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Fabulous, Roger. The Norman Arrow is slick, quick, smooth and beautiful - and it even smells new! Boulogne is absolutely buzzing, oozing renewed civic pride. But then it's always been a class act - except now much more so.
Market day in the Place Dalton yesterday was a sight to behold as ever (with the cafes and bars and shops in the square all thriving too), the main streets and the Old Town (Haute Ville) full of civilised, happy shoppers, diners in the restaurants and people-watchers in the cafes.
After the market wound down around 12.30pm, the clean-up operation by a team of dustmen was a sight to behold: everything boxed-up, swept-down, cleared-away and hosed-down in less than an hour on the old cobbled square under the centuries-old watchful eye of the lovely St Nicolas church.
Boulogne's streets and avenues (and fishing boats and shop window displays!) are also festooned with red and black flags and bunting everywhere, celebrating Boulogne Football Club's promotion to the French top division. A huge source of local pride.
The Town Hall (Mairie) in the Old Town even has a big poster on it showing the fishing port, the new ferry port (open next month), the Norman Arrow and the football club, under the banner "FIER D'ETRE BOULONNAIS" - "PROUD TO BE A BOULONNAIS".
The sense of pride and commercial zeal is palpable. Recession? What recession?