Fatcatsplat Posted August 4, 2011 Report Share Posted August 4, 2011 Right PW massive - Your mission today is to help out with a bit of foreign knowledge. Mrs FCS wants to go to France this weekend. The Eurostar works out at a small fortune, so we're going by ferry to either Calais or Dunkerque. Would be looking to stay quite close to the ferry port as can't be hassled riving miles over a weekend and we'll be going with my 3 girls - 12, 10 and 7. I'm favouring Dunkerque at the moment, but does anyone have any recommendations locally or generally about the area, places to go, things to do etc? Ta!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onefulham Posted August 4, 2011 Report Share Posted August 4, 2011 Go Norfolk line and pay extra for 1st class if you can , worth it, not sure about your daughters ages though, we booked through Expedia and got a great hotel in Lille, a very nice place and easy drive from Dunkerque, about 30 miles, take a sat nav, makes life much easier, and remember nearly everything shuts on Sundays in France, hope you have a good time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted August 4, 2011 Report Share Posted August 4, 2011 Hmmm, don't know Dunkirk that well but driven past it loads of times, very "Industrial" place, loads of chimneys etc, also the area around is pretty dull and flat. My advice would be to head South from Calais 20 mins to Boulogne, visit the Nausicaa Aquarium, a family ticket will cost you less than 60 Euros, have a meal at the Buffalo Grill and stay overnight at the Hotel BB, (cheap & chearful). Take the coast road from Calais to Boulogne if the weather is nice, good views with loads of places to stop, also good WW2 museum in massive bunker at Ambleteuse. Watch out for speed traps in any villages you go through. Cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twitchynik Posted August 4, 2011 Report Share Posted August 4, 2011 Ditto to what Cat said. Dunkerque is a hole - very industrial. We had a manufacturing plant there and all the vistors would stay down the road in Belgium. Boulogne is a much better shout Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SXPhil Posted August 4, 2011 Report Share Posted August 4, 2011 (edited) Le Touquet is great http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Touquet Has a great seafront Indoor waterpark Great Restaurants Edited August 4, 2011 by SXPhil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canis Posted August 4, 2011 Report Share Posted August 4, 2011 Do any of your wife or brood get seasick? if so its worth bearting in mind that the ferry to dunkerque takes about 3 times as long as the trip to Calais. Either way dont stop in france, (the french where only put there for us to level longbows and muskets at but where taken off the general license in 1816 ) seriously though head to Belgium! think De Haan if the weather is good and want to do a beach, Blankenberg an interesting seaside town and Brugge is great if you fancy seeing an ancient city ( beware though if your other half is addicted to shopping.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattr Posted August 4, 2011 Report Share Posted August 4, 2011 I'd second Le Touquet - nice, little bit 'faded' but real freanc seaside experience... also a nice drive down there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
libs Posted August 4, 2011 Report Share Posted August 4, 2011 How grown-up are the kids? Would you be thinking of throwing in a trip to a British war grave, there isn't a shortage of them over there... never forget and all that. Hope you have good weather for the weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardo Posted August 4, 2011 Report Share Posted August 4, 2011 Saint Omer is only a very short drive from either and is a lovely little market town, Ypres again is very close and worth a look round - lovely old town square and lots to see Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SXPhil Posted August 4, 2011 Report Share Posted August 4, 2011 (edited) How grown-up are the kids? Would you be thinking of throwing in a trip to a British war grave, there isn't a shortage of them over there... never forget and all that. Hope you have good weather for the weekend. Right PW massive - Your mission today is to help out with a bit of foreign knowledge. Mrs FCS wants to go to France this weekend. The Eurostar works out at a small fortune, so we're going by ferry to either Calais or Dunkerque. Would be looking to stay quite close to the ferry port as can't be hassled riving miles over a weekend and we'll be going with my 3 girls - 12, 10 and 7. I'm favouring Dunkerque at the moment, but does anyone have any recommendations locally or generally about the area, places to go, things to do etc? Ta!! Agree re St Omer Edited August 4, 2011 by SXPhil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKPoacher Posted August 4, 2011 Report Share Posted August 4, 2011 Ditto to what Cat said. Dunkerque is a hole - very industrial. We had a manufacturing plant there and all the vistors would stay down the road in Belgium. Boulogne is a much better shout Yes, shame Dunkirk isn't pretty and full of ancient buildings and the like. Same with Arnhem and a lot of the North Sea coastal areas. They got bombed to smithereens during WW2. Go to Bruges instead. You'll all love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mowdy Posted August 4, 2011 Report Share Posted August 4, 2011 I'd second Le Touquet - nice, little bit 'faded' but real freanc seaside experience... also a nice drive down there. Me too. Le touquet is a great place for a week end away but it will be heaving in August. Remember that most small shops are closed on a Monday and also some times have a half day on the tuesday as well dependant on the time of year!!! There is a little gunshop just across from the fish quay on the way in at Estaples if you go there.The Market is on there on a Tuesday and a Friday morrning and it is finished by about 12pm . Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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