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ANGELA BIRD'S |
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Northern France |
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WHAT'S ON IN NORTHERN FRANCE |
July 2010
(entries in red indicate new additions)
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PLEASE NOTE This website is 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. |
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. Official county identifications: |
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Until late July |
Les Soldes
/ Sales! This is the official period for which
French shops are authorised to hold sales.
Make the most of it! |
Throughout France |
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Until late Sept |
« Amiens,
la cathédrale en couleurs » The summer illuminated
show, at nightfall, bringing to 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 |
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1 July |
Commemoration
of the Battle of the Somme A moving
ceremony is held each year at Lochnagar Crater, starting at 7.30am –
the time of the British attack. |
La Boisselle, near Albert, 80;
also Thiepval & Beaumont-Hamel. 80 |
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1-4 July 2010 |
Son et lumière on the Somme Since 2006 the village of Pozières has
mounted a night-time sound and light show on a WWI theme. Many
thousands–particularly Australians–died in the area between 1916 and 1918. The theme for the 2010 show is cabaret
and showbusiness. |
Pozieres, near Albert, 80. |
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Early July |
Fêtes
Guillaume Two days of
festivities throughout this medieval town to celebrate the memory of William
the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy, who set off from this port to conquer
England in October 1066. |
St-Valéry-sur-Somme 80 |
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Early July |
Rederie de Longpré Brocante/car-boot fair in an attractive village on the south
side of the rivedr Somme. |
Longpré-les- Corps
Saints, nr Amiens 80 |
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July (2nd Sun) |
Brocante de
Godewaresvelde Junk fair in this attractive Flanders village,
near the Belgian border.
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Godewaersvelde, near Steenvoorde 59 |
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13-16 July |
Skippers d’Islande A yacht race (27 June to 18 July) open to multihulls or to Open
40s or 60s. It is contested over three legs: Paimpol (Brittany) to Reykjavik
(Iceland); Reykjavik to Gravelines (near Dunkerque); Gravelines to Paimpol.
The port of Gravelines – whose fishermen went regularly to Iceland over the
last couple of centuries – figures for the first time. |
Gravelines, near Dunkerque, 59 |
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mid July |
Folklores du
Monde World music
and colourful performances by dancers and musicians from many lands. |
Bray-Dunes, near Dunkerque. 59 |
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14 July |
FETE
NATIONALE |
Throughout France |
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14 July |
Vide-grenier Enormous annual Bastille-Day car-boot
sale throughout the streets of Montreuil. |
Montreuil, 62 |
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14 July |
Brocante Annual junk fair in this pretty little
town near Desvres. |
Samer, near Desvres 62 |
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19 July 2010 |
94th anniversary
of the Battle for Fromelles The official
opening of the newly-created Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Cemetery where the
bodies of 250 British and Australian soldiers discovered in a mass grave near
the village have recently been interred. They died in July 1916. |
Fromelles 59 |
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Late July |
Fête
Médiévale Medieval
festivities and activities on the site of the Battle of Agincourt. 10am-6pm.
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Azincourt, near Fruges, 62 |
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Late July-early Aug |
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. |
Montreuil 62 |
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