Northern France: What's on in November

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

WHAT'S ON IN NORTHERN FRANCE

November 2012

(entries in red indicate new additions)

Départements are identified with their official number:
59=Nord; 62=Pas-de-Calais; 80=Somme

	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. 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.

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 7 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 14 Jan 2013	Bosch, Bles, Bril, Brueghel: Les fables du paysage flamand au XVIe siècle, du merveilleux au fantastique International exhibition featuring around 100 works devoted to 16^th-century Flemish landscapes.	Musée des Beaux-Arts, Lille, 59
Until 27 Jan 2013	Marguerite Yourcenar et la peinture flamande To celecbrate the 25th anniversary of the death of the most famous writer of the north, the exhibition is a blend of literature and Flemish art, showing paintings as the source of some of Yourcenar’s writings. It includes works by Pieter Brueghel and Jérôme Bosch	Musée de Flandre, Cassel (59)
Until 10 Feb 2013	CoBrA : Le regard d’un passionné Gilbert Delaine, first director of Dunkerque’s excellent modern-art museum, LAAC, has curated an important exhibition of artists of CoBrA (which stands for Copenhagen/ Brussels/ Amsterdam), an avant-garde movement formed in 1948, of which the museum holds France’s largest collection. Tues-Sun 10am-12.15pm & 2-6pm (3^rd Thurs of month, until 8.30pm). 4.50€, 18-25 year-olds 3€, children free. Free for all on first Sun of month. Ticket valid for 7 days and admits to the town’s Musée des Beaux Arts too.	LAAC, Dunkerque (car parking in Rue des Chantiers de France). 59 Tel 03 28 29 56 00
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 Nov	Salon ArTouquet Grand antiques, jewellery, contemporary art and interior design fair, held near the town’s main tourist office. Sat, Sun 10-7; Mon 10-6. Admission 7€, children free.	Palais de l’Europe, Le Touquet, 62
Until mid Nov	Grande Operation de Destockage Annual sale of bargains in glassware at the famous Arc International glass factory shop. Daily 10am-7pm.	Arc International, Arques, near St-Omer, 62
1 Nov	TOUSSAINT (All Saints’ Day) Public holiday
early Nov	Festival International du Film d’Arras The 10th edition of a film festival that screens 100 French and foreign films for adults and children, and provides cinema-goers with a chance to mingle with some famous names. This year features movies old and new featuring the Berlin Wall, and a collection of musicals from the 1970s.	Arras, 62 (tel: 03 21 59 56 30)
early Nov	40e Salon des Antiquaires Annual indoor antiques fair, with 30 professional dealers, held in the Salle des Fetes. 10am-7pm. Admission €, children free.	La Couture, near Neuve-Chapelle 62
11 Nov	ARMISTICE DAY Public holiday (many museums likely to be closed)
11 Nov	Remembrance Day ceremonies organised by the Somme branch of the Royal British Legion on sites connected with the attacks of 1 July 1916. Ulster Tower (9.45am); Thiepval Monument (10.45am); .	Thiepval area, near Albert, 80
mid Nov	Fête du Hareng Roi The annual herring festival in the fishing village of Etaples is held at a time of year when these fish arrive in local waters in large quantities. Hundreds of tasty herrings are barbecued.	Etaples, near Boulogne, 62
Mid Nov	Noël à l’ancienne Old-style Christmas festivities around the picturesque old windmill of this Flemish village, and in the Salle des Fetes. 10am-7pm. .	Boeschèpe, near Bailleul, 59
mid Nov	Terroirs, Vins et Saveurs Large food and wine fair, featuring many small-scale producers and more than 70 wine-growers. Fri, Sat, Sun 10am-7pm. Admission 4€ ; disabled & under-12s free.	Artois Expo, 50 Ave Roger Salengro, St-Laurent-Blangy, NE of Arras, 62
Late Nov	Fête du Hareng For Boulogne’s annual herring festival, giant barbecues are set up along Quai Gambetta to grill the fish that are washed down with Beaujolais Nouveau. Folk-dancing and other cultural manifestations. Some 10,000 visitors expected during the weekend. Daily 10am-7pm.	Boulogne-sur-Mer 62
19 Nov- 24 Dec 2011	Marché de Noel Christmas market, with wooden chalets set up in Place Rihour. Daily 11am-7pm.	Lille 59
late Nov	Foire aux Poulains Annual horse fair held on the main street of a village near St-Omer. Competitions for riding horses, ponies, donkeys and the famous local grey heavy horses of the Boulonnais breed. From 10am; grand parade 3pm. Food & craft market 10am-6pm. Admission free.	On N43, Wittes, N of Aire-sur-la-Lys, 62 (tel: 03 21 39 06 70)
late Nov	Les Foulées de la Rouge Flamande Called after the local, chestnut-coloured dairy cows, this day of running and jogging races brings together 1,000 participants, and takes place around the ancient walled town. Routes from 1.16km to 10.6km. Participants must show a doctor’s certificate of fitness to enter. Start and finish Place du Marché aux Bestiaux.	Bergues, 59
late Nov	Salon International du Chat de l’Artois International cat show, with an emphasis this year on kittens. 10am-6.30pm. Admission 5.50€, children 3€, under 7s free.	Artois Expo, 50 Ave Roger Salengro, St-Laurent-Blangy, NE of Arras, 62
Late Nov- early Dec	Marché de Noël Christmas market, with 60 wooden chalets set up in the picturesque Grand’Place. Stalls sell gifts, food, mulled wine and hot chestnuts. There are cookery demonstrations and an open-air ice rink. (6 Dec, 5.30pm, Descent of Father Christmas from the belfry.) Mon-Fri noon-8pm; Sat 10am-9pm; Sun 10am-8pm.	Arras 62
24 Nov- 31 Dec 2012	Marché de Noël Amiens’ Christmas market stretches through the city’s streets and squares, with 125 stalls set up in little wooden chalets. Don’t miss the free son et lumiere of the cathedral front each evening, around 7pm. Mon 2-7.30pm; Tues- Sun 10.30am-7.30pm. Closed 25 Dec.	Amiens, 80
late Nov-end Dec	Christmas Illuminations at Le Touquet Tasteful fairy-lights and more substantial illuminated figures decorate this famous seaside resort. Especially good round Place de l'Hermitage. Admission free.	Le Touquet, 62

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