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

WHAT'S ON IN NORTHERN FRANCE

October 2010
(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 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.

Early Oct	Rallye Le Touquet Annual car rally event.	Le Touquet, 62
Early Oct	Fête du Houblon Annual hop fair, with a large brocante fair attached. 7am-6pm. Admission free.	Steenvoorde, near Cassel 59
Early Oct	Rederie d’Automne Amiens’ grand annual antiques fair, with 2,000 exhibitors in the streets around the market building, and 80,000 visitors expected. 6am-7pm. Admission free.	Amiens, 80
16-24 Oct 2010	La Semaine du Goût A week dedicated to local food specialities and general gastronomic pleasures throughout France. In Arras there will be many chances to sample potatoes in homage to Charles de Lecluse, born in the city, who introduced the potato to France.	Information from tourist offices everywhere ; for Arras, Arras tourist office (tel 03 21 51 26 95) 62
Mid Oct-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
Mid Oct	Les Ripailles du Camp du Drap d’Or The annual spectacle based on the meeting between Henry VIII and France’s François 1er at the Field of the Cloth of Gold, outside Guînes involves a sumptuous meal in the town’s Salle des Fêtes with medieval-style entertainment. Booking essential, via Guînes tourist office. Sat 8pm; Sun 12.30pm. Cost: 32€, children 22€.	Guînes, near Calais, 62 (Tel : 03 21 35 73 73).
mid Oct	Ducasse de Sailly The local giant “Odin the Viking” gets an outing in the parade associated with Sailly’s autumn funfair.	Sailly-sur-la-Lys, near Armentieres 62
Mid Oct	Portes Ouvertes des Ateliers d’Artistes Artists in the north of France throw open their doors for a weekend to visitors. Click here to download information for selected areas of the Nord département; Events include an exhibition of engravings at the Musée du Dessin et de l'Estampe Originale, Gravelines (Fri 16 Oct, 10-12 & 2-8)	Throughout Nord, 59
mid Oct	Fête de la Chicorée Festival of the endive and other parts of the versatile chicory family. It is used not just as a vegetable or a salad, but as a coffee flavouring and as the basis for a liqueur. Entertainment and exhibitions on the theme of chicory are held at small villages between Audruicq and Oye-Plage (see website for programme).	Audruicq and area, near Calais, 62
mid Oct	4e Brocante du Livre Second-hand book fair, bringing 30 exhibitors to the village’s Salle des Fetes. 9am-6pm. Admission free.	Fricourt, near Albert, 80
31 Oct 2010	La Transhenson 2010 The annual festival of bringing the semi-wild Henson horses of the Marquenterre back to their winter grazing areas at the Domaine de Marcenterra. Participating riders gather around 9am at the Espace Equestre Henson, St Quentin-en-Tourment, and set off to round up the free horses (some 200 of them) on the east side of the Parc Ornitholigique du Marquenterre (parking available at the Parc), reaching there about 10am. The riders then drive the horses back to the Domaine, where there will be an afternoon of entertainment from 2-6pm. Guided walk for pedestrians starts from Parc Ornithologique 11am, reaching Domaine de Marcenterra around 12.30pm.	Marquenterre area 80
Late Oct	Brocante de Gandspette Large annual antiques and junk fair always held on the fourth Sunday in October. 3km of stands out of doors, numbering some 400 exhibitors in all. 9am-6pm.	Eperlecques near St-Omer 62
Late Oct-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

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