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Ault, Somme

Coordinates: 50°06′07″N 1°26′58″E / 50.1019°N 1.4494°E / 50.1019; 1.4494
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Ault
Coat of arms of Ault
Location of Ault
Map
Ault is located in France
Ault
Ault
Ault is located in Hauts-de-France
Ault
Ault
Coordinates: 50°06′07″N 1°26′58″E / 50.1019°N 1.4494°E / 50.1019; 1.4494
CountryFrance
RegionHauts-de-France
DepartmentSomme
ArrondissementAbbeville
CantonAult
IntercommunalityCommunauté de communes Interrégionale du Gros Jacques
Government
 • Mayor (2008–2014) Marthe Sueur
Area
1
5.99 km2 (2.31 sq mi)
Population
 (2006)
1,941
 • Density320/km2 (840/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
80039 /80460
Elevation0–107 m (0–351 ft)
(avg. 86 m or 282 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
Chalk cliffs near Ault

Ault is a commune. It is in the Hauts-de-France region in the Somme department in the north of France.

Ault is on the English Channel, 20 miles (32 km) west of Abbeville. It has chalk cliffs and a beach of pebbles and sand at low tide. South of the town is a large wooded valley, the ‘Bois de Cise. North of the town the cliffs become smaller, to the level of the beach at Onival. The area around the town, the 'hâble d’Ault' was mostly tidal marshland. This has been reclaimed from the sea and is used for farming cattle and sheep.

Railways

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Ault had a station on the standard gauge Woincourt to Onival line. The line closed to passengers in May 1939, but was used during World War II to move materials for the Atlantic Wall. During the war, a metre gauge line was built at the side of the road from Lanchères, on the CFBS, to Ault. This line was removed after the war.[1]

Places of interest

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  • The 15th century church of Saint-Pierre,
  • The war memorial, designed by Paul Landowski.
  • Two chapels, at Onival and Bois de Cise dating from the 19th century.
  • Several ancient village houses.
  • The lighthouse, 106 metres above sea-level.
  • The cliffs
  • The beaches of Ault and Bois de Cise..
  • The ‘hâble d'Ault’, with walking tracks.

Sea defences

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The sea is washing away the beach, cliffs and public spaces including car parks and gardens. To protect the coast, a "balcony on the sea", a huge concrete construction has been built, However, there are signs of wear on the dyke under the casino.

References

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  1. Pacey, Philip (2000). Railways of the Baie de Somme. The Oakwood Press (Usk). p. 87. ISBN 0-85361-554-3.