ANGELA BIRD'S
Northern France
What to do and see within 90 minutes of Calais


WHAT'S ON IN NORTHERN FRANCE 

August 2012
(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.

62=Pas de Calais
59=Nord
80=Somme

 

 

 

Until 3 Sept 2012

Paris-Plage et les Etaplois au Siecle Dernier Exhibition celebrating 100 years of the existence of the resort of Le Touquet, examining its relationship with the nearby fishing port of Etaples.

 

 

Maison des Phares (lighthouse), Avenue des Phares, Le Touquet 62

Until 9 Sept 2012

Jaume Plensa, 2000-2011   Exhibition of works on paper by a Spanish-born artist who has been working for a decade on the subject of language, the human body and collective memory.

 

Musée du dessin et de l’estampe originale, Gravelines, 59

 

Until 15 Sept 2012

« Amiens, la cathédrale en couleurs »

The summer light show, at nightfall, bringing to colourful life the wonderfully-carved medieval sculptures on the West Front of the cathedral. Not to be missed!  Daily: June 10.45pm; July 10.30pm; Aug 10pm; Sept 9.45pm. Free; no booking required.

 

Cathedral, Amiens, 80
(tel: 03 22 71 60 50)

Until 15 Sept 2012

Centre Pompidou Mobile  Paris’s famous museum of modern art takes some of its works on tour to the provinces. Presented here in a temporary structure on the old ferry port is an exhibition entitled “La couleur”, which includes works by great modern masters such as Léger, Braque, Matisse, Picasso ou Calder. Tues-Fri noon-7pm; Sat, Sun 9am-7pm. Admission free.

 

Gare Maritime, Boulogne-sur-Mer, 62

Until 16 Sept 2012

Dessiner-Tracer  Museums throughout the region are running exhibitions linked to the theme of drawing.
Dessin Phénomenal, at Dunkerque’s excellent modern-art museum, shows work by three modern artists who are influenced by accidents of light and time. Tues-Sun 10am-12.15pm & 2-6pm (3rd Thurs of month, until 8.30pm). 4.50€, 18-25 year-olds 3€, children free. Ticket valid for 7 days and admits to the town’s Musée des Beaux Arts too.

 

LAAC, Dunkerque, 59 (car parking on Rue des Chantiers de France). Tel : 03 28 29 56 00.

Until 17 Sept 2012

14-18 : Les Femmes Sur Un Autre Front  Exhibition about the role of women in Etaples during the Great War. Photographs and archaeological material show the large extent to which women worked, in the many British military hospitals sited here and the redoubtable training camp that existed here for Allied soldiers on the way to the Front.

 

Musee Quentovic, Etaples 62

Until 30 Sept 2012

La marine étaploise, vues d'artistes (1880-1914)  Exhibition of paintings by some of the artists that have fallen under the spell of this fishing village since the 19th century.  The railways made Etaples accessible to an international set of painters from Paris, who congregated here in a group known as the Ecole d’Etaples.

Works from the museum’s collection include paintings by Balande; Maillart, Koopmann; Hallez; and the group’s most famous member, Tattegrain.

 

Musee de la Marine, Etaples 62

Until 7 Dec 2012

Albert Siffait de Moncourt et l'éloge du Patrimoine  Moncourt, born in 1858, was a specialist in historical painting, especially subjects featuring the heritage of the nearby region of Ponthieu. Wed-Sat 10-12 & 2-6. Closed Tues. Admission 4 euros.

 

Musee Roger Rodiere, Pl St Walloy, Montreuil, 62

Until  Jan 2013

Babel  Exhibition demonstrating the artistic richness based on the theme of the Tower of Babel – the most celebrated architectural allegory in art. Painting and photography, film and comic strips illustrate multiple facets of the Babylonian myth.

 

Musée des Beaux-Arts, Lille, 59

Until 10 Nov 2013

Roulez Carosses!  Exhibition of royal carriages and other grand conveyances from the magnificent collection of the Chateau de Versailles. They include paintings, sculptures, sleighs, sedan chairs, harness. Wed-Mon 11-6; closed bank holidays such as 14 July. Admission 7 euros

 

Musee des Beaux-Arts, Abbaye St-Vaast, Arras, 62

Early Aug

Grande Brocante du Centre Ville  Large flea market taking place in the town centre.

 

Place de Gaulle, Etaples, nr Le Touquet

Early Aug

Festival “Les Malins Plaisirs” Twentieth edition of this theatrical festival; plays will all be in French, so will requie a good knowledge of the language.

 

 

Montreuil, 62

3-6 Aug 2012

Son et Lumière “ Les Misérables à Montreuil-sur-Mer”  Enjoyable open-air show within the walls of the citadel, telling the story of Victor Hugo’s visit to the town and of his epic novel “Les Misérables”. Book tickets in advance through Montreuil tourist office. Starts 10.30pm. Admission 15 euros, children 9 euros.

 

 

Montreuil 62

4, 5 Aug 2012

Fete de la Mer  Fishing-nets decorate the facades of the houses in the Courtgrain area of this seaside town, to honour fishermen who have lost their lives at sea.

 

St-Valéry-sur-Somme, 80

6 Aug-3 Sept 2012

Paris-Plage et les Etaplois au Siecle Dernier  Exhibition celebrating 100 years of the existence of the resort of Le Touquet, examining its relationship with the nearby fishing port of Etaples.

 

 

Maison des Phares (lighthouse), Avenue des Phares, Le Touquet 62

11, 12 Aug 2012

Fete Medievale  Medieval encampment, with tradesmen and so on bringing a historical flavour to this family event.

 

Enguinegatte, nr St-Omer 62

 

 15 Aug

Cavalcade d’Eté  Summer carnival parade through the streets.

 

Boulogne-sur-Mer 62

15 Aug

Journée des Peintres dans la Rue  Artists set up their easels and can be seen at work all around this picturesque town.

 

Montreuil, near Le Touquet. 62

15 Aug

Blessing of the Sea  A parade of fishing and pleasure boats goes out to see to lay a wreath in memory of missing sailors. On same date each year.

 

Petit-Fort-Philippe, near Gravelines.59

18, 19 Aug 2012

Défi Jules Verne: Les Montgolfiades  Festival of hot-air ballooning, with about 20 montgolfieres set to rise above the rooftops from the large esplanade near the zoo.

 

Parc de la Hotoie, Amiens

 

19 Aug 2012

Fauqu’en fete  Village festival, with crafts show, local paintings, food, and a competition for the magnificent grey horses of the Boulonnais breed.

 

Fauquembergues, near St-Omer 62

25, 26 Aug 2012

Grande procession  A religious pilgrimage, during which costumed locals celebrate the mysterious arrival on the shores of Boulogne of the wooden statue of the Virgin, washed up in a boat. Sat 8pm, Blessing of the sea, torchlit procession, followed by church service 9pm; Sun 10am church service; 3pm, Grand parade into the upper town.

 

Boulogne-sur-Mer 62

Late Aug

Patate Feest  Dozens of scarecrows are dotted around the picturesque village of Esquelbecq for several days during the annual “potato festival”.

Esquelbecq, near Wormhout 59

26 Aug 2012

Grande Fête de l’Andouilllette  Festival dedicated to the gastronomic speciality of Arras, the andouillette, or chitterling sausage. Tables are set up in the squares; musicians and entertainers add to the atmosphere.

 

Arras, 62

late Aug

Son et lumiere “De Pierre et d’Eau”
Annual open-air spectacle in an attractive fortified town near Dunkerque. 300 participants act out the history of this town surrounded by water.

 

La Porte aux Boules, Gravelines, near Dunkerque, 59

25, 26 Aug 2012

Fête du Flobart  An entertaining weekend organised around the local fishing industry and especially the quaint little open boats of this part of the coast, known as “flobarts”.

 

Wissant  62

31 Aug- 15 Sept 2012

 

Histoires et Rêves d’Artois  Magnificent son-et-lumière show, with hundreds of local participants re-enacting parts of their turbulent history. Early booking essential. Dress warmly, and arrive early to ensure easy parking. Near Arras golf club. Fri & Sat, 31 Aug, ! Sept; 7, 8 Sept; 14, 15 Sept.  9pm. 15 euros, children under 13, 5 euros; family (2+3) 40 euros

 

Anzin-St-Aubin, nr Arras 62 (tel: 03 21 51 29 61).

 

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