Le Touquet
Le Touquet, or ‘Paris Plage’ as it is known locally, is a much larger, year-round seaside destination. Much more commercialised, it has a true ‘town centre’ and casinos, horse-racing and its own small airport, too. For much of last centrury, a prized destination for the UK’s rich and famous, as well as royalty, its reputation as a short break resort is long established. The town hosts many events, sporting and cultural, motorbike and car rallies to opera…something for everyone, though golfers would be advised to stay away at peak weekends. The golf courses have a reputation stretching far and wide and justifiably so…proximity to the UK and affordability draw golfers back, time and again.
Montreuil-sur Mer
Inland is Montreuil-sur Mer, nowadays a misnomer, as the sea is long departed form the historic walled old town. The town offers wonderful views from its ramparts, open to walk around, and quaint cobbled streets, whose old buildings are home to restaurants and bars…though not that lively at any time. It is a good base for visitors to the region and has charm as well as some decent restaurants, in town and in the surrounding countryside.
Close to Calais, and a likely stop on your return is the Cite d’Europe shopping centre and various wine supermarkets and designer outlets. Cite de Europe, next to the Eurotunnel terminal, is a shopping centre on two levels with a huge supermarket (Carrefour) and other smaller shops and restaurants. Cite offers an alternative place to buy wines and beers before joining your Eurotunnel crossing.
Close to le Touquet, Etaples is a working fishing port at the mouth of the river Canche. Its fishermen run a co-operative with a fish market and a fish restaurant in the little town, other eateries nearby
Pas de Calais is not a wine growing area but it’s proximity to Flanders, and Belgium makes it ‘beer-drinking’ country and there is a wide range of local brews in the supermarkets
As some towns cater very much for the short trip visitor, brasserie-style eating is popular, and the ‘frite’, potato chip is also considered a regional accompaniment to more than the steak or sausage you may be used to. Mussels and chips is one of the most widely found dishes, in some places served with a range of different sauces.
A group of restaurants has formed the ‘Cote d’Opale Gourmand’, to share the best of what the region has to offer, keep an eye out for their sign.
