Cap Gris Nez

Cap Gris Nez (literally "cape grey nose"; see § Etymology) is a cape on the Côte d'Opale in the Pas-de-Calais département in northern France.

It is between Wissant and Audresselles, in the commune of Audinghen.

The cliffs of the cape are the closest point of France to England – 34 km (21 mi) from their English counterparts at Dover. Smothered in sea pinks and thrift, the cliffs are a perfect vantage point to see hundreds of ships, from oil tankers to little fishing trawlers, plying the waters below. On a clear day, the emblematic white cliffs of Dover on the English shore can be seen.

Grisnez means literally "grey nose" in English. It derives from colloquial Dutch Grizenesse "grey cape"; officially the Dutch name was Swartenesse "black cape" to set it apart from the Blankenesse "white cape" (Cap Blanc Nez) to the north-east. The element -nesse is cognate to English , denoting "headland", as in for example Sheerness.

The cliffs of Cap Gris Nez are made of sandstone, clay and chalk. They are mainly grey which gives the cape its name. It is also a good place to collect fossils, which are mainly from the Jurassic period. One can find bivalves, gastropods and wood. In the sandstone layers with small pebbles, one can find teeth of fish and reptiles. Sometimes larger ammonites are found in the sandstones.

The proximity of the cape to England led to the frequent destruction of the nearby village of Audinghen in wars between England and France. On the top of the cliff are the ruins of an English fortress, built by Henry VIII at the beginning of the 16th century. The English called the fort 'Blackness', a translation of the Dutch name Swartenisse.

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