Northern France

Guide to Northern France we visit Northern France at least twice a year.Let us guide you through the towns and villages in Pas de Calais,Picardy and the Somme area we have visited over the last few years

Pas de Calais has a lot to offer a shopping trip to Calais. An upmarket resort like Le Touquet a seaside and golf break at Wimereux You can visit the WWll sites and see a secret rocket base Or stay in a quiet village like La Wast We have started visiting the Christmas markets in the Calais area it makes a nice break before Christmas

The towns we have visited in Northern France

Abbeville

a medium sized town located on the Somme River in Picardy.It has an old church good shops and is worth a visit

The old town market town of Aire sur la Lys guide and photos photo gallery

Town of Albert is located about halfway between Amiens and Bapaume in Picardy.

Albert was the site of the Battle of the Somme in World War I.

The old city of Amiens is a mixture of old and new and very busy. Amiens is also known for its gardens on small islands in the marshland along the Somme River, surrounded by man-made canals.

The town of Arras has two large squares, the Grande Place, the Place des Héros, also called the Petite Place. The town was rebuilt after the first World War

The old town of Ardres we have been regular visitors to this market town. We have started visiting the Christmas market here is another visit to Ardres

The Market town of Audruicq a nice little town. There is a good street market in the main square on a Wednesday morning come early for the best buys.There is a good choice of fresh produce and meat.There are several cafe bars nearby for a rest after the shopping

The town of Beaurainville

The town of Bethune this was our first visit to the town. It has a busy centre with plenty of shops and cafes. We came to see the Christmas market my wife bought several gifts. We liked the town and will go back at Christmas

The Port of boulogne sur Mer we stay in a gite about 10 miles from the port once a year.So we are regular visitors We like the old part of town with its shops, bars and cafes. There is also a large shopping estate just across the marina Our last visit to Boulogne. Try the market Our guide to Boulogne sur Mer Christmas Market Photos of the old part of Boulogne

Bergues a Market town with a famous bell tower near to Dunkerque


Seaside resort Berck sur mer is a large resort with a great beach. You can sit in the restaurants opposite the beach and watch the world go by.There are plenty of shopping streets to see and no problem parking the car

The Port of Calais the gateway to France from the UK. The Cite Europe shopping centre gets the most visit but it is worth going to the centre of town where you can find the real Calais. With its shops and restaurants we visited the Christmas Market Latest visit to Calais

The old town of Cassel is a small market town.There as been people living here from Roman times and it has been the site of several battles. Take a walk up to Cassel mount you can see for miles unrivalled view of Flanders and Belgium

Cayeux sur mer is a small resort in the Picardy region a about 41 miles from Abbeville.The first thing you notice is the beach so clean and tidy. There are about 400 beach huts on the edge of the beach.Cayeux has one of the longest boardwalks in Europe

The town of Desvres

• The old town of Douai busy town
• The market town of Doullens interesting town
• The port of Dunkerque France busy port

  Etaples is a small fishing port next to Le Touquet.A pleasant place to spend a few hours. Equihen Plage is further up the coast it has a good beach. A car park right on the edge of a cliff with a great view out to sea and along the coast

  Fort Mahon Plage a small seaside town

• The town of Gosnay
• Grand Fort Philippe seaside resort worth a visit
• Gravelines Fortified town a must see
• The market town of Guines Nice little town

  Hardelot Plage upmarket resort smaller version of nearby Le Touquet.Good beach and two golf clubs nice place to visit.

  Just up the road you can visit Castle Hardelot there you can walk round the outside of the castle

  Market town of Hesdin one of our favourite towns good parking easy to walk round centre.A large street market that is held on a Thursday morning. In the main square and the surrounding streets get there early it is very busy.After your shopping have a coffee in one of the cafes

  Le Crotoy fishing port by the Somme estuary Le Crotoy Friday morning market

  Le Touquet Upmarket resort with everything good beach and water sports centre. Golf club most sports quality shops, cafes and restaurants. A casino easy to park the car mostly free we have visited the town several times an interesting day out longer if you can afford it.

  The city of Lille is a very busy place lots of traffic jams and ring roads. Not a good place to drive without a Sat Nav. The city is a mixture of very new buildings and an old city centre. The centre is the most interesting part to visit.Large Christmas Market in December worth a visit

  Town of Marquise

• The seaside resort of Mers les Bains lively resort
• The seaside town of Merlimont Page
• Markets of Northern France all markets we have visited
• Stella Plage seaside resort best beach nice resort

  Montreuil sur Mer an old town we have visited many times. We like the old buildings the walk round the town walls. You can see for miles from the ramparts of the Citadel An update and photos of our most recent visit to this charming old town in Pas de Calais region

• The town of Outreau
• The town of Rue

  The town of St Omer A busy town with lots of interesting places to visit within a short distance of the town see the Photo gallery Update on Saint Omer

• The town of Saint Riquier
• The seaside town of Saint Valery sur Somme fishing port
• The steam train trip Saint Valery sur Somme great day out
• Stella Plage one of the best beaches in Northern France

  Seaside town Wimereux We have spent quiet a bit of time in the resort. We like the colourful houses the compact size of the town easy to walk round. A good beach a golf club a nice mix of shops and cafes. Our latest visit to the town to visit the Friday morning market. Wimereux photo gallery

  The village we have visited in Northern France

  
  

  Village of Ambleteuse a small fishing village near Calais. There is a very good WWll museum there

• Audingham a small village a few miles from Ambleteuse
• Audrehemin the Hem Valley
• The village of Boeschepe Famous windmill
  
  

  The village of Azincourt a lovely well cared for village. Not the kind of place you could imagine thousands of Knights fighting. The village has a good museum where you can learn all about the battle at Azincourt. You can walk round the site of the battle or drive round. A few miles up the road you can visit another famous battle site at Crecy

• Auchy les Hesdin a village

  The village of Beussent

• Blangy sur Ternoise village
• Bremes les Ardres village in the Hem valley
• Chateau Brailly in the village of Brailly Cornehotte
• Cap Blanc Nez picnic area with great views
• Cap Gris-Nes over the channel
  
  

  The village of Caumont we spent a week here nice area
  

• Village of Clerques in the Hem valley
• Village of Fressin
• Hucqueliers village
• Village of Inxent We enjoyed our stay here
• Village of Journy a village in the Hem valley
• The village of Landrethun les Ardres
• Landrethun le Nord nice little village
• La Wast award winning village
• Lebiez village

  The village of Leubringhen a small village near Calais

• Licques village Hem valley Village in Hem valley
• Le Portel Plage seaside resort near Boulogne
• The village of Mentque Nortbecourt small village Hem valley
• The village of Montcavrel small village Course valley
• The village of Nielles les Ardres small village Hem valley
• Olhain village with a fortified farmhouse

  Oye Plage small seaside resort good beach

• Village of Ponthoile village in the Somme estuary
• The vilage of Pihen les Guines
• Village of Pittefaux village is near to Boulogne
• Village of Rebergues village in the Hem valley
• The village Tournehem sur la Hem Hem valley
• The village of Watten near St Omer
• The village of Wamin

  Wierre Effroy we have stayed here several times

• The village of Wimille nice place
• Wissant fishing village small village with a good beach we have had several picnics in the car park over looking the beach
• Zouafques village in the Hem valley

• Christmas Markets Northern France