Audresselles is a commune south of Cape Gris Nez in the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. The commune covers about 2000 acres of cultivated lands, two beaches, and seashore cliffs. In the 12th century it was known as Oderzelle.

History

Between the end of English occupation in 1558 and the middle of the 17th century, Audresselles seigneury included Haringzelle hamlet; today, this is now a forest hiding the former German artillery batteries of Audinghen. This seigneury was owned by the Acary family, which gave some admirals to the French fleet and from whom most of the borough fishermen are descended. An old fishers' village, Audresselles has kept its characteristic features: its long houses with a colored strip along the lower part of the walls, in the village center, and some villas of the "Belle Époque" in front of the English Channel. Professional fishing families still live in Audresselles, and one of them uses the village sand beach to land its ship. The traditional flobarts (little truncated drakkars) are still used by the holiday yachtsmen.

Population

Sights

Beach and dune fauna

Birds

Birds found here include gulls, cormorants, jackdaws, loons, mallards, bitterns, sandpipers, snipes, oystercatchers, herons, curlews, egrets, guillemots, peregrine falcons, swans, and geese.

Marine mammals

Some black-headed seals have settled down in the creeks behind the village since July 2006 and dislike to be disturbed, following the swimmers to the beach. Also present are orcas (killer whales), pilot whales, dolphins and porpoises.

Flora

Plants of this region are those that can resist the salt-laden southwesterly wind. Species include lyciet, privet, spindle-tree, eleagnus, speedwell, marram grass and Armeria maritima.

Personalities