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Maryloo and I are heading for Calais for the half term.  The main idea was to 'shop' but are there other places you lot can recommend to visit whilst there?  We're staying in Coquelles for 3 nights. We both enjoy history.  Are there other things we should look for to buy in the area (other than the obvious bargains in booze and cheese?)

Cheers

Try this

http://www.leblockhaus.com/

We visited in Aug,very informative.

Would agree the Blockhaus is an interesting visit, if not a little eerie! Not far from Coquelles going the other way is Cap Blanc-Nez which has lovely views of Calais and on a clear day England (just in case you get homesick!) There are quite a few remains of the wartime defences along the coast.

David

Quote: Originally posted by Pennine Plodder on 23/9/2006

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  Are there other things we should look for to buy in the area (other than the obvious bargains in booze and cheese?)

Cheers

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We drink a lot of coffee and find we save money by buying in France. It's light to carry and has a long shelf life. We never buy coffee in the UK. Also filter papers if you drink filter coffee.

Dishwasher tablets from Lidl. Herbes de Provence. Black peppercorns.

 

Just a few that come to mind for us.

boulogne is a beautiful town, especially the old town.
the church has a gorgeous glass domed roof - it was being re built when we were there last so it was all covered up, it must be finished now tho.
also the castle, famous for the story of the butcher/baker? during the war who showed the allies the secret tunnels inside - caught the germans napping.

also there was a market in the main street, there were traditional musicians and other entertainment - can't remember what day it was tho, sorry!

Agincourt, of course, if you don't know it already. Good modern museum - especially the upstairs part (I got a bit bored with the state-of-the-art talking heads downstairs). Wed-Mon 10am-5pm.

The Tour de l'Horloge, at Guines, is  an unexpectedly good telling of the history of Guines, and the Field of the Cloth of Gold - though you do get lost among the invading Spanish and English somewhere along the line. Until 1 Nov, daily 10.30am-6.30pm.

The creepy blockhouse at Eperlecques has been rec a bit higher up I think. Chilling place. I tagged onto a guided tour which was excellent. 1-31 Oct, daily 10am-noon & 2.15-6pm; 1-30 Nov, daily 2.15-5pm.
Even scarier is the bunker of Mimoyecques, in a hillside at Landrethun le Nord, where Hitler planned his V3 - a large gun to fire on London. Empty and very sinister. 1 Apr-11 Nov, daily 11am-6pm.
Of course La Coupole is a must, S of St-Omer. This blockhouse in a hillside is fitted out like a proper museum, in two halves: one looking at WW2 in Northern France, and the other looking at the development of the German rockets (V2s of course) at Peenemunde that led to the international space programmes. I spent 6 hours in there, and could still go back for more! Daily 9am-6pm.

Personally, I love Flanders. Its little towns have wonderful belfries that play merry jingles on the quarter. If you have time, try and visit the hilltop town of Cassel (NE of St-Omer). My favourite "estaminet" (sort of restaurant-cum-pub) at the very top of the hill next to the windmill "T'Kasteelhof". Good food, not expensive; choice of 40 beers!" Open Thurs-Sun only. Very popular so you need to book.

I really like the resort of Wimereux; lovely sea-front and fabulous Victorian seaside villas.

Excellent museum in the Chateau of Boulogne, in the old (higher) town, near the domed cathedral. Very good on Inuit masks, and on Ancient Egyptian stuff, all exquisitely displayed.

Maréis, at Etaples (N of Le Touquet) is a museum giving a marvellous insight into the fishing industry. Tues-Sun & public holidays 9.30am-1pm & 2-6pm.

I find Le Touquet overrated myself - unless you want a sybaritic half-day at the thalassotherapy spa of course. (It's in the Mercure Hotel, and you can sign up for 4 "traitements".)

Amazingly good municipal museum farther south, in Berck, with marvellous paintings by plein-air artists of late 19C, and some charming tiny portraits of aged fisherfolk. Mon 3-6pm; Wed-Sun 10am-noon & 3-6pm.

Markets:
Bergues (nice little walled town, S of Dunkerque), Mon
Arques, Tues 
Etaples Tues & Fri
Audruicq (good rural one, N of Ardres), Wed
Marquise, Thurs
Boulogne, Montreuil, St-Omer, Le Touquet Sat

I haven't been to the Calais markets, so can't comment.

Etaples has a HUGE war cemetery on the north side, so that's worth looking at.

If you want a real tear-jerking outing, you might consider driving to Ypres (not that far) to catch the Last Post one evening (daily at 8pm at the Menin Gate, just off the main square Grote Markt). Lots of places to eat round the main square. Best museum of WWI is apparently Zillebecke, though I haven't been to it. I didn't like the "In Flanders Fields" one much, that is in the Cloth Hall on the square. It seems designed for school parties to me.

Sorry for rambling on...

Have a great time!

Angela

Markets are listed here

http://www.webzinemaker.com/admi/m6/page.php3?num_web=41656&rubr=2&id=288841

That's brilliant!  Thanks everyone.  I have a sneaking suspicion that between us all, we have enough information to take over the World!

Lille is definately worth a visit and only a short drive away on fast dual carriageways. Unlike Calais it is not setup as a shopping centre for the Brits and has some great typically French shopping, excellent restaurants and cafes overlooking the main square. If it's still there the 'Le Moule' restaurant takes some beating for mussels. On the way back from Lille up to Dunkerque there are several shopping centres with the big name supermarkets. Plenty of history in Lille though I must confess to not having seen much personally.

Bon chance mon amis!

I love the centre of Lille too, but I must admit I have only been there by train.  Friends who have driven there recall it as a hair-raising experience, and awful traffic through endless rather dreary suburbs.

If you do go there, maybe try and get a train from somewhere. TGVs go to Lille-Europe; other local trains go to Lille-Flandres; the latter is nearer to the shops etc.

Angela