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


WHAT'S ON IN NORTHERN FRANCE 

September 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.

59=Nord
62=Pas de Calais
80=Somme

 

 

 

Early Sept

Antiques fair  Three-day annual antiques fair.

 

Cassel.59

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
(tel: 03 22 71 60 50)

3, 4, 10,11, 17, 18 Sept 2010

 

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.  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).

Mid Sept

Fête du Miel  Honey festival at Bouin’s little honey museum and shop.

 

Bouin Plumoison, near Hesdin 62

12 Sept 2010

Marathon du Pays du Coquelicot / “Poppy Country”, or Somme Marathon  Courses for marathon, half-marathon, 10km and 5km laid out around the battlefields of the Somme. Fun to join in or to watch – but less good if you are thinking of visiting Thiepval, Beaumont-Hamel, Lochnagar crater and the Ulster Towe on that day, of course.

 

Albert and area, 80 (tel: 03 22 75 16 42)

Mid  Sept

Salon de l’Antiquité  26th annual antiques fair, held in the town’s Salle des Sports. Fri 4-10pm; Sat, Sun 10am-7pm. 5€, under12s free.

 

Cassel 59

mid Sept

Fête au bord de l’eau  Annual event that turns the clock back to medieval times in the picturesque, waterside St-Leu district of the city. Lots of entertainment on offer, from Boulevard du Cange to Boulevard Baraban, with local foods, living history and old crafts.

 

St-Leu district, Amiens, 80
(tel: 03 22 44 22 79).

late Sept

Brocante  Open-air antiques fair in the main square and side streets, with more than 200 stands. 6am-6pm. Admission free.

 

Herzeele, near Wormhout 59

 18, 19 Sept 2010

Journées du Patrimoine  Nationwide Heritage Weekend, on which some unusual places are open to the public.

 

Throughout France

late Sept

La Fête à Raoul  A jolly weekend of parades and music around one of the local „giants“.

 

Audinghen, near Boulogne, 62

19, 20 Sept

Fête de la Beurière  The 15th annual event around the former fishing area of La Beuriere, in the centre of Boulogne (near Nausicaa).  See such crafts as rope-making and net-mending, as well as the highly-skilled ladies who iron the fantastical traditional “sunburst“ bonnets of Boulogne.

 

Rue du Machicoulis, Boulogne 62

 

 

 

late Sept

Fête des Moissons  Old-time harvest day, with demonstrations of farming techniques, plus brocante, junk, car-boot sale and crafts fair, with up to 600 stalls.  9am-7pm. Admission free.

 

Laventie, ner Estaires , 62

late Sept

Braderie Brocante  Open-air junk and car-boot fair, with 60 stands. 7am-7pm. Admission free.

 

Samer, near Boulogne 62

late Sept

Brocante et Ducasse  A junk fair for funfair week in the village centre, with 100 exhibitors. 7am-7pm. Admission free.

 

Serques, near St Omer 62

 25, 26 Sept

La Nuit du Miroir aux alouettes, Anno 1585  Annual promenade performances around the old streets and ramparts of Bergues, with costumed characters in wait... Booking opened in October 2008, so chances of a last-minute ticket are low, but who knows... 

Tourist office, Bergues 59 (tel: 03.28.68.71.06)

late Sept

Brocante et Ducasse  A junk fair for funfair week in the attractive village centre, with 100 exhibitors. 1--7pm. Admission free.

Eecke, near Hazebrouck 59

late Sept

International Beer Festival  Traditional fair held in the hop-growing area around the Monts de Flanders.

Sainte-Marie Cappel, near Cassel, 59

late Sept

Fête du Cheval  Parade of horses in the morning, carriage rides in the afternoon.

 

Lillers, near Béthune, 62

 late Sept

Marché à la brocante  Open-air antiques fair throughout the centre of this little town. 350 exhibitors. 7am-6pm. Admission free.

 

Wormhout 59 

late Sept

Procession à Naviaux  A procession of the curiously dressed „Charitables“, an association in Bethune and surrounding area whose members wear black bicorne hats and accompanies funeral processions. From Béthune to Naviaux.

 

Béthune to Naviaux  62

 

JAN    FEB    MAR   APR    MAY  JUNE  JULY  AUG  SEPT  OCT  NOV  DEC
 

NORTHERN FRANCE

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