From the Opal Coast, on a clear day, you can see the English coasts with the naked eye! It must be said that only about thirty kilometres separate France from England. For the past twenty years, ferries, the Channel Tunnel and the Eurostar train have facilitated exchanges. But the history of love and disenchantment between the two countries goes back much further. Indeed, it was not until 1904 that Britain and France celebrated their friendship with the Entente Cordiale treaty, after centuries of very tormented relations. One monument alone symbolises this rivalry: it is the château d'Hardelot (reopened on 23 June), where the two flags float, astonishingly intertwined.

Hardelot Castle, a power issue

Halfway between Le Touquet and Boulogne-sur-Mer, at the bend in an alleyway, stands an unexpectedly pretty castle that can be imagined as a fairy tale setting. But there is no question of a fairy tale, as it is at the centre of an eventful history. Built in the 12th century, this castle is home to the secrets of the French and English families that succeeded each other there. First there were the medieval lords, who lived in autarky to protect themselves from English attacks. Then in the 16th century, the fortified castle sheltered the peace talks between Francis I and Henry VIII King of England. In 1615, it was at the request of Marie de Medici herself that the castle was besieged to drive out the Protestant occupants, reducing the building to ruins. We owe the current neo-Tudor style, somewhat fanciful, to Captain Henry Guy who bought the castle at the end of the nineteenth century. It is also said that Charles Dickens, the famous author of Oliver Twist, had his quarters there. A wealthy English industrialist, John Whitley, then became the ambitious owner who transformed Hardelot into a seaside resort. The site then became the place to be, where members of the royal family, English and French industrialists, but also many personalities, met

And it wasn't really until the early 2000s that the château was given a second lease of life thanks to the major works undertaken by the Pas-de-Calais General Council. The site regained all its aura with a renovation of the ramparts and its neo-gothic interior. The nine rooms spread over three floors are now magnificently enhanced thanks to the loan of sofas, curtains and carpets from the Mobilier National, which give it a Victorian atmosphere. Renamed the Entente Cordiale Cultural Centre, the château also retraces the major stages of the tumultuous relations between the two neighbours: the Hundred Years' War, the marriage of Charles I and Henriette Marie de France in 1625, the arrival of Queen Victoria in Boulogne-sur-Mer in 1855..

Montreuil-sur-Mer and Victor Hugo

Let's continue this walk in another place full of history: Montreuil-sur-Mer, which is 15 kilometres inland. During his walk in 1837, Victor Hugo had underlined this oddity: "Montreuil-sur-Mer would be better named Montreuil sur-Mer on the plain; from the ramparts, one has an admirable view of the hillsides and meadows, because the town is high up". The great writer chose to locate the first part of Les Misérables there: Montreuil is indeed the birthplace of Fantine and where Jean Valjean became mayor. For twenty years, a sound and light show has been paying tribute to Victor Hugo and is the pride of the hundreds of inhabitants who take part in it

Nicknamed the "Carcassonne of the North", the fortified city of Montreuil-sur-Mer is also worth a visit. Very pleasant to wander along the ramparts, the citadel was used to defend the position of seaport against the English. Bonapartist troops settled there after the French Revolution, and the British Empire set up its headquarters there during the Great War. The character of its small medieval streets - Rue du Clape at the top and Clape at the bottom - also offers a pleasant alternative to the beaches of the Opal Coast. The half-timbered houses are now home to shops and craftsmen. Lovers of old stones will also be seduced by the Chartreuse de Neuville, located in Montreuillois. Founded in the 14th century, the monastery was occupied by monks until 1901. Transformed into a military and then a civilian hospital, it lost its socio-medical role in 1998 and could be transformed into an unusual accommodation in the years to come.

For the more sporty, Montreuil-sur-Mer is also an interesting stopover, with 150 kilometres of hiking, as well as mountain biking, horseback riding and canoeing. After a good restorative shower, take advantage of the best tables in the region to taste the local specialities: the pre-salted sheep of the Baie de Somme, the andouille of the Pays de Montreuil, the ewe's cheese of Esgranges, the welsh ...

The Victorian Villas of Le Touquet

More glamorous than its neighbours, Le Touquet-Paris-Plage is timeless! The walk along the seawall sometimes resembles a parade of couples who compete in chic and pomp. The prosperity of this seaside resort with its superb beach dates back to the beginning of the 20th century, with numerous constructions during the Roaring Twenties. No less than twenty buildings are listed in the inventory of Historic Monuments. Among them, the lighthouse of La Canche with its 274 steps, but also splendid villas with elaborate architecture, the audacious Town Hall or the colourful covered market. Le Touquet always arouses the same enthusiasm among our British neighbours and it is not rare to hear Shakespeare's language in the famous and very commercial Saint-Jean street. Victorian-style houses have also flourished along the wooded lanes and dunes, and are very popular with investors from across the Channel

Le Touquet is a fan of social events with its casino, luxury boutiques and palaces, and boasts entertainment every day of the year. The resort has made a name for itself in the world of sport with its golf course, its water sports bases, its equestrian centre which hosts the International Jumping, but also its famous motorbike race in the sand dunes, the Enduropale. Culture also has its place in Le Touquet with each summer a piano festival where more than two hundred artists take part and a renowned book fair which is held every year. The place to be you say!

Smart info

When? In spring and until the end of the Indian summer, you can enjoy the coast and nature for beautiful walks in the region

Getting there. The Opal Coast is 230 km north of Paris. By car, take the A16, exit 25 for Montreuil-sur-Mer, exit 26 for Le Touquet, exit 27 for Hardelot-Plage. By train, stop at Calais or Arras train station.

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