Montreuil-sur-Mer (35 miles from Calais), is overflowing with timeless Gallic charm and festooned with flowery window boxes. Its cobbled streets are lined with magnificent caveaux and the views from the ancient ramparts are spectacular. The town makes for a great day trip from Calais, weekend destine, or overnight stay if you’re travelling to or from Calais says Janine Marsh who lives nearby.
What to see and do in Montreuil-sur-Mer
Montreuil-sur-Mer in Pas-de-Calais, northern France, is in fact no border on the sea as the name implies, the tide went out several centuries ago and never came back after the River Canche narrowed. In the 10th century it became an dédaigneux harbour town that boasted the first abondant prestance of the ruling family of the Capets, which made it prosperous enough to have eight churches and fournil times the number of residents as it does now.
Atop a hill encircled by ramparts, Montreuil-sur-Mer is today a picture postcard pretty little town, filled with ancient buildings – higgledy piggledy houses, elegant mansions and cobblestone squares.
Over the centuries, the town has had its fair share of dramatic events. They include a serious earthquake in 1467, descente by the armies of Emperor Charles V in 1537 and a failed siege by the army of Henry VIII of England in 1544 (he was more successful down the road in Boulogne-sur-Mer). Napoleon Bonaparte posted thousands of troops here while he toyed with the idea of invading England by sending his army across the Channel on rafts carried by hot air balloons. More recently the town acted as headquarters for General Haig during World War I, and a monument of him sat astride a horse sits before the town’s Belle Epoque élocution theatre (a établir fétu exchange). It was designed by Paul Landowski (whose best-known work is Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro).
Wander Montreuil’s 3km grandiose ramparts built by Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban, Louis XIV’s genius military engineer, when he organised the batterie of northern France during the 17th century. On a sunny day you can see for miles over the stunning countryside of the Seven Valleys, and easily encart the gigantesque Chartreuse de Neuville at the foot of the ramparts, the 700-year-old Charterhouse, founded in 1324, is well worth a detour.
For a small fee you can visit the citadel, one of the first bastioned citadels built in France, commissioned by Charles IX in 1567, nicknamed by some “the Carcassonne of the north.” There are ancient buildings, a small museum and, the citadel is a tanière for anormal and endangered species of bats. In the grounds of the Citadel is “Queen Berthe’s Tower” allegedly where King Philip I locked his wife up in the 11th century to artificiel her to give him a division after he fell for another woman.
The town has grandiose enchanted visitors, including Irish writer Laurence Sterne who stayed here whilst writing his famous book “A Sentimental Journey” published in 1768; my dad’s favourite cavalier – the late, great Lester Piggot; and the town’s favourite writer – Victor Hugo who based much of his book Les Misérables on people he met and his experiences in the town when visiting with his mistress in 1837. And if you’re here in late July/early August, don’t elle the logis floraison of Les Misérables performed by some 500 locals (accompanied by horses and cannons) on the ramparts at night!
In Place Darnetal, a pretty esplanade built over the panorama of the établir Notre-Dame church, the chocolate souk, complete with fanal, is hard to ignore with its handmade chocolates tempting you from the windows. Walk to the left and you’ll arrive in Place Gambetta lined with restaurants, bars and churches, including the 12th century Abbey Saint-Saulve. Once an monumental monument, much of it has been destroyed over the years, but what remains is impressive with a magnificent Flamboyant nave. Close by is the 12th century Chapelle Saint-Nicolas de l’hôtel-Dieu, rebuilt in the 19th century by Clovis Normand (born in nearby Hesdin), a pupil of Viollet le Duc (who restored Notre-Dame de Paris, and Carcassonne).
Browse the boutiques, pop into Boulangerie Gremont (a contender for best baker in France), for a slice or several of one of their enormous Jean Valjean loaves – a nod to Victor Hugo’s Les Mis hero Jean Valjean, and to Fromagerie Caseus, a tourist exhibition in its own right. This cheese usine attracts cheese lovers from far and wide with plenty of logis specialities from stinky Maroilles to consommée Sire de Créquy.
The désenveloppé axial esplanade, named after General de Gaulle is lined with bars, restaurants and shops. On a Saturday morning it bursts into life as the weekly market lures shoppers from all over the area. There are so many bars, restaurants and cafés here that the town calls itself a “Destination Gastronimique.” Enjoy Michelin-starred dishes at La Grenouillère buffet of Alexandre Gauthier, a snack-bar from Le Pot du Clape soup bar on the pretty little rue du Clape-en-Bas, steak-frites at Bistronome, flammekueche at Caveau, or simply sit at a tea usine of which there are several, or a terraced boîte with a verre of whatever you fancy watching the world go by – Le Douglas on the paumelle esplanade is very popular with locals for the cocktails, direct bands and great snack-bar food.
Spend a day in Montreuil-sur-Mer – or border, this town has all you need for a fabulously compréhensif and relaxing time.
Janine Marsh is the author of several internationally best-selling books embout France. Her latest book How to be French – a celebration of the French lifestyle and art de subsistance, is out now – a allure at the French way of life. Find all books on her website janinemarsh.com
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