A Taste of Christmas Shopping in Boulogne.
- 4 November 2008 17:478635News Release
BOULOGNE-SUR-MER -
TASTE OF "REAL FRANCE" IN BEST DESTINATION FOR
CROSS CHANNEL CHRISTMAS SHOPPING
Cross channel shopping in the run-up to Christmas will continue to provide visitors from the UK with better value deals on drinks, food products, gifts and other goods and to cater for demand the town of Boulogne-sur-Mer will be providing additional Sunday openings of its town centre shops in December.
Boulogne's town centre provides a unique selection of speciality food and wine shops and many other retail outlets, which will open their doors on Sundays 14th and 21st December. These include :
Philippe Olivier (rue Thiers) - one of France's most famous cheese makers selling over 350 different cheeses;
Charcuterie ED Bourgeouis (Grande Rue) - superb range of vegetable, meat and fish dishes;
Fred (Place Dalton) - excellent range of home made bread and patisseries;
Chocolaterie de Beussent (rue Thiers) - wonderful choice of speciality chocolates for gifts made in its nearby factory;
Comtesse du Barry (rue Thiers) - mouth-watering foodie gifts such as jams, chutneys, oils, vinegars, foie gras, many other pates and aperitifs.
To stock up on wine visit Le Chais (rue des Deux Ponts -www.lechais.com) - which sells over 50,000 quality bottles of wine in atmospheric cellars - or Tresor de Vin (rue Thiers).
Christmas Markets and special festive events will be taking place throughout the region in Le Touquet, Etaples, Wimereux, Montreuil-sur-Mer and in Boulogne these include :
Fete du Hareng - Herring Festival on the Quai Gambetta, Boulogne-sur-Mer on Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd November.
St.Nicolas Parade - The arrival and parade of St.Nicolas through Boulogne's town centre, followed by a firework display near the port on Saturday 6th December.
Christmas Market - on Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th December in the Old Town - sale of local produce, gifts and crafts. Entertainment and music and illumination of the Belfry, firework display and tasting of traditional Christmas Pudding near to the Cathedral.
In total Boulogne boasts 1,000 shops and craftsmen; 200 restaurants and brasseries, local food produce markets twice weekly on Wednesday and Saturday mornings in the Place Dalton, daily fish market on the Quayside Gambetta, a superb historic town to wander around, a bustling fisherman's port, 1000 hotel rooms to help your make a night or weekend of your visit, and 3,600 car parking spaces - most of them free.
For more information on Boulogne-sur-Mer and shop opening times and locations contact : www.boulogneshopping.com ;
www.pas-de-calais.com ; www.resa62.com and the Office du Tourisme via : www.tourisme-boulognesurmer.com or call : 00 333 21 10 88 10.
How To Get There : SpeedFerries operates a winter schedule of three return sailings daily between Dover and Boulogne, with a crossing time of just 50 minutes. Fares start from £27 one way for a car and passengers ; day returns from £29. Foot passengers (new product) for just £7.50 one way. To book : www.speedferries.com or 0871 222 7456.
Short Breaks / overnighters start from £75 per person, based on one night's stay, including channel crossings for a car and passengers . To book contact : Travel Market on 0870 143 4646 or visit : www.realfrancerealclose.comemail: dover7@msn.com - 4 November 2008 17:518636Dover could learn from the fact that Boulogne encourage visitors by having 3,600 car parking spaces and most of them FREE !!!!!
see above. You pay through the nose to park in Dover..everywhere..with much heavy handed parking ticket delivery from traffic wardens with one agenda..to penalise!email: dover7@msn.com - 5 November 2008 10:458665Reading your post PaulB has made me seriously think about Christmas shopping in Boulogne, the Christmas Market looks very inviting, maybe DDC/DTC will rethink bringing back the Free parking in Dover on the build-up to Christmas, or has it been reinstated?
- 5 November 2008 11:378671If you want a seriously superb meal while you're in Boulogne (and there's plenty of great places to choose from) may I recommend 'Aux Pecheurs D'Etaples' in the Grand Rue (on the main drag opposite St Nicholas' church and the square, the Place Dalton).
Went there the other week and it was absolutely fantastic in every way - food, wine, ambience, service etc. Recommend you book in advance though: 00 333 21 30 29 29.
And don't forget the markets in the Place Dalton every Wednesday and Saturday. Formidable! Boulogne's the place - allez les Boulonnais! - 5 November 2008 11:558672I'm Dreaming of a Free Parking Christmas, so I'm off to Boulogne I just love the place. I've a better chance of a White Christmas than a Free Parking one here in Dover.
- 5 November 2008 12:148674Did a foot passenger day trip last week with Chris and her sister Annette. What a lovely place, first time we have had a walk around. Rumour has it that SpeedFerries is in trouble due to the high fuel costs. Spoke to one of the stewards and he said that he was getting his application in to LD Lines for when their full RORO service to Boulogne starts next year! There is also of course another LD Lines daily service to Dieppe scheduled to commence in the New Year, currently awaiting confirmation from DHB re provision of a berthing slot.
- 5 November 2008 12:248676Nice pic there Ed, I've got some photos taken in that restaurant, it brings back some nice memories of an earlier visit.
- 5 November 2008 22:478694Ed love your avatar, harking back to the glory days of steam and liner travel...looks great. Nice picture too of Boulogne and it does indeed bring back memories. The old walled town there is a real treat. bit of a hike up the hill but well worth it.
Thanks for the tip Andy re the restaurant, might get over to try that. I was inside the church you refer to and have a picture of the stained glass windows from it somewhere in the system...popped in after enjoying the market right outside.
Ive enjoyed all the towns listed in the press release above at top of page, Wimereux, Le Touquet, Etaples and of course Boulogne but have never been in Montreuil. Dont know what thats like.
email: dover7@msn.com - 5 November 2008 23:058695
This is a picture of lil BrionyB taken in roughly the same spot as Ed's picture above. Seems like only yesterday but obviously a few years ago, now Briony is living in London as a medical student. Where do the years go!?
email: dover7@msn.com - 6 November 2008 13:048714Ah! now PaulB I'm shedding a little tear looking at that picture of BB...........Sweet Sweet memories
- 6 November 2008 13:128715Shame on you all,you should be promoting your own town,not a french one.
- Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
6 November 2008 16:168727ahh but the french town looks much better than our dover at the moment. - 6 November 2008 16:308731Thats one Ive heard before Phil re promoting the town.
I will make my standard answer.
"Its not up to me to promote Dover but to place wide information before its citizens, then they can do what they will with that information"email: dover7@msn.com - 6 November 2008 22:528750it does seem a bit odd to promote another town to spend one's christmas shopping in, sadly we all do like something a bit different at times.
the thing is to promote our town as different and interesting to the people of calais and boulogne.
for example, do they know yet of the fun day at the end of this month that ends with the lights switch on?
incidentally, briony has not changed that much, we can see that it is her.
