Known in France as Montgolfières after the Montgolfier Brothers who invented the hot air balloon – hence the Balloon Festival is known as Montgolfiades. In the month of May, the sky in the North of France will be filled with hot air balloons. Around 15 balloons will glide over the Canteleu plain of Villeneuve-d’Ascq, in the morning and the evening.
Family activities will be organised too, such as bouncy castles, stands, fast food stalls and so on. This is an event which will delight all the family.

Lille is so easy to get to by train from London

Find best rates for hotels in Lille

The 2012 event is on 8 april 2012 It is cobbled lanes for nearly 60km of the 260km course which usually starts in Compiegne (60 Oise, Picardie) and finishes in Roubaix north of Lille (59 Nord, Nord-Pas-de-Calais).

For more info see www.letour.fr

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The most famous, the nosiest, the most mental, but also the oldest, is the Dunkerque Carnival. For weeks on end, groups called fisherbands take the measure of each other, confront each other with sarabands and songs, disperse and liven up the town, and finally come together in one huge choir to celebrate their sailors, honour Jean Bart, and claim, with body and voice, their herrings thrown from the top of the belfry.
If you’ve never done Carnival here, you’ve never seen a real carnival !

With its climax on Shrove Tuesday(21 Feb 2012)– or Mardi Gras – Dunkerque Carnival has its roots in the secular festivities which took place as local fishermen prepared to leave their families and sail to the fishing grounds off Iceland, sometimes never to return.

After two days of costumed parades, ‘Trois Glorieuses’ is now the high point of celebrations which are marked by balls that take place all along this coastal community from long before this iconic Tuesday until long after.

For more info see www.northernfrance-tourism.com or www.dunkerque-tourisme.fr
Of course Dunkerque is directly connected from Dover with Norfolkline Ferries(now  DFDS) – but beware that the port (near Loon-Plage) is some 18km from the town centre

Best rates for hotels in and near Dunkerque

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Drivers should beware though that the ferry terminal is some miles west of the town of Dunkerque and to look for signs to Ferry not Port or Centre Ville.

Should you get to the city centre it is worth visiting the fishing harbour and each year there is a Christmas Market (3- 24 December 2011) in the Parc de la Marine. And each Spring there is a major Carnival which is well worth visiting.

For more info see www.dunkirk-tourism.com/

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Bookings by 1 December 2011!
P&O Daytrip offer Dover-Calais

Time it right and visit a French Christmas Market such as

Arras (25 November  – 24 December 2011)

Boulogne (10-11 December 2011)

Calais (3-19 December 2011)

Dunkerque (3-24 December 2011)

Béthune (27 November – 31 December 2011)

Lille (18 November – 30 December 2011) – a bit further (about an 75minutes from Calais via A16 and A26) but wonderful settting with Carousel and the Vieux Ville to explore)

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At the old port, numerous stands will be exhibiting their wares  – fresh and smoked herring, salted and split herrings – kippers – all as a way of celebrating the maritime heritage , customs and trade of the port.

The highlight is usually a huge barbecue – ideal for freshly grilled fish with chips or a baguette and a glass of newly-released Beaujolais Nouveau (released on the third Thursday of November – i.e 17 November 2011

For more info see www.tourisme-boulognesurmer.com
Get best hotel rates in Boulogne-sur-mer

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At the old port, numerous stands will be exhibiting their wares  – fresh and smoked herring, salted and split herrings – kippers – all as a way of celebrating the maritime heritage , customs and trade of the port.

The highlight is usually a huge barbecue – ideal for freshly grilled fish with chips or a baguette and a glass of newly-released Beaujolais Nouveau (released on the third Thursday of November – i.e 17 November 2011

For more info see www.tourisme-boulognesurmer.com
Get best hotel rates in Boulogne-sur-mer

Related posts:

1. Boulogne’s Herring Festival Boulogne-sur-mer (62 Pas de Calais, Nord-Pas de Calais) may no...
2. Arleux Garlic Festival The village of Arleux (59 Nord,Nord-Pas de Calais) just south...
3. Chicken Festival at Bresse The chickens of Bresse (10, Aine, Rhône) are famous across...
4. Garlic Festival The village  of St Clar (32 Gers, Midi-Pyrenees) holds an...
5. Cheverny Wine Festival The wine appellations of Cheverny AOC and Cour-Cheverny AOC are...

Here the focus is mainly on smoked garic (l’ail fumé). The French do this sort of thing well – celebrating a local specialty and showing it to the world in all its guises – together with market stalls featuring fresh and cooked products, music, dancing and a communal feast. Worth a small detour, being not far off the A26 autoroute and within striking distance  of Calais and Lille.

For more info see www.arleux.fr/ (in French)

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• Boulogne-sur-Mer (upper town)  10-11 December 2011
  Wimereux 11-12 December 2010
• Le Portel 11-25 December 2010

Although there is no direct ferry crossing to Boulogne any longer – it is an easy drive (30 mins) from Calais ferry or Eurotunnel terminals. In many ways Boulogne feels more authenrtically French than its competitive and busy neighbour. Boulogne is especially well-knowm for some excellent food (cheese, fish) shops.

For more info see www.tourisme-boulonnais.fr

Arriving by ferry into Dunkerque with Norfolk Line is not one of the most exciting waypoints on the trip to sunnier parts of France – but then it lies a few miles away from the town in the midst of an industiral port area – yet has good access to the autoroute network to speed you away to your chosen destination and avoiding the town completely. The town of Dunkerque itself is too modern and industrial for my tastes – rebuilt after 1945 it was intended to be a bold architecture for the future, but to my mind it lascks “warmth” and human scale.

On a smaller scale, a few miles inland from Dunkerque lies the town of Bergues (62 Pas-de-Calais, Nord– Pas de Calais) The highlight here is the walled town – it is effectively a Vauban fortification, surrounded by several interlocking and dauntingly thick and high walls with a moat, angled such that any attacker would have an to cross an easily-defended field of fire. The scale of these fortifications ( and many others built by Vauban around the borders of France (the “Hexagone”) is so impressive that you do not have to be a fan of military history to appreciate them.

Within this imposing structure is a pleasant small town – with a main square and a belfy! – this feels very French/Flemish and makes it worth a detour – a peaceful stroll around the ramparts and the heart of the town provides a pleasant break before or after the crowded and impersonal experience that getting across the English Channel has become.

Although opened as relatively recently as 1983, the museum has had a major architectural facelift and is due to reopen to the public on 25 September 2010.

So another good reason to visit this lively city – and of course there is always the Lille Wine Fair each November just to make it more irresistible!

See our ideas for a Weekend in Lille

The company added a second ship to the route earlier this year, but the route seems unable to generate the traffic volumes needed. LD Lines introduced the route 2 years ago, which followed the demise of the Speedferries venture.

The competition with the Dover-Calais route must be one factor – fares have been low this summer if you can book ahead – and Norfolkline Dover – Dunkerque has also been good value for many sailings.

However the Boulogne route has always been one of my favourites – the ferry terminal is very close to the heart of the town, rather then in the middle of an industrial landscape; Boulogne itself has many super shops and restaurants and feels somehow more “French” and less of a transit area; and on a fine day the ferry route offers great views of a longish stretch of the French coast.

Alternatives include Norfolkline and P&O Ferries – or check out one of the ferry booking sites such as Ferrycheap

LD lines continue to operate services from Newhavem to Dieppe, Ramsgate – Ostend and Portsmouth – le Havre.

Passengers booked on Dover-Folkestone route after 5 September 2010 will be offered alternative crossings.

The breezy, sandy beaches here in Spring are ideal for witnessing the intricate designs and (usually) graceful flight of these strange “birds of the sky” . The event includes the fiercely contested World Championship – but at other times amateurs can launch their own kites – adding to a colourful scene.

Literally meaning “flying stags” Cerf Volants is also the term for Stag Beetles in french.

For more info see www.northernfrance-tourism.com

Each spring in Arras, (62, Pas-de-Calais), the underground city beneath the town (known as the Boves, originally chalk caves and used for shelter in the First World War) is transformed into gardens with the help of 19th Century novelist Jules Verne (20 March – 20 June 2010)

Drawing on Jules Verne’s novels, the organisers have concocted a “journey to the centre of the earth”. Visitors move through a space that blends science fiction with reality, where they will also see the fantastic machines and Gothic inventions taken straight from the author’s works.

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Despite its rather industrial suburbs, the city of Arras (62, Pas-de-Calais) has a couple of fine squares, notably the impressive Grand’ Place, Petite Place (or Place des Heros) and the smaller Place d’Ipswich!!
The town also boasts 2 buildings which are recognised as UNESCO World Heritage sites – the belfry of the town hall, as part of the Belfries of Belgium and France group and the citadel, as part of the “Fortifications of Vauban” group.

The town is well-worth a stop, being only an hour from Calais and near the autoroutes to Paris and Belgium( A1) and to Champagne and Burgundy (A26).

<a href=”http://www.hotelscombined.com/City/Arras.htm?a_aid=13922″ target=”_blank”>Find best hotel rates in Arras</a>

;Now the Administrators Ernst & Young are reporting that the proceeds of the sale of assets (including SpeedOne) will not even raise enough money to pay off the Bank who are secured creditors; so there is nothing to be shared with preferential or  unsecured creditors such as ticket holders.

The Bank of Scotland got about £2m back, and Ernst & Young earned over £880,000 for being Administrators.

The only hope for paying customers would appear to be through the credit card companies if you paid by credit card.

Since the collapse of SpeedFerries LD Lines has been developing the Dover – Boulogne route which remains one of my preferred routes into northern France.

Boulogne's port hub

LD Lines Ferries are changing over to a traditional ferry on their Dover-Boulogne cross-channel route which will increase capacity and competition on the short-sea crossings from Dover. Also there is now a new Ferry port at Boulogne which will hopefully be less down-at-heel than the previous landing point. The new terminal is called the Boulogne Hub Port, which remains close to the town centre and provides reasonable access to the A16 and other autoroutes. Additionally passengers can leave their car in a free car park by the terminal and with a short walk across a footbridge into the heart of the town.

From early November 2009 the Norman Spirit will transfer from its current Western Channel Portsmouth – Le Havre route to commence operations on LD Lines’ Dover – Boulogne service, considerably increasing freight and tourist traffic capacity. The high speed catamaran Norman Arrow, which began operating across the Dover Straits in June 2009, will re-locate to the Portsmouth – Le Havre route, where she will begin a six month seasonal operation from Easter to September 2010. Norman Spirit will operate four return sailings daily between Dover and Boulogne and provide a crossing time of one hour 45 minutes. The ship has capacity for 1850 passengers, 700 cars, 110 freight vehicles and the service will also carry coaches and foot passengers.

LD Lines is also offering 10,000 Tickets @£22.50 each way for a car + 4 passengers – a limited number available at this price – so book soon – see www.ldlines.com

Boulogne is a pleasant arrival port – and the town is well worth a visit. Like most ferry ports industry and warehousing tend to dominate the immediate  area, but the more interesting and  attractive parts of the town are close by. The ferry trip provides a good view of the French coast (when the weather is good) and is schedules to take 105 minutes – slightly longer than the Dover-Calais crossing, but being further south compensates if  heading towards Paris, Rouen, Normandy, Picardie or beyond.

Find the best rates for Hotels in Boulogne-sur-Mer

In the heart of winter, Lille sparkles and glows with “joie de vivre”! With the wave of a magic wand, the city takes on a festive atmosphere and welcomes you to a winter wonderland. On Place Rihour, more than 80 chalets teem with gift ideas, nativity figurines, Christmas decorations and festive food. You can find regional specialities here, and you can also find arts and crafts from Russia, Poland, and Québec, as well as products from Native America. And that’s not to forget the gingerbread and other delicacies which you can take away or eat on the spot with a glass of mulled wine…
On the Main Square, amidst the sumptuous decorations and as Christmas carols fill the air, the Big Wheel turns majestically. Its height of 50 metres ensures guests have a stunning view of the city.

See our other articles Le weekend in…. Lille and Lille’s Christmas celebrations
For more info see www.noel-a-lille.com

If you have time and inclination then it is worth a visit to la Piscine at nearby Roubaix, which is a converted municipal art deco- swimming pool which retains part of the pool as a centre piece, whilst the old changing cubicles hold exhibits. The building houses the Museum of Science and Industry which celebrates the town’s industrial heritage when it was a centre for the textile industry – see www.roubaix-lapiscine.com/

In the heart of winter, Lille sparkles and glows with “joie de vivre”! With the wave of a magic wand, the city takes on a festive atmosphere and welcomes you to a winter wonderland. On Place Rihour, more than 80 chalets teem with gift ideas, nativity figurines, Christmas decorations and festive food. You can find regional specialities here, and you can also find arts and crafts from Russia, Poland, and Québec, as well as products from Native America. And that’s not to forget the gingerbread and other delicacies which you can take away or eat on the spot with a glass of mulled wine…
On the Main Square, amidst the sumptuous decorations and as Christmas carols fill the air, the Big Wheel turns majestically. Its height of 50 metres ensures guests have a stunning view of the city.

See our other articles Le weekend in…. Lille and Lille’s Christmas celebrations
For more info see www.noel-a-lille.com

If you have time and inclination then it is worth a visit to la Piscine at nearby Roubaix, which is a converted municipal art deco- swimming pool which retains part of the pool as a centre piece, whilst the old changing cubicles hold exhibits. The building houses the Museum of Science and Industry which celebrates the town’s industrial heritage when it was a centre for the textile industry – see www.roubaix-lapiscine.com/

Where to stay?

Lille has many hotels at all levels of price and luxury.Hotel des Tours in the middle of the attractive Old Town or Le Brueghel very French and centrally situated in a quiet, pedestrian area near the station.

For a more intimate weekend options include interesting B&Bs such as Alix’s Garden and Canal Barge  Fantasia.

Get the best rates for other hotels in Lille

Where to eat – recommended Again there is no shortage of eateries in Lille offering cuisines both local and international.

Two favourites, one for meat, the other for fish are l’Assiette du Marché (market plate) in rue de la Monnaie in Vieux Lille  and   L’Écume des Mers (sea spume) in rue des Pas close to the Grand Place. Both offer high quality dishes with excellent service.

Where to eat – gourmet

Without doubt the finest dining experience in Lille must be l’Huitrière (oystery) on the edge of Vieux Lille  (3 rue des Chats Bossus) – superb art deco setting and top notch fish (oysters, lobsters,  turbot etc) – certainly not cheap but a gastronomic delight! 4 Michelin knives and forks. You can also window shop (and buy) fresh fish and other delicacies in the front of the building.

Where to eat – value for money

There are plenty of more modest restaurants in Lille to suit all pockets – a typical bustling brasserie is Aux Moules (mussels) in rue de Bethune – a pedestrianised street  in the city centre.  They offer a full menu including their specialty – and a good Moules Frites can be unbeatable.

Local wine/drink -

The proximity of Belgium ensures that Beer is a local favourite. Many bars offer a wide range of interesting beers from Northern France, Belgium and beyond – and there are numerous micro-breweries in the centre of Lille such as Les 3 Brasseurs (3 brewers) in place de la Gare opposite Lille Flandres railway station.

Local food:
Fish features strongly in this Flemish part of France – Moules Frites (Mussels and Chips) is probably the most familiar local specialty – others not so recognisable – Carbonnade flamande (small chunks of beef stewed in beer), waterzoï (poultry or fish in a creamy sauce, served with baby vegetables) and potjevleesch (literally “small potted meat”, a white meat terrine in aspic).
Local markets

The Wazemmes Market in place de la Nouvelle Aventure takes place on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday mornings with food, flowers, fabrics and exotic products. Ine of the largest markets in France, it can also be one of the liveliest (up to 50,000 visitors some Sundays). Colourful, with a “Soho” atmosphere, you’ll often hear an accordion being played.

Shopping

No shortage of shopping opportunies in the City Centre – with several malls – e.g. the Euralille mall near the stations and may interesting small shops in the old town. For fine food shopping  the Meert  Café and Patisserie on rue Esquermoise home of the Meert Waffle, and Philippe Olivier  in rue du Cure St Etienne) for an excellent selection of bread and pastries.

Must see:

Vieux Lille, the Grand Place. the Chambre de Commece, the Hotel de Ville and  the fine flemish buildings around the Place du Theatre.

A bit of culture: The Palais  des Beaux Arts in place de la Republique houses prestigious collections of European painting (Rubens, Van Dyck, Goya, Delacroix…) and offers some peace away from the bustle and rumble of the city centre.

For a walk: For all that it is big modern city, it is worth a stroll around  Vauban Citadelle, just a short walk beyond the city centre. This impressive star-shaped castle on rue Vauban was built by Napoleon’s military archictect in the 17th century. As it is still used as a military barracks, you need to check with the local tourist office for those dates when it is open to the public. But there is the Vauban garden which the public can access at all times for a stroll.

For the children:Bring the children for the annual Christmas market when the Grand Place is transformed into a snowy Cavern with twinking lights and a Carousel – plus a busy Christmas market in nearby Place Rihour -full of seasonal cheer. (18 November – 31 December 2009)

Getting there:

Easy – being so close to the English Channel. Travel time to Lille by road/ferry – just an hour from Calais, less from Dunkerque – see P&O to Calais and Norfolkline to Dunkerque.

Or take the Eurostar to Lille

Getting around:

Transpole offers a comprehensive public transport network with a modern Metro system and 2 tram lines which cross the city centre and serve both railway stations. However most of the main points of interest are within walking distance of the city centre.

Staying longer?:The city is close to many of the First World War battlegrounds – e.g. Ypres and Paschendaele just over the border. Brussels and Waterloo are a bit further – and a favourite of mine is the art deco swinning pool at Tourcoing (part of the Lille conurbation) La Piscine – converted into an impressive Museum of Art and Industry – and it is on the Metro line about 40 minutes from Lille City Centre.

When to go?

Lively throughout the year, but you might consider

La Grande Braderie de Lille – the biggest flea market in Europe which runs across a weekend in early September each year with100 km of stands, 10,000 vendors and 1 to 2 million visitors! – but beware that the City gets very busy and the traffic is impossible on the Braderie weekend.

Lille Wine Fair of the independent winegrowers (Vignerons Indepenents) which is held mid-November (20-23 November 2009) – with the opportunity to taste and buy from winemakers from all across France.

Lille Christmas Market - late November to New Year – Carousel, Christmas Village and a real feel of Christmas (18 November – 30 December 2009)

However, there are other reasons to stop in the local areanewly-opened Calais Lace Museum (Cité Internationale de la dentelle et de la mode de Calais) which is a must see. Located in an original lace factory building, visitors can see original working Victorian lace machines and a stunning array of exhibits including a display of original lace clothes and fashion through the centuries. At the final gallery, visitors can use a special camera, which shows themselves dressed in any of the museum’s lace clothes – in 3D.

Just a 10 minute drive from Calais, the quaint, reconstructed Saint-Joseph Village offers a glimpse of what life was like in rural France between 1900 and 1950. Complete with a garage, school, blacksmith’s forge, sawmill and restaurant offering local recipes, this village is a unique learning experience for any child.

Seafrance Ferries are offering a 50% reduction for family entry to both attractions until 20 September 2009:-

Nine tourist attractions in the Calais area are giving SeaFrance customers 50% off family entry (two adults and up to three kids). Alternatively, SeaFrance customers can take advantage of a 20% discount on individual tickets. All customers need to do is show their SeaFrance car lane hangers when they turn up at an attraction- see www.seafrance.com

Other local attractions in or near Calais include:-
# Calais Lighthouse – 19th Century Lighthouse with great views over Calais and the English Channel
# Guines Clock Tower
# Eurolac & Naviboat – a leisure park with lake and self-drive boats around the local canal network
# Musée 39-45 - museum of the 1939-1945 War
# The Blockhaus at Eperlecques – part of the WWII preparations for invading England.
# Calais War Museum (WWII)
# Musée du Mur de l’Atlantique – a museum in a WWII bunker focussing on the contruction of Hitler’s Atlantic Wall

One of my personal favourites is the City Hall with its imposing belfry and Rodin’s sculpture of the “Burghers of Calais”
Find the best rates for Hotels in Calais

But this is not just children’s sand castles on the beach which will be wiped out at the next tide – no these are art sculptures using special sand brought in from Belgium, and with the theme of the kings of France:-

discover France and the secret history of its Kings. An amazing portrait gallery of differing destinies, sometimes amusing, often tormented and always exceptional… Re-live history and set out to conquer the royal sculptures! …

For more info see www.sculpturesdesable.com

For more info on Le Touquet see the official tourist office site

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Dates for 2011 are 1-3 July 2011
For more info see www.mainsquarefestival.fr

For more info on Arras -  see www.ot-arras.fr/

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Dates for 2011 are 1-3 July 2011
For more info see www.mainsquarefestival.fr

For more info on Arras -  see www.ot-arras.fr/

Built in Hobart, Tasmania it underwent a 12000 mile oceanic crossing before entering service on the 60 minute each way short-sea crossing between Dover and Boulogne.

Day 1

Cycling from London to Dover.

Board the ferry at Dover, arrive in Dieppe in the evening.

Day 2

Set off 10.00 am through the lovely French countryside.

Finish cycling early evening and stay overnight in a French country inn.

Day 3

Leave the hotel at 9.00 am.
Let’s go!

Finish cycling mid-late afternoon in Paris.

Day 4

Free morning with suggested options.

Transfer from hotel to Gare du Nord for Eurostar, arrive in St Pancras

Although it may be too late to register to take part in this 300km ride, you can watch and support them as they cycle through the English and French countryside – and it is easier to get to watch this  than the Tour de France,
For more info see: www.medecinsdumonde.org.uk

Although the crossing is slightly longer to Dunkerque, the modern fleet lands you in a well-connected (if somewhat industrial) port which is well-connected for eastern and central France by autoroute. Even Paris is not significantly further than via Dover.

For more info on this offer see www.ferrycheap.com

For more info on Norfolkline see www.norfolkine.com

Best prices for fuel as at 3 June 2009 =unleaded €1.125 (£1.00);  diesel €0.94  ($0.85) per litre.

Norfolkine‘s fares tend to be the most competitive now, and although the crossing to Dunkerque takes a little longer, and the arrival is into an industrial port, the new ships on the route offer all the comfort and facilities you would expect – and Dunkerque is a definite advantage as a point of arrival for eastern France, and adds relatively little time to other French destinations, given its easy access to the autoroute network.

Ferrycheap are currently offering 2009 one-way fares of £19 (low season) or £29 (high season) for a car + 4 passengers with no amendment fees – but you must book by 18 February 2009.

In April 2008, 22 students from the Photographic department were welcomed each in one of the 22 participating cities. The participants ranged in age between 20 and 35 years old, as well as originating from 15 different countries. Each student was given an “emotional passport” to express their own talent and sense and to capture the daily life of France. Their only requirement: let the dreams and emotions of the people and places be the guide!

The venues include Aix-en-Provence, Amiens, Angers, Avignon, Bordeaux, Dijon, Grenoble, Le Havre, Lille, Marseille, Metz, Montpellier, Mulhouse, Nancy, Nantes, Nice, Nimes, Reims. Rennes, Rouen, Toulouse and Versailles.

For more info see www.franceemotion.com/

A group of the town’s VIPs parade the turkeys through the town and there is the opportunity to purchase various foodstuffs, regional produce, beautifully packaged sweets and chocolates, traditional decorations and local crafts.

Licques is also home to a special liqueur, the Licquoise, which is offered to visitors before the turkey procession. The birds are herded through the town on the Sunday morning, preceded by the Confrerie de Licques (local bigwigs and celebrities).

Throughout the weekend, there is also a regional food market (Marché du Terroir) and a dinner-dance.

For more info see www.licques-volailles.fr

On offer are all the usual festive attractions, including mulled wine, pain d’epices, fire-dancers, puppets, jazz etc.

For details of Boulogne’s Christmas Market see .Boulogne’s Christmas Markets

Sadly of course, you will no longer be able to pop over on Speedferries direct into Boulogne, but Calais and the Channel Tunnel are only about 30 minutes away by car.
Meanwhile Boulogne’s great rival further north up the coast, Calais holds its Christmas Market on 3-19  December 2011  in the Place Crevecoeur/rue Mengin – see www.calais-cotedopale.com