Ambleteuse

This compact coastal village on the Opal Coast in northern France's Pas-de-Calais, Ambleteuse sits at the mouth of the Slack river where, on clear days, the British coastline is visible across the Channel. The Fort d'Ambleteuse — built under Louis XIV in 1680 and listed as a historic monument since 1965 — anchors a shoreline that has drawn military attention from Julius Caesar to Napoleon. The village sits within a protected natural area and has a handful of cafés for its size.

• Population2,023
• Nearest water0.5 km
• Nearest mountain9.5 km
• UNESCO within 50 km3