Issue No.26

Coast to coast
The Opal Coast runs the length of the coast
line of Pas-de-Calais from the border with
Belgium round to the border with Picardy
and is dotted with pretty and authentic
fishing villages. Le Touquet Paris-Plage, AKA
the Monaco of the north, and Wissant beach
are regularly awarded top ten beaches of
France status, and you’ll discover varied
coastal styles from golden sands to dramatic
cliff tops from which you can see the White
Cliffs of Dover, rocky outlets where you can
fish for shrimp, and secret bays where seals
frolic.
Boulogne-sur-Mer, a Ville d’Art et d’Histoire
and the biggest port in France, is brimming
with attractions. “If it (Boulogne) were but
300 miles further off… how the English
would rave about it” said Charles Dickens of
the town where he lived for three years. He
would almost certainly recognise the old
town today with cobble stoned rue de Lille,
and the incredible Basilica of Notre Dame.
It’s also home to Nausicaa, the French
National Sea Centre, which is one of the
largest aquariums in the world.
Town and Country
Arras is the capital of Pas-de-Calais, it’s
architecturally splendid with huge squares
bordered by tall houses with Flemish
facades. It’s home to a UNESCO listed belfry,
voted favourite monument of the French in
2017 (France 2 TV). This small city is like an
urban oasis set in lush countryside
surrounded by pretty villages with easy
access to Arras’ many charms and facilities.