The hiking trails in Stella-Plage vary considerably in length: the Sentier des violettes is 2.2 kilometres long, while the Sentier des dunes is a 10-kilometre circular hike. Together with the several-kilometre-long Plage de Stella, with its fine sand, they offer clear starting points for planning: a shorter, moderately difficult hike, a longer loop through the dunes, or time at the beach. The history of a deliberately planned seaside resort adds another dimension. You can decide whether nature, beach activities or the town’s development should shape your stay.
Beach, Club and Swimming Lessons
The Plage de Stella is several kilometres long and has fine sand. At the beach, the Club de plage offers fun and sporting activities for children aged 3 to 14. The club also rents out canoes, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards. This means there are different kinds of beach activities to choose from: the children’s programme and the rental of the watercraft listed above. If you want to plan one of these activities in advance, check the current seasonal information; programmes and seasonal services may change.
Another offering with a fixed seasonal window is the École de Natation: it provides lessons for children and adults in July and August. Lessons help participants learn to swim or improve their swimming technique, and are led by a state-certified swimming instructor. The pool is covered and heated to 30°C. If you want to include swimming lessons, plan your trip for July or August and check the current course information when making specific arrangements.
Two Hiking Trails Through the Dunes
The Sentier des dunes is a 10 km circular hiking trail through the dune area of Stella-Plage. The route alternates between earth, sand and dunes. Along the way, you can spot dog roses, wildlife, sea holly and Curtis’s violets. The combination of varied terrain and the plants and animals listed gives the route a strong connection to nature.
The Sentier des violettes is 2.2 km long, has a moderate difficulty level and starts in Stella-Plage. In its dune area, year-round grazing by Chèvres des Fossés goats and Shetland sheep helps protect biodiversity. When comparing the trails, you can therefore consider their different features: the length and circular route of the Sentier des dunes, and the moderate difficulty and grazing in the area of the Sentier des violettes. The difficulty level is explicitly stated for this shorter route.
From Dune Belt to Seaside Resort
At the beginning of the 20th century, Stella-Plage developed from an uninhabited dune belt into a seaside resort designed according to an ideal plan. Old villas are also part of the town’s history. The town’s development and villas thus add a historical perspective to the beaches and dunes. If, in addition to hiking trails and seasonal beach activities, you are interested in the development of a seaside resort, these subjects offer another way to plan your trip.
Discover more destinations: Guisy, Ytres, Brias, Rodelinghem, Douvrin, Fouquières-Lès-Béthune, Gouy-en-Ternois, Cavron-Saint-Martin.
For the wider travel overview: Pas-De-Calais.
