A leisurely ride in a carriage drawn by Henson horses bred in the Marquenterre nature reserve takes you across sand dunes and wild landscapes for Somme Bay views that seem to go on for ever. 

Leaving Saint-Quentin-en-Tourmont’s Espace Equestre Henson – France’s main stud farm for this athletic breed – we are soon in the midst of sandy plains and marshland stretching as far as the eye can see. There’s barely a sound to be heard. Civilisation lies behind us.

Settled comfortably into our carriage, we’re lulled by the rhythm of the hooves. Pale dunes, flashes of sunshine through the trees… the Domaine du Marquenterre private estate is a glimpse of Eden before we reach the sea. The horses trot up slopes over a carpet of pine needles and cones, taking us past forests, clearings and hunting lands.

Deer, wild sheep, rabbit and boar are abundant here. It’s not always easy to spot them, but it’s a great game for children, and the carriages are the best way of getting close to them. 

‘Watch the horses,’ is our driver Anne-Caroline’s tip. ‘If they lift their head, something’s happening.’

When the carriage halts, we climb down for a stroll. The roof of a German blockhouse, eaten away by lichen, poking from the sand, offers up extraordinary sea views, including the chalky cliffs of Cayeux-sur-Mer and the Pointe du Hourdel lighthouse in the distance. Mussel beds strung out along the coast, marram grasses, a breeze scented with salt, resin and sand, and no buildings for miles… Paradise found.
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