Booze cruise to France from Britain

Apart from about booze cruises, this site is packed with information about France. Don't forget to look at our site map before you go

	What to see in the Calais area (Pas de Calais/ Picardy)
	Bethune - 82 Km from Calais (dual carriageway). A town which was all but destroyed in the first world war. The old town is composed of streets and cul de sacs, bordered by Flemish style houses. A typical feature of towns in the Nord Pas de Calais is the tradition of ‘giants’. These characters are generally pushed around the town by a group of men concealed by the huge skirts formed by an upturned basket. Their progress around the towns is usually accompanied by music and dancers. Map of how to get there (you can zoom in or out by clicking '+' or '-'). More about Bethune here. 62400
	Boulogne Sur Mer - France's biggest fishing port, with a big fish market. 34 km from Calais (on dual carriageway). A lively, interesting, town with lots of good restaurants, lots to see including the unfortunately named sea life centre 'Nausicaa' - map of how to get there (zoom in or out by clicking '+' or '-') more about Boulogne here
	Calais - England's nearest continental neighbour (you can see the clock tower from the white cliffs of Dover) and last French possession (we lost it in 1558, Queen Mary being quite cut up over the loss, saying 'when I die you will find the word Calais engraved on my heart') map of how to get there (you can zoom in or out by clicking '+' or '-') More about Calais here - 62100
	Cap Blanc Nez and Cap Griz Nez - these capes are cliffs overlooking the channel and have great views out to sea (on a good day you can see the English coast - Hitler did. Intrepid souls have even swum over) More about the white and grey capes here
	Mimoyecques - About 20km from Calais (mostly dual carriageway). The mountain that housed - and houses - the German V3 super gun. The V1 and V2 rockets which rained down on Southern England and particularly London during the war are well known. Less well known is the super gun, the V (Vengeance) 3, code named Waterfall, which was to send a shell every 12 seconds, round the clock, into the English capital. Constructed inside a hill with gun barrels hundreds of feet long, laid into the chalk, this is is an awesome and sobering place. Map of how to get there (you can zoom this map by clicking '+' or '-'). V isit this site to learn more *62250*
	Montreuil sur mer - 72 km from Calais (mainly dual carriageway). The walls can be walked round. They are high and give good views. Also a very impressive citadel. Recommended. Here is an account of a day out I spent at Montreuil on a booze cruise. Map of how to get there (you can zoom in or out by clicking '+' or '-') Visit this site to learn more 62170
	St Omer (mainly dual carriageway) - 59 km from Calais An interesting town. The Cathedral is probably the most beautiful intact vestige of gothic architecture to be found north of Paris, it houses a famous Rubens painting of Christ being removed from the cross as well as an incredible astrological clock, said to be one of the oldest clocks in France, dating from 1558. Map of how to get there (you can zoom in or out by clicking '+' or '-'). More about St Omer here Also close to St Omer is a World War Two German rocket base, la Coupole. 62500
	Wimereux - A charming seaside resort 31 km to the south of Calais (dual carriageway), with strong links to Britain (Napoleon created it for his planned invasion of England, but pretend you don't know). map of how to get there (you can zoom in or out by clicking '+' or '-') More about Wimereux here, 62930
	Cite Europe - shopping mall 62232. A large shopping centre near the Eurotunnel. Soulless but clean and comprehensive (except tobacco). More about it here.

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