Whatever your interests and passions, the region surrounding the ferry port of Calais has something to reward your taking time off the road.
Lille
From markets and retro boutiques to books (including Europe’s largest bookstore and the second-hand stalls of the Stock Exchange courtyard), the lively city of
Lille is perfect for a little retail therapy as well as being known for its art, architecture and world-class restaurants.
Nearby, there’s more fantastic shopping in Roubaix with its designer factory outlets within former textile factories. Other local industrial relics put to new use include the unique Musée la Piscine, an Art Deco pool now showcasing textiles, fashion, ceramics, ethnography and fine arts.
Saint-Omer
In the fortified town of Saint-Omer, a Gothic cathedral and other impressive buildings are joined by canals and the 3,700 hectares of the Marais Audomarois, a biosphere reserve of wetlands dotted by kitchen gardens that supply many of the ingredients for Saint-Omer’s fantastic restaurants. Nearby, La Coupole mixes displays on the German occupation and the history of space within a World War two bunker complex.
Cap Blanc Nez & Cap Gris Nez
The Calais region is also about the great outdoors – and one of the best sites to experience the glories of nature is
Cap Blanc-Nez, which together with
Cap Gris-Nez forms
Les Deux Caps Nature Reserve. The closest points in France to the British coast, these dramatic clifftop sites promise brilliant birdwatching and the chance to spot grey seals.
Meanwhile, at Boulogne sur Mer’s Nausicaa, you can observe sealions, penguins, sharks and more within a cutting-edge research institute designated a Centre of Excellence by UNESCO.
Seaside resorts: Wissant, Audresselles, Saint-Valery-sur-Somme
All this is not to overlook the simple charms of the Calais region: quaint villages and seemingly endless beaches, including
Wissant (don’t miss some mussels and chips at the resort’s Chez Nicole!). Other highlights are the old fishing village of
Audresselles with its characterful longhouses and Belle Epoque villas,
Saint-Valery-sur-Somme with its long seaside promenade and medieval ramparts, and walled
Montreuil-sur-Mer with its ancient houses and restored citadel.
And if you love French food, the Hôtel Château de Busnes, presided over by Michelin-starred Marc Meurin has to be on your list for its dining and/or cookery school. Meanwhile, film buffs flock to Bergues, where Dany Boon’s Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis was filmed in 2007
