LA COTE D'OPALE: Boulogne in 2 days...,
Reachable in less than 2 hours from London, this part of France has a beautiful coastline which is perfect for a relaxing seaside visit.
The historic port of Boulogne sur mer, with its cobbled square and traditional market, its excellent seafood restaurants and bistros, has always had great appeal to visitors. The “Centre Ville’ of Boulogne is a lively mixture of shops, restaurants and cafés, with pedestrian streets and a large cobbled square.
Place Dalton, which lies at the feet of the ancient Church of St Nicolas, protector of sailors. The market takes place in Place Dalton, on Wednesday and Saturday mornings and is full of colourful local products and characters!
‘La Vieille Ville’ (Old Town) is the administrative and religious centre of the town. It is dominated by the belfry and dome of the 19th Century Basilique Notre-Dame. In the crypt of the Basilica, the stone cannon balls employed by Henry VIII when he besieged and captured Boulogne can still be seen.
Nearby the 13th century Chateau is now home of a well organized historical museum. Its vast ramparts, which were built on the foundation of Gallo-Roman walls have four gateways which surround the ‘Vielle Ville’. The view of the old port from the ramparts is superb.
On a hillside to the north of Boulogne stands the vast ‘Colonne de la Grande Armée’ which rises to 50 metres and is surmounted by a statue of Napoleon. The status was built of ‘boulonnais’ marble. From the top of the staircase within, the panoramic view extends, on a clear day, to Dover castle.
At the bottom of this hill lies Boulogne’s beach and Nausicaa, a spectacular, that is for the novice, aquarium and Sea Centre. Opposite NAUSICAA, La Matelote restaurant is ‘THE’ place to stop for a feast of epicurean proportions for which you will be charged accordingly. For a slightly more affordable option check the Bar Hamiot, which overlooks the port.
For those traveling by car, a visit to the Cap Blanc Nez and The Cap Gris Nez is a must.
On a clear day these two headlands offer spectacular views across the channel and up and down the coast. The White Cliffs of Dover seem no distance away at all.
The Nez cliffs are 100 million year old and culminate at 133 m. There are inhabited by black-headed gulls, herring gulls, petrels fulmars, falcons and kestrels which feast on the abundance of local crustaceans. It is ideal for kits when it is breezy. There are many fabulous walks which will delight even the most experienced ramblers. Be prepared for a feast of color. The green of the meadows mixed with the acid yellow of the colza flowers fields mixed, the white of the chalk and the dark blue of the sea will enchant you.
For lunch, amongst many restaurants locals recommends the ‘restaurant du Cap’ in Escalles http://www.restaurantducap.com/ or the Thome Gamondwith its uninterrupted views of the caps, or the The Vivier in Wissant At the Cap Gris Nez , you can access the beach at the bottom of the cliff. There you can either walk along the ‘digue’ or mess among the rocks and rock pools. Watch out for the ‘crabes, moules et bigorgnos’ (crabs, mussles and cockles). Windswept Wissant is a holiday resort for all kinds of visitors including surfers. It is also the last port in France where the local fishermen ground their boats before selling their fish directly to locals, hoteliers and tourists. Wissant is located on a wide bay which is half-way between Cape Gris Nez and Cape Blanc Nez, and boasts of a beautiful beach of fine sand. The coast stretching between the two capes is a protected site. This is where Charles de Gaulle wrote his book "Au fil de l'épée". Overall, Boulogne and its surroundings have much to offer, whether for a day trip, a weekend break or perhaps a longer stay to soak up the many pleasures available in this charming corner of France.
Other areas of interest in the regions are:
- Montreuil sur mer – Montreuil is a city build on high ground surrounded by 3 km of ramparts. The ramparts offer an uninterrupted view of the magnificent Canche valley. A stroll around the ramparts is highly recommended. The citadel is a very good point to start from. After visiting Montreuil briefly, Victor Hugo was inspired to use it as the setting for ‘Les Miserables’, his novel about the turbulent years of the Napoleonic Empire and the 1830 revolution. Montreuil was the headquarters of the British Army in France during World War I.
For lunch or dinner, why not try frog legs at The Auberge de la Grenouillere? Even if frog legs are not your cup of tea, the Auberge offers a very varied a la carte menu and comes highly recommended by some of the leading French food critics.
- Hardelot - Hardelot is a charming seaside resort with 13 kms of unspoilt sandy beaches providing a paradise for windsports enthusiasts (sailing, windsurfing, kite flying, canoeing and sand yachting). It is also ideal for family with children as it focus in providing equipment, activities, security, environment, and entertainments specifically geared for children.
Hardelot also has a celebrated Golf club, Les Pins, which is part of Northern France’s golfing elite with two top class championship courses. Les Pins is carved through Hardelot’s splendid pine forest. In the forest you will also find a modern and well equipped equestrian club. In Hardelot's forest riders are kings. In April Hardelot hosts a show jumping competition which gathers international riding stars. The main riding trails end on the beach. There is another club nearby in Neufchatel which is also highly recommended. For camping options head to the Chateau d'Hardelot.
Le Touquet-Paris-Plage, commonly referred to as Le Touquet, is considered by many as the most elegant holiday seaside resort of northern France. It used to be the playground of rich Parisians and still has many luxury retro hotels. Le Touquet’s villas are extremely fashionable amongst architecture lovers throughout Europe in search of the “folie” of seaside architecture of both the Twenties and the Thirsties.The most famous local architect is Louis Quetelart. With its beautiful sand beaches, elegant casino, exquisite seafood restaurants, trendy shops, luxury hotels, reputable golf course and airport with flights to and from London, Le Touquet is most definitely a destination to bear in mind when visiting the Cote D’Opale.
