We spent a few days exploring this vastly beautiful and historic area from our campsite base in the little town of Verchin in North-west France. Learn more about this campsite here.
Dunkerque (or the English spelling Dunkirk) and Calais were particularly important beaches in World War 2.
Dunkirk was the site of Operation Dynamo in which 338 000 British and French soldiers were evacuated in early June 1940 as the Germans bore down on Flanders.
Ships of all sizes made the trip across the channel time and time again braving Luftwaffe strikes in what is known as the Miracle of Dunkirk.
Both towns have various memorials commemorating the dead of WW1 and WW2, indeed almost all French towns do.
Originally founded by Saint Eloi in the 7th century the Church of St. Eloi burned down in the 1500s and this edifice was built in the 18th century in a Neo-Gothic style. Dunkirk’s most famous son, Jean Bart, is buried here. He was a great soldier and sailor in the 1600s and is credited with saving his country from starvation by capturing Russian ships laden with wheat.
The French towns in this rural area are largely agriculturally orientated and are almost all Medieval in appearance. Calais has a watchtower built in the 13th century – the only remaining aspect of medieval Calais.
South-east of Calais, the town of Boulogne (used by the Roman Emperor Claudius as his base for Roman invasions of England) has a 53-meter high monument to Napoleon called the Colonne de la Grande Armee. The other popular landmark of this town is the Basilica Notre Dam de Boulogne.
St. Omer lies inland south of Dunkirk and Calais and dates from about the 7th century.
The Cathedral was built between the 13-14th centuries.
The hauntingly beautiful ruins of the Benedictine St. Bertin Abbey, built in the 14th century, are also a great tourist attraction in this town.
Between Calais and Boulogne is Cap Gris Nez with its 70-meter high lighthouse (visible from 30 miles away) and radar and German bunkers.
The south coast of England is visible on clear days from here and has been a watch-point for centuries of war-fare across the channel.
Thoughts and Things
The story of Dunkirk has been told in many ways, in many mediums, for many years. Operation Dynamo is regarded as one of the greatest escapes of all time.