Cote d'Opal: Northern French Coastline

The Cote d'Opal is between the Belgian border and Boulogne Sur Mer on the northern French coastline. We first saw it on TV during a Tour De France. It was windswept, sunny and striking with it's yellow sand beaches and chalky cliffs. On a nice day, you can see across the channel to the White Cliffs of Dover.

Boulogne Sur Mur is a fortified town, about 90mins drive south of Calais.

The lighthouse at Boulogne Sur Mer in rough seas is one of those lighthouses on the posters completely cut off and fighting the elements to simply remain. It is at the end of the break wall.

The two capes: grey nose and white nose have onshore light houses.

Calais was better than we anticipated having heard about it being filled with displaced people trying to stowaway to the UK. We saw no evidence of this.

We walked around the lighthouse, the cathedral, the belfry and the fish market on the harbour pier.

Charles de Gaulle's wife Yvonne was originally from Calais and they are buried here. In the city square is a larger than life statue of the couple strolling to the market.

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