Dunkirk Gables

The Gâbles of Grand Large, contemporary architecture in Dunkirk

In the Grand Large district, houses with a very particular look, the Gâbles, give the landscape a resolutely contemporary appearance. Built on former shipyards, this district illustrates the transformation of Dunkirk. The Dunkirk audio-guided tour stops here to discover a modern face of the city, facing the sea.

A district born on former shipyards

The Grand Large district stretches over the dozens of hectares of the former shipyards of Dunkirk, converted as part of a vast urban planning project. The Gâbles, these housing buildings with a singular architecture, are its signature. On a human scale, close to the Malo-les-Bains beach and the marinas, they testify to the renewal of a once-industrial area.

What to see

Here you discover a bold contemporary architecture, including the Gâbles with their characteristic shapes, in a district open onto the sea and the marinas. The walk lets you grasp the metamorphosis of Dunkirk, from the shipyards to the modern living environment. It is a stop for those curious about town planning and today's architecture.

Practical information

The Gâbles lie in the Grand Large district, in Dunkirk, near the Malo-les-Bains beach and the marinas, reachable on foot and by public transport. They are housing buildings discovered from the public space, as part of a walk; access is free in the streets of the district.

What are the Gâbles of Dunkirk?

They are housing buildings with a singular contemporary architecture, in the Grand Large district, built on former shipyards of Dunkirk.

What was the Grand Large district before?

It was the site of the former shipyards of Dunkirk, converted into a modern residential district open onto the sea.