Northern France

[Long slender neck]

Where would be a nice place for a weekend break, not too far from Calais? I am looking for coastal, considering Boulogne sur mer.

Gilsons need not reply.

[Omygawd]

Wissant, bit further down the coast but not that far from Le Touquet either. Much nicer.

[Wally Banter]

Over Summer we took the kids to a Eurocamp in the Baie de Somme area. Dead easy from Calais; about 1.5hrs straight down the coastal motorway. Have a look if you’re researching.

[Long slender neck]

Wissant, bit further down the cost but not that far from Le Touquet either. Much nicer.

Is Le Touquet good?

[Max B Gold]

Wissant, bit further down the cost but not that far from Le Touquet either. Much nicer.

Is Le Touquet good?

Yes that is where you should go. There is a pub on the main street that has an Orient pennant on the wall. Can't remember the name of it.

[Dunners]

Where would be a nice place for a weekend break, not too far from Calais? I am looking for coastal, considering Boulogne sur mer.

Gilsons need not reply.

Turn left and drive to Bruges or Ghent.

[ChorizO]

Boulogne is excellent.

[Daily Express bot]

Wissant, bit further down the cost but not that far from Le Touquet either. Much nicer.

Is Le Touquet good?

Great place and nearby Wimereux. Lovely local restaurants , reasonably placed traditional French food. I stay in the Ibis hotels. Great location if you are interested in visiting War Cemeteries and Museums.

[Give it to Jabo]

Le Touquet has that certain something you associate with France, but it is like a ghost town in winter.

[Neptune's Spear]

My Grandfather was there in 1940, said he'd never go back

[Daily Express bot]

Le Touquet has that certain something you associate with France, but it is like a ghost town in winter.

Yes the Parisians lock up their second homes and go back to Paris but I find that part of the appeal to go from now to Springtime and it is easier to book things up like restaurants and golf times.

[Top of the JES]

Le Touquet is really nice and if you play golf it's bloody excellent. The Sea course if it's a good weather day if not the Forest course.

[Max B Gold]

Le Touquet has that certain something you associate with France, but it is like a ghost town in winter.

Yes the Parisians lock up their second homes and go back to Paris but I find that part of the appeal to go from now to Springtime and it is easier to book things up like restaurants and golf times.

Nearby Etaples has the biggest cemetery of WWI on account of it being where the Field Hospital was.

Worth a visit if you are into being morbid and living your life in the past haunted by the ghosts of dead soldiers.

[Max B Gold]

My Grandfather was there in 1940, said he'd never go back

My great uncle was at Dunkirk. He said he wouldn't ever go back but the choice was not his and he did go back.

[Omygawd]

Le Touquet has that certain something you associate with France, but it is like a ghost town in winter.

Yes the Parisians lock up their second homes and go back to Paris but I find that part of the appeal to go from now to Springtime and it is easier to book things up like restaurants and golf times.

Nearby Etaples has the biggest cemetery of WWI on account of it being where the Field Hospital was.

Worth a visit if you are into being morbid and living your life in the past haunted by the ghosts of dead soldiers.

Also worth a visit if you want to honour those who sacrificed their lives in the cause of freedom.

[Max B Gold]

Yes the Parisians lock up their second homes and go back to Paris but I find that part of the appeal to go from now to Springtime and it is easier to book things up like restaurants and golf times.

Nearby Etaples has the biggest cemetery of WWI on account of it being where the Field Hospital was.

Worth a visit if you are into being morbid and living your life in the past haunted by the ghosts of dead soldiers.

Also worth a visit if you want to honour those who sacrificed their lives in the cause of defending the British Empire and its continuing exploitation of its colonies and people.

Fixed it for you.

[Omygawd]

Nearby Etaples has the biggest cemetery of WWI on account of it being where the Field Hospital was.

Worth a visit if you are into being morbid and living your life in the past haunted by the ghosts of dead soldiers.

Also worth a visit if you want to honour those who sacrificed their lives in the cause of defending the British Empire and its continuing exploitation of its colonies and people.

Fixed it for you.

Thanks but I personally prefer my version.

[Max B Gold]

Also worth a visit if you want to honour those who sacrificed their lives in the cause of defending the British Empire and its continuing exploitation of its colonies and people.

Fixed it for you.

Thanks but I personally prefer my version.

Thought you might. Are you seriously trying to say WWI was about freedom and not a fight about how the Euro powers should carve up the globe?

Even in WWII Winston was fighting to preserve the British Empire and its place in the world. Many of course were anti fascists and fighters for democracy.

[o-no]

I'm sure harbouring this much rancour can't be good for you Max

[Max B Gold]

I'm sure harbouring this much rancour can't be good for you Max

It's not rancour it's simply dealing in historical facts.

[Dunners]

Fixed it for you.

Thanks but I personally prefer my version.

Thought you might. Are you seriously trying to say WWI was about freedom and not a fight about how the Euro powers should carve up the globe?

Even in WWII Winston was fighting to preserve the British Empire and its place in the world. Many of course were anti fascists and fighters for democracy.

I don't think it was necessarily about either.

The Kaiser certainly wanted to transform the newly formed Germanic state into an empire to rival that of the other European rivals, but I don't think there was ever any chance of it being a credible risk to the British Empire itself. There's possibly a stronger argument that the British Empire was weakened because of Britain's involvement in WW1.

[Max B Gold]

Thought you might. Are you seriously trying to say WWI was about freedom and not a fight about how the Euro powers should carve up the globe?

Even in WWII Winston was fighting to preserve the British Empire and its place in the world. Many of course were anti fascists and fighters for democracy.

I don't think it was necessarily about either.

The Kaiser certainly wanted to transform the newly formed Germanic state into an empire to rival that of the other European rivals, but I don't think there was ever any chance of it being a credible risk to the British Empire itself. There's possibly a stronger argument that the British Empire was weakened because of Britain's involvement in WW1.

So why did Britain declare war on an expanding German Empire with aspirations to expand its control and influence further.

[Omygawd]

Let’s hope LSN enjoys his break.

[Dunners]

Thought you might. Are you seriously trying to say WWI was about freedom and not a fight about how the Euro powers should carve up the globe?

Even in WWII Winston was fighting to preserve the British Empire and its place in the world. Many of course were anti fascists and fighters for democracy.

I don't think it was necessarily about either.

The Kaiser certainly wanted to transform the newly formed Germanic state into an empire to rival that of the other European rivals, but I don't think there was ever any chance of it being a credible risk to the British Empire itself. There's possibly a stronger argument that the British Empire was weakened because of Britain's involvement in WW1.

So why did Britain declare war on an expanding German Empire with aspirations to expand its control and influence further.

I get that there was a naval arms race going on, and that the development of the German Navy could have developed into competition for Britain's dominance of the seas. But it was more likely that Germany would have sought to pick off Spanish, Dutch or French colonies, as these were much easier targets and Britain's navy at that time was not to be messed with.

But for Britain, the prevailing foreign policy for 400 years had been to maintain the balance of power within Europe, and to prevent any one state from becoming too dominant (one century siding with the French, the next with the Russians etc). Ever since unification, Germany was a threat to that balance. Hence, when they stepped out of line, thousands of young men were sent to their deaths. And when they started to run out, thousands of recruits from the colonies followed them.

[Tuffers#2]

Lille by Eurostar is a very under rated trip, heartland of Industrial France.