Guide to Boulogne-sur-Mer

Guide to Boulogne-sur-Mer on the Opal Coast of Pas-de-Calais. This historic city is home to France’s biggest fishing port. It’s also where you’ll find the biggest aquarium in Europe. The town’s beautiful domed Basilica (which bears a striking resemblance to St Paul’s Cathedral in London) boasts one of the longest crypts in France. Julius Caesar took off from the shores of Boulogne-sur-Mer to invade England in 55BC. Napoleon mustered an Armada for the same purpose centuries later. The history of Boulogne-sur-Mer is long and rich. Brimming with culture, teeming with fabulous restaurants – this is a city that’s just made for exploring and falling in love with…

Historic old town

Looking like something out of a film set, Boulogne-sur-Mer’s Ville Haute is a perfectly preserved medieval city atop a hill. It’s winding cobbled streets are topped by a 13^th century castle, now a fine museum, built by a count nicknamed “the prickly bastard” – he apparently had spiky hair and he was the illegitimate son of son of King Philip II, the first French monarch to call himself King of France (before that they were called Kings of the Franks).

Though the current chateau was built during the medieval period, its foundations date back to Roman times, and it was strengthened by Louis XIV’s military engineer the great Vauban in the 17^th century. Napoleon III was imprisoned here in 1840. After WWI the body of the British Unknown Soldier lay here in state on the way to be buried in Westminster Abbey. Now it houses an eclectic collection of artworks and artefacts including ancient Egyptian and a Greek ceramics collection which is the most important in France outside of Paris.

There are boulevard wide, walkable ramparts that are peppered with seventeen towers. From Gayette tower, near the Porte des Dunes, you’ll spot a plaque dedicated to Pilatre de Rozier, who made the first manned free flight in a Montgolfier balloon over Paris. In 1785 he made an attempt to cross the Channel from Boulogne’s ramparts to the English coast. He was not successful and is buried at Wimille a little way around the coast.

Bars and restaurants galore line the streets, alongside quirky boutiques and historic shops.

If you have a head for heights, climb the UNESCO listed Belfry which dates back to the 12th century. There are around 120 steps going right to the top from where there are stunning views over the city. The tower contains a museum of Celtic remains dating from the Roman occupation of the City and several large cannon balls fired on the city by Henry VIII in 1544. The inhabitants resisted his advances and closed Porte de Degrés, the gate to the old city, and it stayed that way until 1895!

Basilica Notre-Dame

The Basilica of Notre-Dame in the old town is astonishing. Built on the site of other churches dating to AD636, it doesn’t matter what your beliefs are, this place is unique, unusual and utterly fascinating. Taking a pinch from Rome’s Pantheon, London’s St Paul’s Cathedral and Les Invalides in Paris it was designed by a priest with no architectural experience – and it is magnificent, miraculous even.

There is a brass hand in the church and visitors are invited to place their hands over it and pray for a miracle. Inside it is a sliver of wood said to come from a statue of the Virgin Mary which, legend claims, was pushed ashore at Boulogne-sur-Mer by Angels.

In 1477, Louis XI declared it a “true Madonna”. The prized relic brought pilgrims and Kings to the town. Alas the statue was destroyed in the French Revolution, only the wooden shard remains. The walls of the church are adorned with plaques sent by those who prayed here and were granted their wish. The dome and frescoes have undergone four years of restoration work are once again visible – and beautiful. And work has also been undertaken to restore the decorations of the façade.

The crypt is astounding, and enormous. In fact, it’s one of the biggest in France at over 100m long and truly beautiful. Decorated in Romanesque style, the walls are covered with frescoes and there are precious relics on display. It was here that Edward II of England married Isabelle of France on 25 January 1308. Their son Edward III later started the 100 years’ war.

The lower town

Boulogne-sur-Mer spreads around the base of the upper town all the way down to fine sandy beaches where you can enjoy water sports or simply relax and watch the tide go in and out. It was once a favourite beach of the British and in the 1700’s hordes flocked to Boulogne to enjoy the sea air. If the tide is out, wander to the Napoleonic fort on the beach at Le Portel and collect mussels for your dinner as the locals have for centuries.

The lower town is no less fascinating that it’s high up cousin. Casa San Martin in Grande Rue is the former home of Argentinian-born General José Francisco de San Martín y Matorras. Better known as José de San Martín, he liberated Argentina (1816), Chile (1817) and Peru (1812) from Spanish rule and is considered the “Father of Argentina”. He lived in here from 1848 until his death in 1850. Today it’s a fascinating museum and a place that honours his memory.

The streets are lined with restaurants, brasseries and bistros many of which serve the most scrumptious and fresh fish dishes including the local speciality herring (read about the famous historic herring smokehouses of Boulogne-sur-Mer). For a taste of authentic Boulogne-sur-Mer, head to legendary Le Chatillon in the Capécure fishing district. Here you’ll rub shoulders with fishermen, port workers and sailors (from 04.30am). Decked out to look like a ship with wood panelled walls, ships lamps and sails on the ceiling, the restaurant is famous for its “Parillada”, mixed grilled fish and seafood marinated in garlic and olive oil. www.Le-Chatillon.com

On Saturdays the morning market at Place Dalton is buzzing, and you can shop until you drop for all manner of things from covetable wicker baskets to the freshest vegetables and more. (There’s also a smaller market on Wednesday mornings). Meanwhile if you’re a cheese head, nip to Philippe Olivier’s famed fromagerie, just follow your nose as this shop stocks all your smelly favourites!

Nausicaa

Nausicaa, the National Sea centre of France is listed by UNESCO as a “Center of Excellence”. One of the largest aquariums in the world, it also boasts the largest aquatic tank in Europe – holding 10,000m³ of water, enough to fill four Olympic swimming pools. You can stroll right up to tank and come face to face with shark, manta rays and shoals of fish. It’s strangely relaxing and hypnotic. There are almost 60,000 creatures, 1,600 species, living in the huge underwater world of Nausicaa, as well as a few above water too – including penguins, sealions, giant turtles and crocodiles.

Climb Napoleon’s column

Napoleon Bonaparte spent three years in Boulogne planning an invasion of England. He stayed in a mansion called the Imperial Palace, which now hosts exhibitions and cultural events, at the Place Godefroy de Bouillon (named after a local lord who departed from the port of Boulogne in 1096 to lead the first Crusade and was made King of Jerusalem).

Napoleon built 2000 boats and was so sure of success he had a victory column erected. On 16 August 1804 the Emperor awarded the Légion d’honneur to two thousand soldiers. The soldiers decided to erect a marble column at their own expense to commemorate these events. His ambitions didn’t go to plan, but the colonnade remains, topped by a statue of the Emperor. You can climb the 263 stairs for a fabulous view across the Channel with the White Cliffs of Dover clearly visible on a fine day. A short walk away, a stone marks the spot where Napoleon issued the first Legion d’Honneur, in fact 2000 of them, sat on a throne, surrounded by 100,000 soldiers.

Check out the little museum at the base of the Column which is full of fascinating documents, medals and the original Napoleon statue which was damaged by bombs in WWII.

La Maison de la Beurière

Step back in time at an authentic ancient mariner’s cottage. Climb the steps up the rue du Machicoulis, near Nausicaa, and you’ll find a fisherman’s 19th century house that’s furnished, and with staff dressed in costume. A taste of old Boulogne.

One-time resident Charles Dickens said of Boulogne: “If this were but 300 miles farther off, how the English would rave about it!”

Stop off in this historic town and you’ll soon find out that there’s plenty to rave about here.

Discover more about Bolougne, from how to spend a day, short break and shopping: visitpasdecalais.com/Boulogne-sur-Mer

Find out more fabulous things to do in the Pas-de-Calais at: visitpasdecalais.com