Natural Site
Always In Motion
Dimensions
2.7 km long, 500 m wide and up to 106.60 m high*. These are the breathtaking dimensions of the dune that can be admired throughout the year. Even in winter it is worth the visit. Some were even lucky enough to experience the dune covered with snow. The slope on the east side (forest) is 19° to 29°, on the west side (ocean) it is ranging from 7° to 13°.
Even today it is always kept in motion by wind and tidal movement and makes its way further inland. Thus, the pine forest and several campsites are gradually swallowed up by this huge and overwhelming mass of 60,000,000 cubic meters of sand. Each year, the dune advances by several meters. In fact, the sea wind has no trouble raising and carrying away this incredibly fine sand (watch video).
*according to measurements performed in 2018 (110,90 m in 2017)
At the same time the dune is “nibbled” on the other side by the sea. Nature thus provides for continuous movement, leading to the change in the shape of the dune and ultimately to its migration. One could hardly imagine this phenomenon when experiencing the dune on days with no wind and under a blue sky... For the pine trees and other plants east of the dune, this means: There's no escape.
While for some people the dune is like a desert in the middle of France, for others it is simply Europe's largest playground and most beautiful sand box.
