addition to its Neo-Gothic design and the name of its architect.
The Tour Belvédère and its history
The Tour Belvédère in Lefaux is a round tower built by the De Fiennes de La Planche family in the 19th century. It was intended as a vantage point from which to view the surrounding area, particularly the distant sea. Its historical function connects the structure to the landscape: the focus was on views of the surroundings and the distant sea. This distinguishes the tower’s history from that of the church, whose defining details include its architectural style and stained-glass windows. Together, the two buildings offer two different perspectives on Lefaux’s heritage: architecture and religious art on the one hand, and the tower’s historical purpose on the other.
Discover more destinations: Sanghen, Couin, Annay, Montcavrel, Serques, Wierre-Effroy, Villers-Châtel, Estréelles
For the broader travel overview: Pas-De-Calais.
