Stay 
Château de Pont-de-Briques
approx. 3 km
Château built around 1640 and enlarged in the 1780s. Napoleon stayed here in 1803 and 1804 during the Camp de Boulogne, when Pont-de-Briques was his headquarters.
Photo: Wattelier, FAL
La Tour de la Claustrale: sleep in a historic tower at Echinghen
La Tour de la Claustrale is a historic tower in Echinghen, a quiet village in the Boulonnais just inland from the Opal Coast, about 5 km from Boulogne-sur-Mer. Expedia presents it as atypical accommodation run by a private host, with a garden, a fully equipped kitchen and fast Wi-Fi, a self-catering base for the Côte d’Opale and the Caps et Marais d’Opale nature park.
At a glance
- Location
- Echinghen, Pas-de-Calais (Hauts-de-France), in the Boulonnais, about 5 km as the crow flies from the centre of Boulogne-sur-Mer
- Accommodation
- A self-catering holiday let in a historic tower with a round tower and spiral staircase, offered by a private host; the listing calls it atypical accommodation
- Highlights
- Garden, barbecue, deck chairs, fully equipped kitchen, free Wi-Fi (over 250 Mbit/s), washing machine, Smart TV
- Guest rating
- 10.0/10 from 4 reviews on Expedia (as of 14 Oct 2026)
- Check-in & check-out
- Check-in from 5 pm · check-out at 11 am
- Good to know
- No pets · non-smoking · parking on site · central heating
Staying at La Tour de la Claustrale: a night in a historic tower
Staying at La Tour de la Claustrale means choosing a place with a different character from a hotel. Expedia describes it as atypical accommodation with a private host, set in the middle of Echinghen. The pictures in the listing show a historic building with a round tower and a spiral staircase, bedrooms with dark wooden beds and bathrooms with wooden furniture. It is a holiday let, so you cook and organise your own days rather than being served.
The kitchen is fully equipped: hob, oven, microwave, dishwasher, fridge, toaster, kettle, a coffee and tea kettle, cookware, crockery and cutlery. There is a dining table, a washing machine, an iron and ironing board, and a Smart TV; bed linen and towels are provided. Wi-Fi is free in all rooms, with speeds listed at over 250 Mbit/s, enough for three to five people or up to ten devices.
Outside, the listing mentions a garden with a barbecue, deck chairs and outdoor furniture. Books are available, there is a laundry and central heating, and parking is available on the property. Expedia notes that pets are not allowed and that smoking is not permitted.
Photos of La Tour de la Claustrale
History around La Tour de la Claustrale: Echinghen and the Boulonnais
- Roman era – The Roman road from Boulogne-sur-Mer to Thérouanne passes through Echinghen.
- 1857–1858 – A Merovingian cemetery is discovered near the village; several finds are placed in the museum at Boulogne-sur-Mer.
- c. 1640 – The nearby Château de Pont-de-Briques is built; around 1786 it is raised and its wings enlarged.
- 1803–1805 – Napoleon assembles the Camp de Boulogne on this coast; Pont-de-Briques is his headquarters, and he lives in the château in 1803 and 1804.
- 1804 – On 16 August the first Legion of Honour medals are handed out at the camp, and the decision to build a column in honour of Napoleon follows the next day.
- 1825 – The museum of Boulogne-sur-Mer is founded; since 1988 it has been housed in the counts’ castle.
- 1841 – The 54 m Column of the Grande Armée at Wimille is completed.
- 1991 – The Nausicaá sea centre opens at Boulogne-sur-Mer.
The sources used for this guide do not describe the history of the tower itself, and Wikipedia has no article on it, so no date or builder is given here. What is documented is the setting: Echinghen is a small commune of 378 inhabitants (2023) in the Pas-de-Calais, in the nature park of the Caps et Marais d’Opale, about 3 km south-east of Boulogne-sur-Mer. Its parish church of Saint-Martin hides a burial vault under the floor where 18th-century benefactors of the church rest, and the village is crossed by a motorway viaduct.
The timeline therefore tells the story of the area around the tower: Roman roads, early medieval graves, and above all the years around 1803 to 1805, when Napoleon prepared an army on these cliffs and ridges. The listed Château de Pont-de-Briques, only about 3 km from the tower, is the best surviving trace of that episode.
Facilities and services at La Tour de la Claustrale
The details below come from the Expedia listing (as of 14 Oct 2026); the property is self-catering and no meals are provided.
Rooms
- Free Wi-Fi in all rooms
- Bed linen and towels provided
- Hair dryer and toilet paper
- Smart TV and books
- Dining table
- Central heating
Kitchen
- Hob, oven and microwave
- Dishwasher and fridge
- Toaster, kettle and coffee/tea kettle
- Cookware, crockery and cutlery
- Washing machine, iron and ironing board
- Laundry
Outdoors
- Garden
- Barbecue
- Deck chairs
- Outdoor furniture
Practical
- Parking on site
- Non-smoking property
- Pets not allowed
- Internet access in some public areas
Where La Tour de la Claustrale is: between Boulogne-sur-Mer and the nature park
The tower stands in the village of Echinghen, in the Boulonnais, about 5 km from the centre of Boulogne-sur-Mer and some 5 km from the Channel. Expedia says the Caps et Marais d’Opale regional nature park is only a few steps away and the Georges Brassens cultural centre 4.5 km. By car, Pont-de-Briques station is about 9 minutes away, according to the listing.
Within about 10 km Expedia mentions Notre-Dame de Boulogne and the basilica, and in the wider area the Nausicaá aquarium, the Le Touquet beach, Cap Gris-Nez and Calais harbour. For history, the listing points to the château museum and the Column of the Grande Armée, and for nature to the Hardelot forest.
Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Distances (as the crow flies from La Tour de la Claustrale)
| Echinghen village (church and village hall) | approx. 1.5 km |
| Château de Pont-de-Briques | approx. 3 km |
| Château-museum, Boulogne-sur-Mer | approx. 5 km |
| Notre-Dame Basilica, Boulogne-sur-Mer | approx. 5 km |
| Column of the Grande Armée | approx. 6 km |
| Nausicaá sea centre | approx. 6.5 km |
| Château d'Hardelot | approx. 7 km |
| Cap Gris-Nez | approx. 20 km |
| Calais | approx. 31 km |
Distances calculated as the crow flies from the coordinates given by Expedia; travel times come from the Expedia listing.
What to see around La Tour de la Claustrale
Château-musée de Boulogne-sur-Mer
approx. 5 km
Since 1988 the municipal art and archaeology museum, founded in 1825, has occupied the counts’ castle built into the 13th-century ramparts. It holds Greek ceramics and Inuit art.
Photo: Patrick from Compiègne, CC BY-SA 2.0
Column of the Grande Armée
approx. 6 km
A 54 m commemorative column at Wimille, built between 1804 and 1841 and crowned by a statue of Napoleon. It recalls the army he gathered at Boulogne in 1804.
Photo: Roger Davies, CC BY-SA 3.0
Nausicaá sea centre
approx. 6.5 km
The national sea centre at Boulogne-sur-Mer, opened in 1991, has what Wikipedia calls the largest aquarium in Europe. Expedia lists it among the sights near the tower.
Photo: Bateloupreaut, CC BY-SA 4.0
Château d'Hardelot
approx. 7 km
A castle at Condette on foundations of 1222, rebuilt as a manor in the mid-19th century, with nine towers and two moats. It houses the Entente Cordiale cultural centre.
Photo: JackyM59, CC BY-SA 4.0
Cap Gris-Nez
approx. 20 km
A headland at Audinghen, about 15 km north of Boulogne-sur-Mer. It is one of the points of the French coast closest to England, only 30.3 km away, and a protected natural site.
Photo: Jörg Braukmann, CC BY-SA 4.0
Tours & activities near La Tour de la Claustrale
Experiences in the region that you can book online with Viator:
D-Day Beaches Shore Excursion from Le Havre with Packed Lunch
Discover the D-Day Landing Beaches, officially recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since July 2026, honoring one of the most significant …
View details ›
Normandy UNESCO D-Day Beaches Tour & Packed Lunch from Le Havre
Discover the D-Day Landing Beaches, officially recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since July 2026, honoring one of the most significant …
View details ›
Private Tour in Paris by Electric TUKTUK
Discover Paris differently on a 100% electric TukTuk! Enjoy a unique and environmentally friendly experience exploring the capital in our electric …
View details ›
Private Round Trip Transfer to Vimy Ridge from Arras
We pick you up at the train station or at your hotel and we drive you in a comfortable vehicle for a visit to the Vimy Canadian Memorial. We deposit …
View details ›
From Le Havre Breathtaking Honfleur and Deauville Shore Excursion
Experience the best of Normandy on this exclusive shore excursion, perfect for cruise ship passengers docking at Le Havre. First, visit the …
View details ›
Private battle of Dunkirk Operation Dynamo Tour
The 2h private Dunkirk Dynamo Tour will take you to the key historical places around Operation Dynamo and on the tracks of the shooting of the 2017 …
View details ›
Private Full Day Tour of the Somme Battlefields
Starting in the beautiful towns of Arras or Albert we head to the notorious battlefield of the 1916 Somme offensive. From trenches to memorials we …
View details ›
1 day Canadian WW1 private tour including Vimy Ridge
On this tour, your group will be the sole and exclusive participant. You will receive your guide's undivided attention. This is a strictly private …
View details ›Some descriptions are machine-translated.
Who is La Tour de la Claustrale for?
Couples and small groups
A historic tower with a garden and a fully equipped kitchen: a quiet place away from the coastal crowds.
Walkers and nature lovers
The regional nature park of the Caps et Marais d’Opale begins just next to the property, with the Hardelot forest and the coast within reach.
History lovers
Napoleon’s Camp de Boulogne, the château museum in the old town and the Column of the Grande Armée are all within about 6 km.
Families
Nausicaá, one of Europe’s big aquariums, and the beaches of the Opal Coast are a short drive away, and the kitchen suits family meals.
Good to know before booking La Tour de la Claustrale
- Check-in is from 5 pm and check-out is at 11 am.
- Pets are not allowed, and the property is non-smoking.
- Parking is available on the property.
- This is a self-catering holiday let run by a private host: there is no restaurant or breakfast service, so plan your meals around the kitchen.
- The nearest station, Pont-de-Briques, is about 9 minutes away by car, so a car is practical.
Find available dates at La Tour de la Claustrale
Frequently asked questions
Can you stay overnight at La Tour de la Claustrale?
Yes. The tower is let as holiday accommodation by a private host and can be booked through Expedia. It is a self-catering stay and not a hotel.
What are the check-in and check-out times?
Check-in is from 5 pm, and check-out is at 11 am.
Are pets allowed?
No. According to Expedia, pets are not allowed at the property.
Is there parking?
Yes, parking is available on the property.
Is there a kitchen?
Yes. The listing mentions a fully equipped kitchen with a hob, oven, microwave, dishwasher, fridge and cookware, plus a dining table.
What is there to see near La Tour de la Claustrale?
The château museum and old town of Boulogne-sur-Mer are about 5 km away, the Column of the Grande Armée and the Nausicaá aquarium about 6 km. Cap Gris-Nez is about 20 km away.
Photos, guest reviews and available dates are all in the La Tour de la Claustrale listing on Expedia.
Fancy a quiet night in a historic tower near the Opal Coast? Check availability and current prices for La Tour de la Claustrale on Expedia.
View on Expedia now