Northern France

Exclusive guide to the best holiday destinations in northern France, independent reviews from award-winning travel writers

Trip Review: Calais’ Multi-Million Pound Makeover

26/07/2022 by .
Balloons Calais e1658855684797

Lucy Daltroff pops on a DFDS ferry across the Channel and discovers Calais is enjoying a fresh new look

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Nausicaá, France’s National Sea Centre, Boulogne

09/09/2020 by .
Nausicaa e1599664433845

Rupert Parker gets up close with the fish in Boulogne at Nausicaá one of Europe’s largest aquariums.

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Walking across the Somme. France

19/08/2020 by .
Rupert Parker is feeling very biblical as he takes a guided tour walking across the Somme estuary at low tide. Towards St Valery e1597846499237

Rupert Parker is feeling very biblical as he takes a guided tour walking across the Somme estuary at low tide.

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Hiking the Opal Coast from Calais to Boulogne. Discover the iconic route along the French coast.

13/08/2020 by .
Rupert Parker is hiking the Opal Coast 50km between these two iconic ferry ports, with the white cliffs of Dover his constant companion on the other side of the channel. Vauban Fort Ambleteuse e1597309137668

Rupert Parker is hiking the Opal Coast 50km between these two iconic ferry ports, with the white cliffs of Dover his constant companion on the other side of the channel.

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A brilliant family campervan roundtrip from England to Croatia

27/01/2020 by .
campervan roundtrip from England to Croatia

TripReporter’s regular testing family, Carole and Jason and their young boys Evan and Andy went on an exciting campervan roundtrip from England to Croatia with their VW campervan through ten countries, 2,920 miles and nine campsites.

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Insider Guide to the Pink Granite Coast of Brittany

10/07/2019 by .
guide to the pink granite coast of Brittany 

Journey past Dinard and the enchanting half-timbered houses and ramparts of Dinan, and an astonishing natural wonder awaits; to be discovered in this guide to the Pink Granite Coast of Brittany.

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Christmas Markets in Northern France

07/12/2018 by .

Calais five must-see places

14/10/2016 by .
Louvre Lens

It’s easy to forget just how easy it is to get to Calais, whether by ferry, tunnel or train but most people just drive straight through on the way to somewhere else. That’s a shame because it makes a great weekend destination, perfect for stocking up on wine and other foods and enjoying excellent meals. Here are my Calais five must-see places to visit.

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Guide to Strasbourg. Unmissable hidden gems to discover.

05/06/2016 by .

Six secret Paris treats

04/02/2016 by .
Paris from Cafe de lHomme

Paris, where you only need to stroll and dream and do no sightseeing at all, is nevertheless all the richer when seen through the eyes of insiders. Guides who know where to hunt down fashion in newly-chic arrondissements most travellers haven’t yet discovered, and where to find the best sweet treats, for example.Once, such gems of knowledge were a closely-guarded secret, but now Parisians are turning their insider knowledge into businesses, ferrying visitors around addresses they’d be unlikely to discover for themselves.

Even if guided tours don’t appeal, here are six secret Paris treats for those prepared to hop a Metro to less-travelled parts of the city or bag a perch offering a ringside view of the most famous landmark in the world.

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