Last modified: 2026-01-31 by olivier touzeau
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![[Flag]](../images/f/fr-80-mb.gif)
Flag of Mers-les-Bains - Image by Olivier Touzeau, 19 December 2025
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Mers-les-Bains (2,536 inhabitants, 539 ha) is a commune in the Somme department.
This seaside resort has both pebbles and sand (at low tide) on the 1 kilometre beach and high chalk cliffs. With its neighbouring towns Eu and Le Tréport so close by, they are collectively known as the 'three sister-towns' (les trois villes soeurs).
A temple erected on the cliff in honor of the god Mars is said to have attested to the Roman presence. It is this presence that is believed to have given the town its name.
Several noble families, landowners, are recorded in well-known localities: the Mython family, lords of Froideville, of whom a magnificent stone carved with their coat of arms now adorns the town hall council chamber; the Lucas family, lords of Romeval (now Rompval, a contraction of Val rompu: a chalk valley on the English Channel); the Lattaignant family, lords of Blengues; and the Torcy family, lords of Mers, are mentioned in the archives.
Once a small fishing village, but primarily a farming community, with just a handful of inhabitants, the seaside resort experienced a meteoric rise in 1860 with the explosion of the sea bathing craze. Thanks to the Paris-Le Tréport railway line (Compagnie des chemins de fer du Nord), opened in 1872, entire families of wealthy Parisians discovered the benefits of sea bathing and the invigorating sea air. Mers also experienced the era of the first paid holidays in 1936, welcoming to its beach the first families of workers and vacationers arriving by train from the Le Tréport-Mers station.
Olivier Touzeau, 19 December 2025
The flag is white with the arms, including the motto: In litore floreo and with the name of the commune above: photo (2020), photo (2025).
The current coat of arms of the town of Mers-les-Bains was designed by
Mr. Jack Lebeuf at the request of the town council in 1962. Its lower
left quarter incorporates the Mython coat of arms found on the stone and is inspired by those of other noble families of Mers linked to
well-known localities in the commune, the Lattaignant lords of
Blengues (Blingues) and of course the Torcy lords of Mers. Only the
arms of the Lucas lords of Romeval (Rompval) could not be used due to
lack of space.
It is blazoned:
Quarterly: 1. & 4. Gules a bend Or, 2. Azure three cockerels Or 3.
Azure a fess Or between in chief two roses Argent and in base a
crescent of the same.
Olivier Touzeau, 19 December 2025