Northern France: What's on in April

ANGELA BIRD'S

Northern France
What to do and see within 90 minutes of Calais

WHAT'S ON IN NORTHERN FRANCE

April 2010

(entries in red indicate new additions)

	PLEASE NOTE This website is really just a supplement to Angela Bird's guidebook, Northern France: What to do and see within 90 minutes of Calais (left), which gives full details in its 176 pages of hundreds of interesting and off-beat tourist sites throughout the region. What you see on the website consists of either extra topics not covered in the book (Calendar, Restaurants, Travel routes, Internet links etc), or updated information (new tourist attractions open - or old ones closed) since the book appeared. For the complete picture, order Northern France through bookshops in the UK and Ireland, or from Amazon ; it is also on sale in good bookshops throughout Northern France.	The listings on this site are supplied in good faith, gathered by the author from various sources. However it is always wise to check details with organisers or tourist offices before making a special journey. The “département”, or county, is indicated by the following official figures: 59=Nord 62=Pas de Calais 80=Somme

Until late June	Le Jardin des Boves The annual three-month summer period when the tunnels beneath the tourist office of Arras take on a new air, being filled with growing plants and strange music. Visitors expecting the usual history-filled tour may be disappointed... Guided visit 4.70€, children 2.70€.	Office de Tourisme, Hôtel de Ville, Place des Héros, Arras 62
early Apr	Festival des Epeutnaerts Annual scarecrow festival, when fantastic figures invade every corner of this village NW of St-Omer.	Moringhem, near Houlle 62
early April	Foire aux Rameaux Annual agricultural show in town centre, with displays, demonstrations, and competitions for various breeds.	Bergues, near Dunkerque, 59
4 April 2010	EASTER SUNDAY Public holiday
5 April 2010	EASTER MONDAY Public holiday
5 Apr	Brocante de Paques Easter-Monday brocante fair. 7am-7pm. Admission free.	Samer, near Desvres, 62
5 Apr	Carnaval d’Été So famous that its characters are UNESCO-listed, the Easter Monday carnival of Cassel promises the regal giants Reuze Papa and Reuze Maman, surrounded by hobby horse and other traditional characters.	Cassel, 59
18 April 2010	Anniversaire du Caou de Merville This town on the river Lys has a traditional carnival that includes the giant St Antoine and an equally larbge-scale cat – le Caou. This year’s is special, since the current Caou celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2010. Several giants from surrounding towns and villages will be joining the grand parade.	Merville, nr Hazebrouck, 59
mid April	Louis Blériot Cup Annual competition, named after the great aviator who was also the first to organise this sand-yachting event, at nearby Hardelot in 1914. This year being the centenary of Blériot’s flight across the Channel, it will have a higher profile than usual.	Le Touquet, 62
10-18 April 2010	Festival de l’Oiseau et de la Nature A week of bird related walks, talks, films and other events in and around the Somme estuary.	Abbeville area, 80
mid April	Vide grenier A large annual car-boot sale and brocante fair, with more than 300 stalls. 6am-8pm. Admission free.	Rue, near Le Crotoy, 80
mid April	Brocante de la Ville Basse Some 150 exhibitors set up stands near the railway station, outside the city walls in Montreuil’s lower town. 7am-7pm. Admission free.	Montreuil, 62
late April	Rencontres Internationales de Cerf-Volants Spectacular annual kite festival, on the wide sands of Berck.	Berck-sur-Mer, 62
23, 24 April 2010	La Nuit du Miroir aux alouettes, Anno 1585 Annual promenade performances around the old streets and ramparts of Bergues, with costumed characters in wait to plunge spectators nto the year 1585 and the Spanish occupation of Flanders. Booking opened in October, and places are allegedly sold out already, so chances of a last-minute ticket are low, but who knows... (There are 2 other dates in September) Admission 14€; children under 12, 8€.	Tourist office, Bergues 59 (tel: 03.28.68.71.06)
25 Apr 2010 (ANZAC Day)	ANZAC Commemoration Each year, two commemoration ceremonies are held: - at Villers-Bretonneux: 5.30am Dawn service at Australian National Memorial. 9am Wreath-laying ceremony at war memorial in town centre. - at Bullecourt in memory of the battles of April-May 1917 2pm Commemoration at Commonwealth and French monuments in: village centre; 3pm at Australian “Digger” memorial on outskirts of village.	Villers-Bretonneux, near Amiens, 80. Bullecourt, near Arras, 62
25 April 2010	Carnaval d’été de Steenvoorde A great parade of giants at 3pm, followed by an afternoon of events in the streets and evening happenings in the local estaminets. The 2010 event will have a Celtic theme.	Steenvoorde, nr Cassel 59
25, 26 Apr	Journées des Villes Fortifiées A weekend of walks and special events in the fortified towns of France, including in the north. Traditionally held on the last Sunday in April, but events usually spread over the weekend.	Bergues, Gravelines, Montreuil etc.
26 April	Salon des Collectionneurs Collectors’ fair, with stamps, toys, postcards, coins, magazines and other items. 9-6. Admission free.	Hesdin*, 62*
26 April	Brocante 500 exhibitors promised, in this small Flemish village. 6am-6pm. Admission free.	Crochte, near Bergues, 59
26 April	Rederie de Printemps More than 2,000 brocante and antique stalls are set up near the city’s central market and ancient belfry. 7am-7pm.	Amiens, 80

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